V.I. Warshawski is a tough Chicago PI

I have been reading the VI Warshawski series for a while now.  I had missed a few and picked this one, Shell Game,  up as an award winner for my Monthly Award Challenge.   It was good catching up with VI and her friends- Lottie Herschel, Mr. Contreras and news reporter, Murray Ryerson. 

While I enjoyed reading the latest in Sara Paretsky's series, I did find the political undertones of the book a bit unnecessary at times.  The book deals with immigrants and ICE and the fear that many live under while here in the US.  I understand that is a real fear and am fine with the plot as it pertains to this serious issue.  What I did not care for was the commentary on the current President.   I felt it was unnecessary in portraying the severity and emotion of the situation and the storyline. 

I have read other books that make references to current world situations without specifying president names or parties- for example the Patterson book written with Bill Clinton, The President is Missing.  That book was written about the fact the President has to make decisions for the nation and sometimes they aren't politically popular but the President is just doing the best job for the country not necessarily for their party agenda. 

Despite the political preaching, the story was still an enjoyable read for me and I will probably go back and read the books I missed in the series once I finish the others on my list.


Shell Game by Sara Paretsky
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I had not read a VI Warhawski book in a while and was happy to come back and reconnect with the PI in the Windy City. It is always enjoyable to read about books that are set in your home area especially as V.I. traverses all over the Chicagoland. The plot was an intriguing one with plenty of twists and turns. Enjoyable as always to read the VI series. I am now motivated to go back and read the books in the series I have missed. The only issue I have is the commentary on the current president that is mentioned several times in the book. That could have been left out and the story lines about ICE and immigrant fears would have still been as powerful.


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #38
2. Literary Escapes-  IL
3.  Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #30
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  1st shot for Sara Paretsky
6. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge  #13 same title as a tv show/ movie but is unrelated to it
7. Around the Year in 52 Books- #43 A book related to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse- death and war
8. Book List Queen #27 About a Controversial Topic
9. 2020 TBR  #2020TBRReadingChallenge #17  A book set in the state you live in
10. TBR Book # 26  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
11. While I was Reading #11   A book set in the state you live in
12. Monthly Book Award-   #GXOAwardReadingChallenge  Edgar Award for Sue Grafton Memorial Award (2019)

Coconut Layer Cake Murder

This is the 25th installment of the Hannah Swensen mystery series by Joanne Fluke.   I really enjoy this series and I am caught up on the series after completing this book.  They are pleasant cozy mysteries set in Lake Eden, Minnesota.  Hannah runs a bakery and coffee shop with her business partner Lisa.  Lisa recounts all the stories of Hannah finding dead bodies.   In typical fashion, she gets mixed up in a murder, finds clues that allude the police, and ends up in a dangerous situation while solving the crime.  This series has been made into TV movies for Hallmark and Hannah is played by Alison Sweeney.  Also enjoyable to watch.

This series has recurring characters besides Hannah and there is an ongoing relationship triangle between her, Norman, and Mike.  Norman is the steady considerate type who is a dentist.  Mike on the other hand, causes Hannah to flutter when he comes around.  He is more the bad boy police detective with a past.  Problem is Hannah cannot make up her mind so she won't commit to either of the men, regardless of how hard they try to persuade her.  This is an ongoing relationship tension that has persisted throughout the series.   It is a given that at some point in the book Hannah will find herself seated between Mike and Norman at a dinner.   

In this particular book, Hannah is taking a much needed vacation in Southern California with her mother.  She is unexpectedly summoned home by her youngest sister, Michelle.  Apparently Michelle's boyfriend, police officer Lonnie, has inadvertently found himself a suspect in the murder of a high school friend of his.  Because he is Mike's partner, Mike is prohibited from working the case as is Lonnie's brother.  This means Hannah and her sisters and friends are left to do snooping while Mike sits on the sidelines.  In this case, Hannah actually has the blessings of Mike since he cannot be perceived to interfere in the investigation.  Thus, atypically, Hannah is running the investigation with little input from Mike and no objections.

This case has a bit more personal side stories and in depth detail than many of the books.  Of course it is full of recipes for both sweets and breakfast foods as are all of the books in this series.   All in all an enjoyable quick read despite the fact I felt the ending was a bit rushed to reach a solution to the case.


