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Diamonds and Daggers (Vampire Knitting Club, #11)Diamonds and Daggers by Nancy Warren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading serious books, I like to take a reading vacation. The Vampire Knitting Club is a fun place to go. Not your usual vampires. These are sophisticated, mostly non-neck-biting types. They meet in the original owner’s residence above and below the yarn shop. They knit. Anyone who knows me understands my affection for the wooly soft stuff.

It is the original owner’s granddaughter who owns the store now. Her grandmother is now a vampire. It was the only way to save her life. But she can’t be seen in the shop. It really upsets the customers to see their favorite yet dead yarn expert walking around.

Each and every volume of this series is fun and wrapped around some murder. Don’t doubt for a minute the pointy needles are harmless. But they do remind one of the canine teeth, don’t they?

Add to all that, the grandmother and granddaughter are witches. Well, the granddaughter didn’t know that until she inherited the shop when her grandmother supposedly passed. Now she is learning to knit and to ‘witch.’ In this particular volume, she is learning about her athame. Dagger.

Sarah Zimmerman narrates the Audible version I was reading/listening to. She isn’t too irritating, but her attitude seems a bit too high society for the main character, but you get used to it. At least you don’t get lost. And the author writes a wonderful story and keeps you engaged and wanting more.

I have already finished and started number 12. These books are a bit of a drug of fun for me. I hope you all get to read them.

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Bless you, Linda, for One-Liner Wednesday
(Found on Facebook)

Yay, Z!

I don’t know why this was a tough month. The challenge was extra challenging.

You would think the alphabet could be easy. It’s not been that hard in the past.

But so had Camp NaNo. You want to know how far I got on that goal? Zero. Zip.

Yep, once again editing, writing, and my podcast and piano goals got nothing but yawns. Yippee!

But… Yarn got a lot of attention. Many socks nearly jumped off the needles. I seem to have a lot of zest for knitting.

Oh, well. Zippity Do Dah!

#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter Y
#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter Z

The Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIAThe Sisterhood: The Secret History of Women at the CIA by Liza Mundy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whoa! This is a lot! A crazy book to read at bedtime. My emotions were all over the place.

It’s worth the read. So much information! I love that the author did the narration, as you could tell her heart was in the read.

It’s so late at night that I can’t think of what to say that will help others to want to check out this book. It is so worth the read. I’m just warning you. If anger, excitement, sadness, hopelessness, regret, hope, and other huge emotions keep you awake, you might want to read this earlier in the day. I had too many 3 AM bedtimes that didn’t turn into actual sleep. Emotions about women, historical events, and all the wins and losses we’ve all lived through, but receiving only partial information played through my head, wondering what I would have done. What could I have done? How about the personal situations I’ve been through like some of these women; what needed to be done?

So read it for yourself and learn what you can. I was lucky to get to read (listen to) it on Libby.

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Sunday Funny



Linda’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “show.” Use it as a noun or a verb. Have fun!

Plus, I think I am on the letter

#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter X

It seems obvious:

Where’s the show?

X marks the spot.

So, I guess it’s a creek of Consciousness. I should at least show I have a mind to follow. 

Still, nothing is coming up.

This xes out the whole process. Sorry. No show today.😥


#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter V
#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter W

Viewing Shogun all day today was a valiant effort. We binged all ten episodes. So soon after reading (listening) the book, it was interesting to see how well it was interpreted. Now, on Monday, I should receive the older version with Richard Chamberlain. I advise if you can, to read the actual book first. I did in the 80s. But I wish I had read it more recently. But my vision isn’t good enough for the printed volume.

Meanwhile, I have a bunch of socks nearly finished. My hands have been hurting with the weather changes. So not a lot of progress on any of the projects. But here ya go:

Still working the arch.
Getting ready to do cuff and cast-off.
Another cuff and cast-off.
I’m trying to make sure the ukulele strap is extra long because of the curling of Tunisian Crochet.
Almost finished with the bottom fourth. Didn’t even work on it for two days. I miss when I don’t get to play with my diamond painting.

Now off to recorders and ukulele.


Shogun, Part 2Shogun, Part 2 by James Clavell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Finally, I finished reading (listening) to part 2 of the tome. However, I couldn’t find the actual Audible version on which to write the review.

Ralph Lister was the narrator. Sorry. I think he may be the worst. Or maybe this would have been better with a cast of actors. The problem with Mr. Lister is it is hard to tell the characters apart. And his women sound demeaning to all women. Well, the whole book, and that time in history, was degrading to women, but there were positive things stated in the book, such as how wives took care of the money the men made, which may have been their only power. The next level from wife is Geisha, a step up from prostitute. So, to hear that demeaning voice just continued to make me angry.

My review for the first part can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show…. There is a lot to this book, which includes my history of reading and watching this series.

Anyway, I am looking forward to watching the new series and will rewatch the old one. We don’t need to hide from past mistakes; we certainly can learn from all of them. Meanwhile, learning more about Japanese culture and beginning steps in the language was fun for me.

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And

#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter U

Ugh! Unfinished Month with uncomfortable letters to use unabated unhelped, unusual in an upside down universe!

A to Z Challenge S,T


#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter S
And
#AtoZChallenge 2024 letter T

Straight up, I’m trying to catch up. Still, this causes stress.

Story is ‘Socks’ is my favorite ‘S’ word. Stitches, tidal pools, stars and star fish.

Tuesdays and trying. Striving to be better, smarter. Singing in trios, or solos, spending time with my friends.

Show tunes, swimming, trays full of drills, reading Shogun.

Streaming thoughts. So many things unsaid, the train skipped the tracks.

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