BOOK REPORT......

Act of War - Brad Thor

Product Description(Amazon.com)
After a CIA agent mysteriously dies overseas, his top asset surfaces with a startling and terrifying claim. There’s just one problem—no one knows if she can be trusted.
But when six exchange students go missing, two airplane passengers trade places, and one political-asylum seeker is arrested, a deadly chain of events is set in motion.
With the United States facing an imminent and devastating attack, America’s new president must turn to covert counterterrorism operative Scot Harvath to help carry out two of the most dangerous operations in the country’s history.
Code-named “Gold Dust” and “Blackbird,” they are shrouded in absolute secrecy as either of them, if discovered, will constitute an act of war. 
Series: The Scot Harvath Series (Book 14) 
Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages 
Publisher: Pocket Books; Reprint edition (May 26, 2015) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1476717133 
ISBN-13: 978-1476717135

MY THOUGHTS: This is a new author for me.  Didn't know this was part of a series.  But it is a good stand alone book.  You can pick up lots of info along the way about the character.  There is lots of technical info on weapons, departments of the government and places they are taking place.  But it's all understandable.  This book will take you around the world and across America.  The story line is so believable I could almost think this could happen.  I will definitely be reading more of this author.   I give this book 5......

This book is also for 2 of my reading challenges.....
Full House Challenge 
Monthly Keyword Challenge

BOOKISH MONTH IN REVIEW.......

I'm a little late getting this posted, but what's new.  Life gets in the way sometimes.  So here's my Month In Review for March....Head over to The Book Date to check out everyone's March Review.

Total Books Read This Month....8 books


What I Read In March
The Other Side of Silence - Bill Pronzini
The Oregon Trail - Matt Doeden
White Fire - Preston & Child 
NYPD Red - James Patterson 
The Secret of the Old Clock - Carolyn Keene 
Under Magnolia - Frances Mayes 
Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman 

My Favorite Book For March
Under Magnolia - Frances Mayes

New To Me Authors
4 with a few favorite authors.

That's it for March.  Did you have good month?  Hop over and check out all the books everyone read for March, you might find your next book.
 

STORAGE......

We all have problems trying to store our "stuff".  I'm one of those people that is always looking for different ways to store my "stuff".  I like to re-use or re-cycle items.  You would be surprised what you can use for storage.  Like my quilting "stuff".  I keep my current project in an Ice Cream container.  It's big enough to hole all my thread, needles, pin cushion and other numerous items.

The current project I'm working on is my ABC Quilt, so everything I need is right here.

I've taken up embroidery again after years of NOT doing any embroidery.  I've wanted to make a Red Work Quilt for the longest time. I found a pattern for some baskets over at Grandma's Attic.  I've got one basket done and have started on another. 

All my "stuff" was just laying around in a pile.  Well, that wouldn't work, at least for me.  I had to find something to put it in.  I was at the Dollar Store yesterday and found this really pretty box.

All my current embroidery "stuff" fits right inside.

So, as you can see it all fits inside the box.  Most of the time my needle work is done while I'm watching T.V.  So it all has to fit inside something so I can carry it to the front room.  This 2 storage items I use travel well around the house with me.  So how do you store your projects?
I'm linking up with Heather over at Books and Quilts for Needlework Tuesday.  And yes I know it's Wednesday, but I'm doing it anyway.  Hop over and check out Heather's mystery project she's working on. 

BOOK REPORT......

The Guinea Pig Diaries - A. J. Jacobs
My Life as an Experiment

Product Description(Amazon.com)
 One man. Ten extraordinary quests.

Bestselling author and human guinea pig A. J. Jacobs puts his life to the test and reports on the surprising and entertaining results. He goes undercover as a woman, lives by George Washington’s moral code, and impersonates a movie star. He practices "radical honesty," brushes his teeth with the world’s most rational toothpaste, and outsources every part of his life to India—including reading bedtime stories to his kids.
And in a new adventure, Jacobs undergoes scientific testing to determine how he can put his wife through these and other life-altering experiments—one of which involves public nudity. 
Paperback: 272 pages 
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (July 13, 2010) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 1439104999 
ISBN-13: 978-1439104996

MY THOUGHTS: This was in interesting book and also very funny.  The one story that I really liked was the one of My Life as a Beautiful Woman.  He's trying to get his Nanny for his son hooked up.  So he sets her up on a dating site.  He does all the work of checking everyone out with emails and finding that perfect guy.  So all these guys thinks he's the beautiful woman.  It's really hilarious how this goes along.  The Nanny goes out a with a couple of the guys, but it doesn't work out.  Want to read a really funny, thought provoking book?  This is the one.  I give this book5.....