Coconut Layer Cake Murder by Joanne Fluke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Another fun murder mystery with Hannah Swensen

Always fun to visit Lake Eden and this time we got an added bonus visit to sunny SoCal. Hannah's vacation was cut short when she had to rush home to clear Lonnie , her sister Michelle's boyfriend, of murder. The usual cast of characters helped Hannah solve the case. Following clues and leads led Hannah into a perilous situation as usual. My only complaint and why I have it a 3 was the ending felt rushed. The story was flowing along with good details character interaction but then suddenly the solution is just is just abruptly there. It felt a little unsatisfactory. Still all and all an enjoyable read


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #37
2. Literary Escapes-  MN
3. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   up on the Hannah Swensen series  Apr 2020
4. Cravings for a Cozy and Cloak and  Dagger #CloakDaggerChal : Book  #29; 13th cozy
5. Cruising through cozies -  Free choice #3
6. Calendar of Crime-  #CalendarOfCrime2020  February  #3 action takes place
7. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
8. Mystery Bingo: 
• Weapons card :  pillow
9. Wizading World Tour  
• Ilvermorny:  Food on the cover

This is Going to Hurt

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay was an engaging memoir.  His talent for comedic timing and self deprecation is apparent throughout this book.   I can see how he went on to become a comedy writer for TV.   He is a natural story teller who engages the reader.

This memoir focuses on his career as a Junior Doctor in the NHS in the UK.  Being somewhat familiar with how medical residency works here in the US it was interesting to contrast their processes with ours.  Kay works in OB/GYN and many of the diary entries relay stories from his medical practices.   The impact the residency takes on personal lives is readily apparent in his writing and is so unfortunate. Unlike in the US it doesn't seem as if there is ever a true reward for the hard work and long hours in their system.  It was interesting to hear Kay speak disparagingly about our medical system.   After reading the processes of how the system seems to work and how the decisions of who is eligible for specific treatments such as IVF and C-sections truly depends on which hospital/clinic a patient is treated, I am not sure how he views the system as superior to ours.    It was an interesting read that moved at a quick pace and I can highly recommend it.



This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Medical Resident by Adam Kay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting perspective on the medical profession in the UK. I was totally unfamiliar with the way the system there works. Both in regards to the progression of the Medical career and the actual treatment processes

Adam Kay does a wonderful job telling the story of his career in the medical profession. There is a good balance of humor and educational information. I can totally understand how he has come to succeed in his second career as a comedy writer. I also understand why this book won awards and remained a best seller for so long.

Most of all I think I’m very glad I was pregnant and had my son in the US medical system where I picked my doctor and hospital and didn’t have to fight for treatment options


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #36
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #2 A book by an author whose last name is one syllable
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #52 A book with a Foreword
4. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #5 LGBTQ related book
5. Memoirs-  #10  Memoir Written by a person who identifies as LGBTQIA 

the Mixed Up FIles of Mrs Basil E Frankweiler

I reread the Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg this week.  This is a middle reader book that I remembered from my childhood.  The plot has always stuck with me even when I couldn’t remember the title.  I recall searching for the book on the internet a few years back,  literally putting “kids book, runaway, NY museum” in as my search parameter.  At that time, I was looking for a book to share with my son.  I bought it but alas it has sat unread on his shelf all these years.  We have very different tastes in genres-  I love mysteries, I’ve always liked them ever since I was a child.  I used to devour Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Encyclopedia Brown, the Boxcar children and many others.  My son on the other hand prefers dystopian novels- something I really don’t enjoy.  Maybe it’s the adult feeling that the world has enough bad in it that I don’t need to spend my leisure time reading about things when I could get just as upset watching the news, especially now. 

When a reading prompt for this year said to reread a childhood favorite, I decided this was the time to get the book off the shelf and read it again.  The story is about a 6^th grade girl, Claude, who decides she is unappreciated at home as the oldest, and only girl.  She devises a plan to runaway from her home in Greenwich, CT.  As part of her plan she decides to take her middle brother along as he is a saver and can fund their excursion.  Plus he can keep a secret better than the oldest of the brothers.  Claude works out all the details and then springs the plan on Jamie.  The leave on a Wednesday because that’s music day and they will have an extra container to carry food and clothes.  Claude wants to run away in style, not hide in the woods, nope its NYC and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

When they first leave home, it is Claude’s intention, to get noticed and to come home with a story to tell.  But as their stay and adventures at the Met go along, she comes to realize she wants to be come home changed and a hero for solving a mystery.  Her ultimate transformation of growth actually leads to her realizing the process and the knowledge that you know something that isn’t necessarily public is worth a lot to self growth and awareness.  The 2 children ultimately come to meet the narrator, Mrs. Frankweiler,  she helps them solve a bit of the puzzle and to return home to their family. 

