The new Abby and Ophelia Seventh Witch

While a bit tedious at times, this series has managed to stay fresh-light (not too much overkill on the who and what of the setting and characterizations) and more effort spent on advancing the current story. Well that's starting to change a bit in this latest offering. Abby and Ophelia have moved location (sometimes not a good idea) and are visiting their family of southern mountain witches...okay that could be good but instead of a story there are merely hints of something bad to come, a rival family of bad witches, some generations old hidden witch problems. Everyone seems to know a part of the story, noone wants to tell all of it...so instead of a book we have bits and pieces of what should be a good story combined with hints and is turning into just an exercise in reading frustration. I hope this isn't the end of what has been a strong B+ series.

Avenging Angels by Mary Stanton

This is the third in the Beaufort and Company series. The first one I picked up on a whim---I thought it looked off-beat enough to be interesting and it was. The second also was pretty good but this third offering is a mess. I kept picking it up, reading a few chapters and deciding I had better things to do. Not that it's bad, just that there doesn't seem to be much of a story-line. I don't like books where the author feels the need to set the stage for the characters in each book (hey if the reader can't follow the story, here's a thought, buy or borrow the original book)

I was nearly 2/3 of the way through Avenging Angels before the real 'mystery' came to light. And I really think that if this author doesn't get busy and resolve or at least reveal some of the backstory, a lot of readers, me included, will stop reading. I understand not wanting to reveal EVERYTHING, particularly in a series like this, largely based on mystery, paranormal, and just plain weird, but in this series, each book piles more and more and more on until the reader has difficulty determining what is plot, what is setting and what is really the point. When reading becomes floundering, it becomes not fun. And when reading is not fun, then I stop reading (after all this isn't school!)

Any Trixie Belden fans out there?

I'm snowed in, restricted in activity and bored out of my mind so I thought I'd go looking for some Trixie Beldens to complete my collection. One of the later (and probably not better) titles is currently listed on one of the major book sites for $600.00 I nearly fell out of bed. That much money would have bought every book in the collection, in hardback, and probably a weekend with the author!

Oh well, I will keep looking. I have most of the first 38 or 39--the ones that were in print when I was really reading and enjoying them. Now I just want the rest to say that I have ALL OF THEM.

Quick recommendation if you're looking for something new to read

Toni L.P Kelner....has at least two series that I know of. One I believe she no longer is writing (the Laura Fleming series) but the new series (Where Are They Now?) has 2 entries...the first is the Curse of the Kissing Cousins about the former cast members of a Brady Bunch like TV show and the most recent Who Killed the Pinup Queen is a tightly woven and very enjoyable tale intermingling memories of a successful TV western and the world of aging pinup queens (think Bettie Page).

The first book was good the second is even better. My only quibble with this author is that to the best of my knowledge she never concluded the first series and with the second one it's taking a long time between books. Ms. Kelner has also authored several anthologies with other popular mystery authors but, as I may have mentioned a million or so times, I hate short stories.

Ending a long running series

I just found out (by reading an on-line review) that one of the cozy mystery series I have read for a few years is no longer being published by the publishing house that has been offering it. I am actually glad it's being cancelled,the quality of the stories has been going down hill. Initially it was a fresh idea.....a retired on disability San Francisco homicide detective and his teddy bear making wife return to her home town in Virginia. She makes collectible teddies for high end bear shows and he, initially concentrated on rehabbing. Suddenly he is interested in making bears based on TV detectives and has a side job acting as civilian consultant to the local police department. As the books proceed he becomes almost a Svengali to the local sheriff....he directs her in nearly step of the investigations, the sheriff defers to him at every step and finally in this last book, his wife has become a sheriff's deputy. Now Brad Lyon is able to vicariously relive his life as a detective, being deferred to by both the sheriff and his wife. Really time for this to go away.

And let's not forget about the retired Soviet spy who owns a local BBQ joint?????

I've been away a long long time

A lot has changed since my last post. I've separated from my husband ... actually he decided he needed to 'find himself' or 'take a breath' or 'clear his head' or whatever. Bottom line, he left, and one of my first thoughts was "cool, now I won't have to listen to him whine about how much I read". I also have had a knee replaced, lost my job because of the surgery and have inherited a whole lot of problems.

But am I still reading, you bet. Because I haven't been mobile for several weeks and able to either get to the bookstore or the library very easily I find myself re-reading some old favorites.

First, Georgette Heyer....historical and hysterical Regency romances. Read them and learn something.

Then there is Donna Andrews.....her bird series "Murder with Peacocks" is a laugh riot from beginning to end.....the latest is "Swan for the Money". All of the books are good, read them, enter Meg's world.

And finally on my current re-read list are some of the early works of Elizabeth Peters-Barbara Michaels. "Ammie Come Home", "Devil May Care", "The Love Talker", the list is long, the reading enjoyment enormous.

Well, its time for another pain pill and I need to do some exercises.....the doctor, the physical therapist and my home nurse keep telling me it will get better.....