Book Review: Murder Strikes a Pose

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I totally wasn’t kidding about seeking out the previous books in the downward dog series by Tracy Weber. She’s a local Seattle area author and as such deserved a little extra of my reading time. Murder Strikes a Pose is the first in the series as well as her debut novel.

Basic Summary (Courtesy of KCLS):

When George and Bella–a homeless alcoholic and his intimidating German shepherd–disturb the peace outside her studio, yoga instructor Kate Davidson’s Zen-like calm is stretched to the breaking point. Kate tries to get rid of them before Bella scares the yoga pants off her students. Instead, the three form an unlikely friendship.

One night Kate finds George’s body behind her studio. The police dismiss his murder as a drug-related street crime, but she knows George wasn’t a dealer. So Kate starts digging into George’s past while also looking for someone to adopt Bella before she’s sent to the big dog park in the sky. With the murderer nipping at her heels, Kate has to work fast or her next Corpse Pose may be for real.

My thoughts:

Another book with ties to homelessness? hrm. It is a big problem up here. I could never figure out why though, it’s cold and rainy most of the year. I imagine that must be super uncomfortable. But Seattle seems to be a mecca like New Orleans (also super uncomfortable, 100 degrees and 2000 percent humidity, hello).

I enjoyed this book. For the most part it doesn’t read like a cozy trying to find it’s footing. There’s a little too much ruminating by the main character but it seemed in line with where the character actually was. Processing loss, learning to investigate, learning when to embrace things. So while the reading of said ruminating did irk now and then, it at least felt authentic to the character.

If I had read this one first I would totally say I am reading more to see where this goes. Since I read number 6 by accident first, I need to fill in the lines. LOL

I’ve been thinking Thursday: this week’s theme

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Monday I reviewed The Year of Less. It super touched on a lot of things that I had already been mulling over.

And I think what I came to is…my biggest problem is my inability to say no to people who need my help.

This upcoming year was supposed to be my slow down year. My year to get healthy habits ingrained. To rest. To really consider what I wanted to maintain in my life.

Before I embark on my masters program next summer. Yup masters program, while homeschooling my child, and still teaching a bit at the coop. That was the plan.

 

Instead, I am back on the board of the coop. Because they begged.

I am teaching 4 classes. Possibly to become five because one of them is so far over my max it could almost be a second max, because I can’t say no.

I had thought about starting a tutoring/online teaching venue for while I was getting my masters. And I mentioned it to a few parents as a possible option, if I didn’t teach at the coop this year. Now I’m tutoring in addition to teaching at the coop this year.

And except for the board, these are good things. Things that make me happy.

But not things that give me time to focus at all on myself in the limited time I have left after taking care of the child, the hubs, the home, and the dog (soon to become two?).

Anyone know a good book to teach me to say no? Maybe a class? Seminar? Brain washing?

 

Book Review: The Year of Less

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I’ve given up burning the candle at both ends, I just threw myself into the fire. Given that state of extreme stress and constant over work, The Year of Less by Cait Flanders was extremely appealing.

Basic Summary (Courtesy of Goodreads):

In her late twenties, Cait Flanders found herself stuck in the consumerism cycle that grips so many of us: earn more, buy more, want more, rinse, repeat. Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy—only keeping her from meeting her goals—she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.

The Year of Less documents Cait’s life for twelve months during which she bought only consumables: groceries, toiletries, gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt.

The challenge became a lifeline when, in the course of the year, Cait found herself in situations that turned her life upside down. In the face of hardship, she realized why she had always turned to shopping, alcohol, and food—and what it had cost her. Unable to reach for any of her usual vices, she changed habits she’d spent years perfecting and discovered what truly mattered to her.

Blending Cait’s compelling story with inspiring insight and practical guidance, The Year of Less will leave you questioning what you’re holding on to in your own life—and, quite possibly, lead you to find your own path of less.

My thoughts:

This is a one day book, meaning I dragged it with me all day so I could read what happened next as soon as possible.

Does she give great ideas on how to shop less?

Er, not really. Her suggestions felt few and far between. And when I was done reading I couldn’t really tell you what she said about that, other than think before you spend.

Does she write a compelling memoir none the less?

Oh yeah.

And she made me think about my compulsive consumerism. Because to be honest, I think we are all a little compulsive. Maybe a lot.