This book is for one of my reading challenges...
Full House Challenge


The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies - Susan Wittig Albert

Product Description(Amazon.com)
As Darling’s town librarian is fond of saying: “Naked Ladies is not a respectable name for a plant.” A lily by any other name would certainly smell as sweet—and look just as beautiful as the Naked Ladies decorating Miss Hamer’s lawn…

It seems Miss Hamer’s house may also be home to naked ladies of a different sort. Rumors sprout that the elderly recluse’s visiting niece and her friend are actually the Naughty and Nice Sisters from the Ziegfield Frolic, known for dancing nearly naked.

When a well-dressed man from Chicago arrives, asking about the mysterious ladies, the Dahlias begin to suspect it may be more than modesty that’s causing both women to lie low. Someone is covering up something sinister… 
Series: Berkley Prime Crime Mysteries 
Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages 
Publisher: Berkley (July 3, 2012) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0425251365 
ISBN-13: 978-0425251362

MY THOUGHTS:  This is the 3 book of the series.  Really enjoy reading this series.  It's set in the south during the 1930's.  The market has crashed and everyone is making do with what they have.  Since this is small town everyone helps everyone out.  But once in a while they get a little excitement going on.  In this case the MOB has come to Darling.  Looking for a woman who is in hiding and living about the folks of Darling.  It's up to the Darling Dahlias to figure out what the heck is going on here.  Who is that woman?  Why is she hiding out?  Who's looking for her?  And you will never figure out the ending, I didn't anyway.  I give this book 5....

This book is also for 2 of my reading challenges....
 Cruisin' Through The Cozies
52 Books in 52 Weeks

QUILTY STUFF......

I've been kind of slacking on posting about my quilting.  I've been reading a lot the last few weeks.  I get in a reading slump once in awhile.  Where I don't read as much, then all of a sudden it comes back full force and I'm reading everything in site.  But I have also been working on a few quilts.  I got another quilt done on my list.  I was planning on doing 2 Quilts for March, but it didn't go as planned.  I did get the  Winter Quilt finished. For April I'm planning on doing the Dots Quilt and  a Dresden Plate Quilt.  Hopefully I'll get them both done.
 1. Dots Quilt
 2. Dresden Quilt(Gray Center)
 3. 6" Crazy Quilt
 4. Halloween Quilt
 5. Thanksgiving Quilt
 6. Christmas Quilt
 7. Jar Quilt
 8.  Strip Quilt
 9. Easter Quilt
10. Boo Quilt
12. Valentine Quilt
13. Dresden Quilt(Red Center)
14. Under The Sea Quilt
15. Spring Quil
16. 4th of July Quilt

Plus I've been working on my circles.  I've got March done and have started on April.  I've been trying to figure out how to put the circles together.  I think I've come up with an idea.  It's a work in progress, so I'll keep fiddling with it and see if it all works out.  I'm on day 91 of my Circle Quilt.  Here's my March circles in order by the March calendar.

I've also been working on my ABC Quilt.  I've got 2 rows together.  All the letters are done, just a few more filler blocks to do.

I'm keeping track of my block count for the 350 Blocks Project.  For the month of March I got 57 blocks finished.  That brings my total so far to 164 blocks.  That's good for me. lol
*********************************************************************************
I'm also linking up with.....
Audrey over at Quilty Folk for Quilty 365
Heidi over at Red Letter Quilts for OMG
Shelly over at Prairie Moons Quilts for 350 Blocks Project

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME......

Today is my birthday.

 I'm not doing any of this......

or any of this......

I'm going to be working on a couple quilts and finishing a book.  I may make a trip to the library too.

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY......

Ashley over at Ramblings & Photos is the host for Scavenger Hunt Sunday.  Hop over and check out all the photos everyone is sharing.

Since there wasn't a Scavenger Hunt last Sunday, I'm going to use what the prompts were last week.  This Sunday is Photographer's Choice, so this is what I'm choosing.

Before/After...

  This is the room where we spend most of our time.  The twins and my computers are here, plus they drag all there toys here.  Then you throw in food and some days it's total CHAOS.

Delicious....

Popcorn with LOTS of butter.

Kitchen Sink...

In the process of doing dishes.

An Animal....

The neighbors Pot Belly Pig came for a visit.  Actually, get got out of his pen.  Bob did not like him very much.

Key.....

My car keys laying on the steering wheel.

I'm also posting my stitching for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Kathy over at Kathy's Quilts hosts this.  Hop over and check out all the stitching everyone is sharing.

I wanted to do some Redwork embroidery, so went hunting for some.  I found some at Grandma's Attic.  

