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I am continuing a Canadian series I enjoy very much. Not enough people know this by far (see you next year, I hope)!! :-) I have run a fun quartet of blog reading challenges ("reading themes") for years. I give a clue to solve: the identity of the annual book cover I choose for each "My Kind Of Mystery" logo. The last answer was Eric Wright. He is a fabulous author who passed away in 2015. Onward I go!

I love the overnight visit with the new owner of Moon Lake lodge and agree with everyone who enjoys Tinkie, who makes Sarah a wonderful new sidekick. You really have to respect her for wanting a career against her Dad's and husband's wishes. So much, that she doesn't mind that Sarah has no salary budget. Tinkie has her own skillset and inside scoop. Her eagerness and appreciation about contributing are inspiring!

There is too much about the cartoon-type "in house ghost", Jitty that I never liked; compounded this time around, by too much about dogs too. I don't mind that Sarah has fallen in love wioth a dog but her antics should not be more abundant than the suspense of the mystery. I'm enjoying this novel more as Sarah investigates it more and hope that proceeds. How odd that people keep calling her "Sarah Booth" by name.

Hm, there is too much needless crap thus far. Some authors forget they are plotting a mystery or shaping a paranormal adventure and create scenes that they imagine would make good TV comedies. I am not impressed by characters tripping over dogs or into each other. Please get on with the mystery. And enough about dogs as gifts, which no one should do and them breaking / eating things... "but you love them anyway".

I'm reprising this series I enjoyed starting, a few months ago this year. I say again: the ghost is pointlessly, poorly-added because it gives no spiritual flair. "Jitty" is always in Sarah's house and bitches at her about dating, every time she appears. That got old for me after the first scene. I hope it does not trail through this series. The mysteries need to be paranormal, or spirits encountered elsewhere!

No, apparently it was too much to ask, to publish a good ghost story! Most curiousities were physically explained and the best paranormal vibe we have, is a protection an abbey mansion has for itself. Not one spirit so far and a bunch of malevelent youth drama. No thank you, not for me.

This is not to my liking. It is harder to squander a great premise for a paranormal story, than it is to use such atmosphere-lending tools and write good ones! Authors need to do better about composing good ones!

I guess I don't like protagonist, Helma any better than other readers. I was prepared to empathize with quirky or picky character traits or habits. There is a background family with room to relate. But her strict attitudes are stupid! A comment about cats not being animals she likes? I do not abide such a person. She lost me! I can't like her exaggeratedly reckless, slutty, drunk, best friend Ruth, any better.

I'm not excited or impressed, nor enamoured with lead characaters after this many pages but I am undeterred. I am interested enough to keep trucking. My only opinion is that the much-anticipated "bohemian best friend" is pushed too hard and thus, feels false through exageration. So far, I prefer the realistic titter of the library office staff and enjoy them the most.

I shall give this famous author and series a try. I must say that I love what I have read in Jo Dereske's autobiography at Goodreads. She seems a fun, loveable lady who puts genuine care into what she creates, with heartfelt roots. Some say this lead character, Miss Zukas, is not likeable, so I shall see. However maybe she has a few picky quirks. My spouse knows I do! Sheldon Cooper does and we love his antics!

Ugh, not half as good as Mrs. Pargeter. I am relieved to see Simon Brett is continuing and revitalizing that series. Goodness, I would not have appreciated the best series being the briefest. But then my tastes usually differ from the majority. It's about why you read, what you are after in books and I prefer mysteriousness to crime by far. Watching this character drink and sleep around is not for me, thank you.

I wanted this book ever since I heard about it, around two years ago. I see that it is worth having. However, I might absorb it at leisure, compared to a story novel. Hey, the longer it is in my reading updates, the more people will discover it.

Look, the story is keeping me going because I enjoy seeing the way three childhood family best friends, who are like siblings, hold each other up and work on each other's goals and needs. It disgusts me that Nora Roberts is probably going to make a love interest of the household older brother, who is supposed to be like a sibling to her as well! And the dialogue is awful: cookiecutter with "have got" contractions.

I'm glad I fell in love with "Jewels Of The Sun" and can see that Nora has stories and series much more up my alley later in the 2000s. Her portrayal of what she deems acceptable behaviour of her fictional love interests, who even grasp ladies physically, are terrible. I don't respect them and the formula of choosing a decades-long crush makes me wince. Thankfully, the theme of loyal friends and their dreams work.

When someone has written 500 books, you wonder, "Are they all good"? No, especially early ones. That is why I read in order among books I own. Nora keeps the pages turning because I care about these three friends but all the dialogue and plots keep blaring "cookie-cutter"! Three "any women" give the illusion of relatability but uniqueness would work better. Lamely, Margo will probably choose her childhood crush!

Not what I normally read. I usually choose some Nora Roberts' novels featuring magic, spirts, and mystery. However this looks nice, inspiring, and fun enough. I'm happy to get my romance and family drama friends cheering.

Not what I normally read. I usually choose some Nora Roberts' novels featuring magic, spirts, and mystery. However this looks nice, inspiring, and fun enough. I'm happy to get my romance and family drama friends cheering.

Happy eighteenth common-law anniversary, to my spouse, Ron & I! We were tired yesterday, so we will keep the celebration flowing today and this Canadian long week-end! :)

For the first time, Ron wants to record a log message for me to remember too. Here is is! "I love Carolyn. I'm looking forward to spending a long week-end with my love, Carolyn". Aw thank you dear! In lieu of having Twitter, what nice words!

What I love about Karen's white adult paranormal series, in addition to creating mystery stories about spirits, with a 40 year-old protagonist, is that they are entirely about answering old questions or puzzles! Authors need to know that adding a modern day situation, or crime (indeed, we need no crime at all) is unnecessary and in fact, detracts from the much more exciting plot. Karen, thank you for old intrigues!

We crossed the annoyance zone of an author using too many "have got" contractions instead of the verb "HAVE", along with my other grammatical dislike, "gentle", "softly" type words used a lot too. However, otherwise: I am loving this! It is worth the two-year wait for a good copy that was affordable! I am back in my adult spirit paranormal milieu, with a 40 year-old protagonist! Rare and wonderfully suspenseful!

These first three novels are hard to find and it took me about two years to land each! If you want physical books, in like new condition, that don't cost the $50+ that on-line secondhand sellers ask. I only see free e-book thank-you's lately. The elation of a long search requited, you really value that! I would love to hear "This is where I found my book" stories. Please share when yours are physical copies. :)

I am reading slowly because I resume later than I plan and fall asleep faster than I want. I am loving every page of this novel.

Four years ago, my young, precious cat, Love suddenly died on this day. A heart defect is undetectable unless seeking it and heart failure is unstoppable if started. We narrowed down what happened because the cats & I stayed in bed with a book. I cherish having had all 7 of our babies!