I know I was already chewing on how much is too much, what do I really need, why do I feel compelled to get things I don’t need or to buy them for other people? Moving for the second time in nine months will do that to you. LOL. Perhaps that’s why this book spoke to me.

But I think, if you’re at all interested in other people, this is an enjoyable book to read.

 

I’ve been thinking Thursday: Social media

~ tahenryauthoress ~ 4 Comments

Yesterday the kiddo and I got our hair cut. We use the same stylist so we’re there a while. I always end up in these weird random conversations with her.

She plays music from her own playlist. Yesterday The Time Warp came on.

(It’s just a jump to the left….)

I was immediately transported back. My late teens, that year where we went to the midnight Rocky Horror Picture Show every week. We showed up so often they cast started inviting us to their parties. LOL.

(and then a step to the right….)

And then as she casually sprayed water into my hair, my stylist says…can you imagine in there was facebook and instgram back then?

Gulp.

(put your hands on your tits)

On one hand I wouldn’t have done eighty percent of the things I did, had I know it could be on FB and instagram 2 seconds later.

(and brings your knees in tight)

On the other hand, I wouldn’t have done eighty percent of the things I did. LOL

(It’s just a pelvic thrust, that really drives you ins -aaa-nnn-eee)

So I’m going to share just one of those things I’m sure would have made me notorious….

I once went to the midnight show of Rocky Horror in body paint and underwear and platform heels.

(Let’s do the time warp again)

Your turn….what’s one thing you are so glad FB/Instagram/Twitter weren’t around to capture?

Book Review: Murder Likes It Hot

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I was sliding through the library on my way to the last scheduling committee meeting, and this book just fell off the shelf at my feet. I had to pick it up and take it home; it would have been rude to leave Murder Likes It Hot by Tracy Weber just lying there on the floor, right?

Basic Summary (Courtesy of Amazon):

Newly married yoga instructor Kate Davidson feels stuck in low-energy limbo, despite her high-energy life. She’s trying to conceive a child, keep her studio afloat now that the ultra-cheap Some Like It Hot Yoga studio has opened across the street, and start a yoga program at a local resource center for homeless youth.

When a center employee is found dead, Kate sets aside her fertility and financial woes to delve into the world of teenage homelessness. While digging for clues with her German shepherd Bella, Kate discovers that family can be formed by bonds stronger than shared DNA, and she must defend it at all costs.

My thoughts:

Despite the slightly racy title, this book is feel good yoga and cozy mystery all the way. Let me just say I have to give kudos to Weber for weaving in the yoga and dog rescue work like they’re finely attuned spices in a good meal, rather than slathering it on like butter on cheap toast. I feel like the lines about yoga and animal rescue work are there to tell more about the main character, Kate, rather than pad the book.

I have this vague idea I read one of the series before and didn’t much like it. But I will say if that was the case, Weber has really hit her stride. This is book 6 in the series and I liked it enough, I will be back tracking to read the rest.

I live in the Seattle area, more or less, and the way she touched on the political issues surrounding homelessness locally was exceptionally well done.

The victim of the murder was unexpected. The bad guy was not so surprising once the actual murder occurred. I had a whole other extremely common plot line in mind as I was reading. But Weber didn’t go that way, all to the good. And extremely rare in a cozy mystery, she made me cry at the end.

I won’t even mention that she called an automatic, a revolver at one point. Except I just did. Well, no one is perfect.

I’ve been thinking Thursday: Profound Memes

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I saw this meme recently that said “doing your best does not mean working yourself to death.”

I’m sure for someone that made perfect logical sense.

My brain, however, just keep spluttering.

If I am doing my best, I should keep at it until the thing is done and done right. You can’t put a time limit or an effort limit on doing your best. Your best is your best. It’s not someone else’s.

And we all have varying degrees of “best” in us. My son for example, his best vacuuming will leave crumbs under the dining table. Mine doesn’t. His best lacks experience right now. He’ll gain it. In five year if he is still leaving crumbs under the table, I won’t accept that was his best. LOL.

So how do I draw the line for me?

“I wanted to do my best but you know, that took too much effort, so I went to bed instead.”

Not happening.

And maybe I would be healthier, and happier, and less tired if I did. But I can’t.

My best is 100%. Anything that deserves my best, deserves that.