I've got one done and started on another.

While I was at Kathy's place I found a new challenge to work on.  It's called Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2016.  It's taking place over at So Scrappy.  Here's a little more info on this challenge.

"Every quilter has struggled with the scraps.  As much as we love the variety they add to our quilts, keeping up with them can seem overwhelming.  The Rainbow Scrap Challenge was invented to encourage you to use and organize your scraps -- one color at a time."

"The idea is simple.  Each month, a new color is announced.  The rainbow scrappers dig though bins and baskets looking for that color of fabric and use it to make something.  Most of us choose a single block to work on each month throughout the year.  If you make a few blocks of each color, by the end of the year, there should be enough to make a quilt.  Some people extend the challenge to pull out UFOs featuring the color of the month.  Some overachieving quilters will make entire monochromatic quilts along the way. "

 I've been wanting to make a quilt with books on it.  So I'm going to figure out a pattern and get started on this.  Every month there is a new color to work with.  I'm a little behind, but I'll catch up eventually. 

BOOK REPORT......

An English Bride in Scotland - Lynsay Sands

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Annabel had planned to become a nun. But when her mother arrives at the Abbey to bring her home to marry a Scottish laird—her runaway sister’s intended husband—her life takes a decidedly different turn.
 And though Annabel isn’t the wife he’d planned for, strong, sexy Ross McKay is taken with his shy, sweet bride.
 Annabel knows nothing about being a wife, running a castle—or the marriage bed. But her handsome new husband makes her want to learn. When Annabel’s life is threatened, Ross vows to move the highlands itself to save her and preserve the passion that’s only beginning to bloom. 
Series: The Highland Brides (Book 1) 
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages 
Publisher: Avon; a edition (June 25, 2013) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0061963119 
ISBN-13: 978-0061963117

MY THOUGHTS:  A first for me, I got the first book in the series.  I've read several of this author's books, I love a good historical romance, and liked all of them.  This one is no exception.  Good story line, characters, and the scenery is like you are almost there.  Annabel is blissfully happy with her new husband and role as the Lady of the keep.  Someone keeps attacking Annabel and she doesn't know who it is.  But Ross is bound and determined to find out who is attacking his wife.  One day Annabel's sister Kate shows up at the keep.  No one likes her, she's rude antagonistic and just an over all NOT a nice person.  As for who's attacking Annabel, you will have to read the book to find out.  I give this book 5.....

 




This book is also for 1 of my reading challenges....
Full House Challenge

BOOK REPORT.....

Explosive Eighteen - Janet Evanovich

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, and she’s flying back to New Jersey solo. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead—and a ragtag collection of thugs and psychos, not to mention the FBI, are all looking for a photograph he was supposed to be carrying.
 Only one person has seen the missing photo: Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target. An FBI sketch artist helps Stephanie re-create the person in the photo, but Stephanie’s descriptive skills are lacking. Until she can improve them, she’ll need to watch her back.
 Over at the bail bonds agency things are going from bad to worse. Vinnie’s temporary HQ has gone up in smoke. Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls for their largest skip yet. Lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment. And everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?
Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii. And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.
 Series: Stephanie Plum (Book 18) 
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Bantam; Reprint edition (May 15, 2012) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0345527739 
ISBN-13: 978-0345527738

MY THOUGHTS:  Stephanie is lots of trouble this time.  But, then again she's always in trouble.  She comes home with ring tan line, and isn't telling anyone what that means, so everyone is assuming she got married while on vacation in Hawaii.  And on the way home from Hawaii, she's found a strange picture in her bag and it seems everyone wants it.  Mean while things are heating up at the bail bonds office.  The bus they were using as an office is burned to the ground and DeAngelo is moving very slowly building the new office.  I give this book 5....

This book is also for one of my reading challenges...
Full House Challenge

BOOK REPORT......

The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade - Virginia Smith

Product Description(Amazon.com)
n this first book of the Tales from the Goose Creek B&B, you'll fall in love with a small town that feels like coming home. Its quirky characters and their many shenanigans will make you laugh out loud as they touch a place in your heart. Even though retirement is still three years away, Al Richardson is counting the days. He anticipates many enjoyable years in which every day feels like Saturday. But Al's wife, Millie, has different plans for their retirement. When she learns that a Victorian-era home is up for sale, Millie launches a full-blown campaign to convince Al that God's plan for them is to turn that house into a B&B. But a B&B won't be the only change for the small Kentucky town. A new veterinarian has hung up her shingle, but she's only got one patient - the smelly dog belonging to her part-time receptionist. And sides are being taken in the issue of the water tower, which needs a new coat of paint...but no one can agree who should paint it. The situation is coming to a head. Who could have imagined a town protest over a water tower? And who would believe it could culminate in an illegal parade? 
Paperback 
Publisher: Harvest House s,U.S. (September 1, 1964) 
Language: English 
ASIN: B018M3GQN6

MY THOUGHTS:  This was a really funny book.  And very charming, with lots of characters to keep your interest in the book.  I kept reading because I wanted to find out if Millie talked Al into buying the house, then I wanted to know what happens to the water tower.  With a little romance thrown in with the new Veterinarian and the Handyman.  Then you have a town torn in two over the water tower and gets really funny.  I give this book 5.....

