IT'S MONDAY. WHAT ARE YOU READING? 23.2.14

Last Monday in February !
A reading filled week, I joined the Love for Books Readathon to get a few more reads [+ reviews!] off my to-do list. My daily tally of completed and current reading post HERE { includes titles with synopsis } *

1. THE BEST OF DAUGHTERS- 436 pages
2. DEATH OF A VALENTINE- 6.2 hrs 
3. THE GIRL IN THE GATEHOUSE - 402 pages
4.  REFLECTIONS OF RAGAMUFFINS- 7 pages
5. DEATH OF AN ADDICT - 6 hours
6. EMMA - 1st chapter approx 1/2 hr    [ the first one chosen but discontinued]
7. EMMA - chapters 1-8 = 2 hrs 49 min Blackstone Audio version
8. DEATH BY THE BOOK -  320 pages
9. GOD ENCOUNTER - 42 pages
10.                                                  THE DARCYS OF DERBYSHIRE - 3 hours

* Just to clarify -
[for all the comments about reading more than 1 book at a time!] This is the tally of my week's completion of books - all read 1 at a time =) * What's in my Mailbox?

Linking to Mailbox Monday's post - I received lot of great choices with several email
plus mailbox treats ...
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This one is an audiobook Pride and Prejudice variation for me to enjoy from author
Abigail Reynolds - MR. DARCY'S NOBLE CONNECTIONS
There’s only one fact that notorious rake Lord Charles Carlisle and his cousin, Fitzwilliam Darcy, can agree upon: a house party given by the Marquess of Bentham is bound to be intolerably dull. That’s why Lord Charles is delighted to accept a bet that he can seduce his sister’s pretty friend during their stay at Bentham Park. After all, it’s easy money for an experienced seducer, and it will relieve his boredom. Why should he care if his staid cousin Darcy disapproves? But when Darcy discovers that Lord Charles’ new target is none other than Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who just refused Darcy’s offer of marriage, he cannot stand by and watch as the woman he still loves is callously ruined. What he doesn’t know is that Lord Charles has a dark secret, and that his attentions to Elizabeth may not be what they seem.
But Darcy has a secret agenda of his own at the house party, one that could change everything change everything at Bentham Park. Add in a midnight rescue, clandestine meetings, a long-lost son, conspiracies, blackmail, and an attempted elopement, and suddenly this house party is anything but dull. * ACCIDENTALLY YOURS - 1st in the time shifter series, Yours by Design by Robin Helm

Two worlds . . .
Two centuries . . .
Two men who love the same woman . . .
Two prayers fervent enough to shift time . . .
Endless questions and possibilities . . .
What would a man give for a second chance at love?
What would he sacrifice to keep it?
What if the proud, arrogant Fitzwilliam Darcy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice never changed after his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford? What if the humbled man who successfully courted her was not the same Mr. Darcy?

In Accidentally Yours, Book 1 of the Yours by Design Christian fantasy romance series,
worlds collide and time shifts when two men fall in love with the same woman.                            - Goodreads
Paperback, ebook,   252 pagesPublished January 8th 2014 by Robin Helm

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Thank you to author Kayce Hughlett for this FB party win !
AS I LAY PONDERING:Daily Invitations to Live a Transformed Life

This fresh and innovative daybook hints of a memoir, reads as a guidebook, and resonates with the human experience. Each entry conjures the ineffable with soulful specifics-some tiny and concrete, others dreamily unreal-always seamlessly present. It is no heavy-handed moral guide to self-improvement; rather it is an invitation into the bigness of life. Filled with inspiration, personal reflections, and simple activities to deepen the pathway to presence, it is the ideal companion for any transformational journey. Inspired and timeless, "As I Lay Pondering" offers: Intimate, relatable stories and practical reflections that bring wordlessness, oneness, and imagination to life. 366 accessible, here-&-now activities to immediately apply to your personal and professional practices. Soulful daily readings to nourish your heart and enrich your life. Incorporated teachings from historical and current wisdom figures-Carl Jung, Martha Beck, Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tzu, Thomas Merton, Sue Monk Kidd, Anne Lamott and more. "These daily meditations are a treasure, full of wisdom and creative invitations for your own pondering. Immerse yourself in a year of grace through this book." Christine Valters Paintner                                -Goodreads