Then again I might be crazy. What do you think?

Book Review: Read and Gone

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Jay reminded me of Allison Brook the other day. He reviewed her third book and I suddenly realized, wait – I haven’t read the second one, Read and Gone, yet. Clickety Click, and poof it came to my kindle.

Basic Summary (courtesy of Amazon):

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn’t know since her dad Jim’s been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.

Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie’s boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr’s life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she’s searching the victim’s country cabin.

Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library’s ghost Evelyn, or something shinier?

My thoughts:

I find Carrie much more charming now that she has really embraced settling into the wonderful life that came her way, really via her Aunt and Uncle. She’s amusing and has funny friends. The library ghost is an interesting way to bail Carrie out of trouble and grant her knowledge she can’t get any other way.

On the other hand, she’s gotten dumb. Like the criminal had to actually hit her over the head twice before she caught on this time. LOL.

Will I read book three? Absolutely. And not just because Jay says the author really hits her stride in book 3, but it doesn’t hurt.

 

I’ve been thinking Thursday: Another driving PSA

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I know I post these way too often but this time…I was wrong…oops

I routinely turn left at an intersection where the two directions opposite each other are coming out of parking lots and while they have two lanes, there are no protected arrows, just the big round green circle at the same time. One lane is straight/right, one lane is left turn.

I always though that people turning left had the right of way. After all the right turners can go anytime there is a break in traffic but the left turners can only go on the green light. Makes sense for traffic flow that left turns should have right of way, otherwise once all the right turns go, there won’t be time for the left to go and that will just back up for days.

Anyway after some woman yelled at me last week and called me a not nice name, I decided to research this.

And I was wrong. Unprotected left turns are the bottom of the priority list even behind right turns.

Makes zero logical sense to me.

Luckily I moved this weekend and now I can go right out of that lot towards home and have the right of way. LOL

Book Review: Cinder

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I don’t remember who recommended Cinder by Marissa Meyer to me. Someone who knew I was looking for Sci/Fi and Fantasy options for my creative writing class. It didn’t come in time for me to use it as an example for Sci/Fi. It’s rather complicated though, a retelling of a fairy tale with advanced technology.

Basic Summary (Courtesy of Goodreads):

CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation.

Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.

 

My thoughts:

I felt no impetus to read. I don’t know any way to explain it other than that. It is well written and enjoyable. I liked it. But at no point was I invested. In fact I remained 20 pages from the end, in the middle of what was sure to be the climax, for a week and didn’t even care.  I reread World War Z instead.

I don’t know why either. The characters are well drawn. The plot is good; predictable but I find most books predictable. The style was fast paced. Everything that makes a good book was totally present and accounted for.

It just didn’t speak to me.

I’ve been thinking Thursday: Making a movie

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This is one of those random plinko machine brain hopped on someone else’s train of thought and went for it. It was a guest post on a blog I follow about who would play your characters if they made a movie of your book.

Ostrich Mentality is the only book people talk about being made into a movie. So I gave it some thought. (Er, when I say people above, I don’t mean people in Hollywood, just to be clear. LOL)

Galatea: bad-ass assassin starting to question the orders she’s chosen to accept.

Image result for inbar lavi

 

Inbar Lavi

You’re asking who?

She’s done some stuff. I’ve seen her on SOA and The Last Ship. She looks so girl next door sweet. And yet flawlessly plays trouble.

 

 

 

Talon: British SAS on loan to Mi6. Sexy in that devil may care way some men have. Good at what he does. Inventive in his means.

Image result for charlie hunna,

 

Charlie Hunnam

I know, I know. He only has one role. Lucky for me that one role could easily be adapted to play Talon.

And really all the hot Brit actors that I would love to cast as Talon, are getting a bit long in the tooth for the role. cough cough, Daniel Craig.

 

 

Ash: American with a long history of doing the dirtiest work imaginable for his country.

See the source image

 

Gerard Butler

I really wanted to say Jeremy Renner for this role but realistically he’s the wrong body type.

 

 

 

Stan: Obnoxious, know it all, pain in the ass idiot with an over inflated sense of self

 

Barrett Foa

He’s almost perfect, except he’s too pretty.

Stan is less. LOL

 

 

 

 

Hollywood, are you out there listening? I would be super realistic in my demands. LOL.