The copy of the book I have is the 35^th anniversary edition.  It has a fun afterword with the author and also contains the only sequel written to the story.  The sequel is a conversation between the siblings about the Newbery award the book received.  It was part of the program given to the attendees in 1968 at the awards.

All in all it was enjoyable reread for me and I am glad I spent the afternoon doing so.  This is a great book to read with children or alone.  

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Was an awesome experience to revisit a childhood favorite. I especially enjoyed the fact my book had a note from the author at the end which helped me to see the messages and themes she was portraying in the book. She also covered the changes from when she wrote the book in 1967 to today (the 35th anniversary). Great as an adult, but for kids it is just a fun book to read

As for the story who wouldn't love to live in a museum filled with treasures and things to explore. This is a great book that I am so happy I read again. It is great for elementary kids to read alone, with parents or in classrooms. All around clean story with intrigue and suspense and messages if you are paying attention


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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #9 with a map
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #25  book related to the arts
3. Book List Queen #34  Middle Grade Fiction 
4. 20 in 20:  #Read20in2020 #13 A book you read in your childhood days 
5. TBR Book #1  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
6. Wizading World Tour  possible categories
• Mahoutokoro: Read a middle grade novel
7. Monthly Motif   #MonthlyMotifGXO-   Went for the classic theme- before I was born

Cyrus LongBones adventures

I am generally not a Fantasy genre reader, I prefer cozy mysteries and thrillers.  I read these books as part of an program where I received the book in exchange for an honest review of it.  Well I can honestly say I enjoyed the books.  I read them each in a single day.

The YA novels are written by Jeremy Mathiesen.  The adventures of Cyrus, Edward and Fibian are fantastical but fun.  The first book is Cyrus Longbones and the Curse of the Sea Zombie.  Here we meet the 3 main characters of the series and learn how they come to be on the journey they are on.  Cyrus, leaves his home under some extreme circumstances, initially he never intends to go back, but as his adventures happen, he slowly changes his tune.  In this first adventure, Cyrus and his best friend, Edward, encounter several challenges while trying to run away.  After they seem to have gotten away, they find themselves in a bit of a mess and we meet their traveling companion, Fibian.  He is grudgingly allowed to join them on their quest but is not entirely trusted by Cyrus and Edward.   The first story finds them sailing to the cold North in search of the Yeti Kingdom.


The second installment, is Cyrus LongBones and the Yeti Kingdom.  Here the travellers encounter more danger and fighting in their quest for information on how to save Cyrus' home and people.  There are lots of different creatures, none we are familiar with in our daily lives, some good, some not so good.  We cannot help but cheer for the young Cyrus and his friends.  The book is filled with lots of intense anticipation and uncertainty as to how the story will end.

There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you.  All in all the adventures as they journey on their search for the Yeti Kingdom, as part of the larger quest to save Cyrus' home, were enjoyable.  I will seek out the 3rd book in the series as well.

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. AtoZ and Alphabet soup challenge #AlphabetSoupChallenge-  "C"
2. Around the Year in 52 Books- #44 . A book related to witches
3. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #51 A genre you don’t normally care for
4. Book List Queen #20 Genre You Don’t Usually Read
5. NJM #NJMBookChallenge2020  #19  supernatural tale
6. Wizading World Tour  possible categories
• Durmstrang:  a book that includes a villain
• Koldovstoretz: Read a book related to a serpent

Cyrus LongBones and the Curse of the Sea Zombie by Jeremy Mathiesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun YA adventure book that is the first in a series. I enjoyed reading this and learning about the main character, the title's namesake. Cyrus is on a quest to leave his home island when we first meet him. As the story unfolds we come to understand why he is working toward this goal. We learn about his family and his neighbors. We grow to know Cyrus and his best friend Edward as the story progresses. They add an unlikely 3rd member to their travel party as this first book comes to an end. I eagerly started the second book the next day.

There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you.


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Cyrus LongBones and the Yeti Kingdom by Jeremy Mathiesen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The second installment finds the reader joining Cyrus, Edward and Fibian on their northward sailing. The travelers encounter more danger and fighting in their quest for information on how to save Cyrus' home and people. There are lots of different creatures, none we are familiar with in our daily lives, some good, some not so good. We cannot help but cheer for the young Cyrus and his friends. The book is filled with lots of intense anticipation and uncertainty as to how the story will end.