*           Another impressive win is Lacy Ellman's PILGRIM PRINCIPLES

[journeying with intention in everyday life]

Perfect for this reader who's Word for the year is 'Intention' !  When we infuse our journeys - inward and outward - with meaning and intention, they become sacred pilgrimages.  See life as a journey of  mystery, wonder, revelation, delight, acceptance, and transformation *

A review for the audiobook of Sandra Lee Smith's LOVE'S REFUGE Skye Larsen loves her peaceful life on Leeza Island in Puget Sound – the tranquility, the friendly neighbors, and especially the safety from big-city dangers. So when cruel pranks start to escalate and changes threaten to overtake the island, Skye is determined to fight for her haven. The presence of a handsome vacationer and the unexpected feelings he awakens can’t distract her from her goal.
Danny Fraser doesn’t realize how desperately he needs a rest until he meets Skye. By allowing him to glimpse her simple way of life, she helps him reorient his priorities – and steals his heart in the process. But his work and home in Seattle keep Skye at bay. 
An isolated island girl with painful memories. A dedicated city boy with a wild past. What will it cost for them both to find a refuge from their storms?
* And...
Another fav MC Beaton mystery audio DEATH OF A SCRIPTWRITER * M.C. Beaton's 14th adventure featuring Hamish Macbeth, lovable local bobby of Lochdubh, Scotland, is a similar treat to her previous efforts. 
Macbeth feels a dismal foreboding when television film crews descend into his neighborhood to film a local author's out-of-print mysteries. Not only are they led by an overbearing and egotistical scriptwriter, but they have completely stood the original manuscript on its head. 

The producers have determined that a sexy, pot-smoking heroine will bring in more viewers than the genteel and circumspect detective true to the original. The author herself and the local Calvinist minister are not amused. Before too long, the scriptwriter, the shapely actress playing the lead, and her jealous husband all end up dead, confirming Macbeth's suspicions that the gloomy village of Drim and glamorous media types were a dangerously combustible mix. 

The mystery itself seems straightforward enough, but Beaton has provided more than the usual number of suspects and subplots. All of these spike the reader's interest while her wicked characterizations of both the locals and the inhabitants of TV-land are hilarious, and very occasionally thought-provoking. 

The real strength of the book, and indeed Beaton's work in general, is the way in which she evokes the genuine isolation of Macbeth's rural Highlands and blends it with breezy renderings of murder, mayhem, and cozy cups of tea. In some ways it's a bit of an incongruous mix, but Beaton successfully keeps the tone on the lighter side. 
'Death of a Scriptwriter' will certainly intrigue mystery fans as well as those who have wondered about the creations of the PBS/BBC series 'Mystery!' - K.A. Crouch  at Goodreads
* Recent HAMISH MACBETH Reviews I've posted include - DEATH OF AN ADDICT DEATH OF A VALENTINE DEATH OF A DENTIST
as well as reviews this week for
HOME TO WALNUT RIDGE BLADES OF VALOR *
That's about it for this week - I look forward to hearing yours with a link in comments ..
Sharing our Monday posts at
Sheila's BOOK JOURNEY *

and with MizB's

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IT'S MONDAY! WHAT ARE YOU READING? 17.2.14

Taking advantage of today being the FAMILY DAY holiday here and posting late ! *

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Another good week of reading [and listening] I'm pleased about. Scottish author, MC Beaton's DEATH OF A DENTIST *

* 2 of Merlin's Immortals series by Canadian author,
Sigmund Brouwer

   
      MARTYR'S FIRE                                                                                         BLADES OF VALOR

3rd in Diane Moody's Teacup Novella series

* and not a few false starts on books I couldn't get into at the moment !
How's your week's reading shaping up?
Up next for me...
Dilly Court's THE BEST OF DAUGHTERS