This book is also for 2 of my reading challenges....
Full House Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks

BOOK REPORT.....

Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman

Product Description(Amazon.com)

Fat Charlie Nancy's normal life ended the moment his father dropped dead on a Florida karaoke stage. Charlie didn't know his dad was a god. And he never knew he had a brother.
Now brother Spider's on his doorstep—about to make Fat Charlie's life more interesting . . . and a lot more dangerous. 
Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages 
Publisher: HarperTorch (September 26, 2006) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0060515198 
ISBN-13: 978-0060515195

MY THOUGHTS:  This was kind of a strange book.  But I really enjoyed reading it.  It was a little slow but it picked up, so it kept me interested.  Charlie is a normal guy with a job, about to get married and then his father dies and all kinds of strange things start happening.  Mrs. Higley tells Charlie he has a brother, but Charlie didn't know that.  So she tells him when he wants to see his brother, just talk to a spider, so Charlie does, an pow his brother shows up.  Everyone thinks it's Charlie, but it's actually Spider.  Spider has magic powers and can make everyone see what he wants them to see.  Spider also gets Charlie in trouble at work with his boss.  Things get progressively worse for Charlie.  Really interesting book.   I give this book 4.....

This book is also for one of my reading challenges....
Full House Challenge

BOOK REPORT.....

Under Magnolia - Frances Mayes

Product Description(Amazon.com)
From her years as a spirited, secretive child, through her university studies—a period of exquisite freedom that imbued her with a profound appreciation of friendship and a love of travel—to her escape to a new life in California, Mayes exuberantly recreates the intense relationships of her past, recounting the bitter and sweet stories of her complicated family: her beautiful yet fragile mother, Frankye; her unpredictable father, Garbert; Daddy Jack, whose life Garbert saved; grandmother Mother Mayes; and the family maid, Frances’s confidant Willie Bell.

Under Magnolia is a searingly honest, humorous, and moving ode to family and place, and a thoughtful meditation on the ways they define us, or cause us to define ourselves. With acute sensory language, Mayes relishes the sweetness of the South, the smells and tastes at her family table, the fragrance of her hometown trees, and writes an unforgettable story of a girl whose perspicacity and dawning self-knowledge lead her out of the South and into the rest of the world, and then to a profound return home. 
Paperback: 352 pages 
Publisher: Broadway Books (March 31, 2015) 
Language: English 
ISBN-10: 0307885925 
ISBN-13: 978-0307885920

MY THOUGHTS: I love reading about peoples lives.  I often think of famous people as, Wow they have it all, when in reality they are as normal as I am.  They have family problems, a love of their life, children and grand children.  Along the way to becoming famous they are normal.  I didn't actually realize who Francis Mayes was until I was reading the description from Amazon.   I haven't read her book Under The Tuscan Sun, but I have seen the movie.  I give this book 5.....

This book is also for 2 of my reading challenges....
Full House Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks

KNICK KNACKS......

We all have them.  Scattered through our house or apartments.  They are little things we pickup to keep a souvenirs or collections.  According to Mirriam Webster Dictionary this is what a Knick Knack is......

 " a small object used for decoration"

I am guilty of this myself.  I have Knick Knacks all over my house.  

Chickens in my kitchen window.

A Shadow Box  full of Knick Knacks.   So do you have any Knick Knacks sitting around?

I'm linking up with ABC Wednesday.

The letter today is K

 

SCAVENGER HUNT SUNDAY.....

Ashley over at Ramblings & Photos is the host for Scavenger Hunt Sunday.  Head over to Ashley's place to check out all the photos everyone is sharing.

Here is my interpretations of the words this week.

Stairs

The stairs in our house and don't look at the cobwebs hanging.

How You Feel Today

A little wind blown, we were under a Wind Advisory a couple days this week.

Flower

We have flowers blooming all winter, yea they are artificial, but they are pretty.

Green

The grass hasn't really died out this winter, but it is getting greener and growing.

Hair

Wouldn't you like to have hair like this, nothing messes it up. lol