There is a large amount of fighting so if you or your younger reader are not up for that this may not be the best book for you. All in all the adventures as they journey on their search for the Yeti Kingdom, as part of the larger quest to save Cyrus' home, were enjoyable. I will seek out the 3rd book in the series as well.


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Every Breath you Take by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke

I have enjoyed all the Under Suspicion novels I have read previously and this installment did not disappoint.  I find it engaging to read along as Laurie Moran works with her production team to investigate old criminal cases.  They interview the key players from the cases, many of whom are living under clouds of suspicion due to the unsolved nature of the case.
In this installment they are reexamining the death of a wealthy widow during the annual Met Ball.  The widow's family and personal assistant were all present the night of her death but they all pointed the finger at her younger boyfriend, Ivan Gray.   The family accused him of being a gold digger who was just after her money,  he claimed he was in love and they were getting engaged.   If he didn't kill her then who did?
The story leads the reader along the investigation path and has several twists and red herrings.   In addition to the enjoyable plot line, the readers enter the personal world of Laurie Moran as well.  MHC does a great job of engaging us with the protagonist and wanting to see her happy and successful.  As a reader, I felt myself rooting for her and experiencing her frustration with her host, Ryan Nichols, and her sadness after losing her husband to a murder (a previous book in the series investigates this case).
Overall I find these books enjoyable and sincerely hope Alafar continues to write these books now that Mary Higgins Clark has died.


Every Breath You Take by Mary Higgins Clark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I have enjoyed all the Under Suspicion novels I have read previously and this installment did not disappoint. I find it engaging to read along as Laurie Moran works with her production team to investigate old criminal cases. They interview the key players from the cases, many of whom are living under clouds of suspicion due to the unsolved nature of the case. The books also engage the reader in the characters and you can envision their feelings and reactions to the different situations.

Overall I find these books enjoyable and sincerely hope Alafar continues to write these books now that Mary Higgins Clark has died.



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Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #35
2. Finishing the Series-  #FinishingTheSeries2020   Under Suspicion Series caught up Apr 2020
3. Cloak and  Dagger  #CloakDaggerChal : Book #28 
4. Medical Examiner-  1 Toe Tag 
5. Six Shooter-  2nd shot for Mary Higgins Clark
6. TBR Book #24  #Backlistreader ; #MountTBR2020; #StartOnYourShelfathon
7. Wizarding World Tour  
• Uagadou: Read a book with a hand on the cover

Astrophyics for People in a Hurry

I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book.  I listened to this audiobook which was narrated by the author.  Neil deGrasse Tyson is a wonderful narrator.  I found this book to be engaging and funny.  The material can be heavy at times but with a basic understanding of atoms, light waves and general chemistry you can follow his discussions.   

I selected this book based upon recommendations in several of my reading groups I have joined this year.  I picked it as the book I read on a topic I know nothing about.  I had a very basic understanding of astronomy and a recent refresh of particle and light wave concepts from helping my HS son study for chemistry.  Neil deGrasse Tyson does a great job of making the subject interesting and engaging.  My only caution is to be sure you can focus on the text as you listen as often times I found myself drifting and having to go back.  This is not a book you can just drop back in on after missing a sentence or 2.  

I can recommend this book if you are at all interested in space, the evolution of our universe or general desire to expand your knowledge

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The author is the narrator and he did a great job of making it understandable and fun. He does not make it too difficult to understand, rather he explains things in a way that people with a basic understanding of particles, light and wave concepts and general chemistry can follow along. It is necessary to be able to focus on the story though as it is not a book you can tune out and then drop back in without losing the gist of the topic. I think this is a book it could be beneficial to read the book versus listening to it. It might be easier to go back to reread a section that you didn't follow initially. But, if you do this, you miss out on a wonderful narration by the author



View all my reviews

Challenge Prompts

The Challenge Prompts I will use this for are:

1. Library Love  #LibraryLoveChallenge -  Book #34
2. Audiobook challenge Book #6
3. Popsugar- #popsugarreadingchallenge #18 on a subject you know nothing about
4. Around the Year in 52 Books- #21 A book related to Maximilian Hell, the noted astronomer and Jesuit Priest who was born in 1720
5. 52 Books in 52 weeks  #28 Title beginning with A
6. Book List Queen #18- New York Times #1 Bestseller
7. Wizading World Tour  possible categories