* LET THEM EAT CAKE , Sandra Byrd's 1st in  the French Twist series Looks like another FuN read I'd like to add to the week {what's not to love about a French bakery?} *

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Thinking Monday's Reading is off to a great start! Find more books to add to your book stash at  Sheila's linkup  BOOK JOURNEY
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SAVE THE DATE for MARCH
Women's History Month Celebrated at LOST IN BOOKS
{sign ups open now}
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Joining the Wake UP Wednesday Party 

DEATH OF A CHARMING MAN: by MC Beaton 6.2.14

Author: MC Beaton Series: Hamish Macbeth Mystery #10 Narrator: Shaun Grindell Length: 6.2 hours Unabridged Publisher: Blackstone Audio Inc Published: 1.1.14 Synopsis: M. C. Beaton returns with another baffling case for Hamish Macbeth, the stubborn, red-haired, one-man police department of the Scottish village of Lochdubh. It has all the local color, wry humor, and splendid characterizations readers adore.

All Sergeant Hamish Macbeth wants to do is fish and drink coffee with his fiancée. But when a mysterious stranger moves into the neighboring village—a rich, unmarried heartbreaker—a rivalry erupts among the local women, and the men of the village start a slow burn. It is amusing until death threats, assault, and murder shatter the tranquil countryside. Now Hamish must investigate the darker side of love and desire.© 1994 by Marion Chesney                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                          - via Goodreads
* An absolute pleasure to step back into Scotland's Highlands via Shaun Grindell's excellent narration, all in a beautiful Scots accent. The story opens with the infamous 1558 quote of Scots Reformer, John Knox, "The first blast of the trumpet against the monstruous regimen of women." alerting the listener to the story that follows -   life when women take over and in particular for one man, Hamish Macbeth's perspective on home and life  being overrun by women! The opening scene has Hamish escaping his own home via the bedroom window, whilst Priscilla, his intended, and a hoard of village women overrun his kitchen to have a new electric cooker installed. Had anyone asked Hamish if he wanted one?  Not a word.  Its arrival sets Hamish on a course of disillusion and doom regarding his future.   His territory has been invaded and the sense of loss starts his thoughts on a downward spiral. *   Grindell's colourful personalizations add life to familiar characters, the story, and to my listening enjoyment.  Beaton's wit adds a great humour to situations particular to  Death of a Charming Man as husbands react to this 'charming man's' arrival in their village  and his effect on their wives. Middle age complacency is now hurriedly attacked with hair dyes and do's, exercise regimens, new wardrobes, and the ubiquitous high heels! But when the 'charming man' goes missing, what and who else might be afoot in those heels? * Several references are made to Highland attitudes of antipathy to newcomers, Highland vs Lowland differences, male vs female relational views that add insights to Scottish life. Valuable too as Hamish digs deeper into his relationship with Priscilla  that will play into book #11 of Beaton's series.
Yes, that's how these authors keep readers hankering for the next one! * And I am certainly one of those readers. I anticipate another day's listening to Shaun Grindell characterize Scottish village life and unravelling the mysteries of Ms Beaton - with pleasure... His voice is well modulated, steadily paced without gaps or jumps,  and without jarring interruptions. * Production of this Blackstone Audio is excellent.  No background interference. Clarity of sound and well balanced.   * I am one happy listener anticipating the next Hamish Macbeth installment! *

Shaun Grindell was born and raised in Southampton, England. His training includes the Calland School of Speech and Drama and the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in London. He has been seen on stage in London and Las Vegas, and he currently resides in New England with his wife.

In addition to the Hamish Macbeth series, MC Beaton also writes Regency Romances under her real name, Marion Chesney. She lives in the Cotswolds England with her husband.

* *Thank you to Blackstone Audio and Audiojukebox for providing access to listen and review.

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Scotland travelled for GiraffeDays