Cecile > Recent Status Updates

At times a bit of a slog as Weir shows off his science chops. Can’t imagine reading this. Listening is better. The audio version won the award back in 2022. The performer definitely earned it. A great listen most of the time. I have zoned out now and then with the science.

Ha! This story jumps right into normalizing a dead detective team. Spirits who help a medium help her police detective hubby solve crimes.

Continues to roll along. Having two narrators works fine. I have to say, men have it easier to do female voices, than the other way around. I appreciate the true diversity of the cast of characters with the snippet of southern cultural history. I enjoy when everyone gets to play. That’s how life should be. And, I’ll forgive the male gaze so far. Not over the top.

One of those easy reads. Actually, quite a find for me. I’m in my 70s and enjoy mysteries with crime solvers of a certain age and vital, bright, not to mention good-looking, clever, etc. May have been led here by AARP’s booklist of fiction and nonfiction that celebrate the positives of longevity. Although written by a man with the inherent male gaze, that part isn’t distracting as yet. Fingers crossed.

It is engaging. A bit long as the past and present are laid out. I’m starting to get anxious. I just know Rocky is going to die somewhere along the way, I just know it. The other source of tension for me is the devastating work on planet earth. Hard to believe one person can have so much power—that’s probably the most unbelievable part of an unbelievable story.

I am enjoying listening to the narrator. And the story is moving along nicely.
Another Martian-like romp with a white guy, but I suspect a white guy draws more readers. Tongue in cheek.

Although I don’t try to notice plot devices and clues in mystery books, so many of these are transparent: the skills of the characters, the transparent clues then redirection to keep the story going. There’s someone mentioned in the beginning who uses a wheelchair. Waiting for that one to return to the story.
Anyway, I don’t figure I’ll work things out, but enjoying the read.

Quite readable. Although I guess I’ve read so many mysteries I could spot how all the players were going to help the MC solve the mystery. And of course, the computer savvy step son—well, it’s hard to miss how he’ll be helpful in solving the case. I wouldn’t be surprised if the surly cat rescues the MC in the end. The reader’s male voices aren’t so great. So I’m reading the ebook mostly.

I’d dropped this series a while back weary of the sexism the detective Greene had to deal with on a daily basis. It was overbearing—gratuitous.
Then I learned of her post-retirement life with the force and decided to pick this one up. It’s fine so far—cold cases.
A bit heavy on how hot it is while solving this cold case. The typical trope of ambitious reporter. I have a suspect already. We’ll see.

Rough stuff, through and through. Thankfully, it’s a short read, so I’ll continue. Nothing redeemable about the corrosive and very powerful corporate future this book depicts.

An interesting mixture of cozy and gritty. Reviews prepared me for the dog side of things. I wonder how I would have reacted without the prior knowledge.
It doesn’t bother me, the communicating animals. I love dogs and cats, so, I’m game. These days I read for escape. This fits the bill.

I’ve gone to SuperSummary so I can at least follow my book club’s next discussion. I do not find the book interesting and will read the analysis to try to understand why it won a Pulitzer Prize.

The story is engaging and rather unique. A sort of cozy mystery with an ex-cop PI and a millionaire cyber expert who has feelings for him. A quirky pair and this tale introduces their working partnership. Freewheeling with the tech—hacking and all that. The only negative is it’s AI read. Inflections are off, you don’t know who’s talking if context isn’t clear. Emotion isn’t expressed.

I don’t like this book so far, no matter how important its messages about society may be. It’s my book club’s choice this month. Might have to go to SuperSummary and cheat on actually reading it.

I’ve gotten weary of this tale. The author uses “but I stood my ground,” over and again as the snoopy MC asks potential killers to respond to her challenges about their alibis, etc. I thought she had some good workarounds from the typical nosy amateur sleuth stuff, but ultimately, it’s the same patterns. I don’t think I could stand any more of her sleuthing (over 38 books!) and no more southern drawls.

I’m moving along because I got caught by The Who did it. I like the mc—she’s not over the top. I’m reading more than listening—the drawls are grating.
Not crazy about the culture of this petty little town, so not sure if I’ll read any more editions. I do appreciate the work the author has done to blend the snooping with happenstance.

I was looking for a high rated cozy, decided to try out Tonya Kappes’ series with this one. Gag me with a spoon. The whole blonde thing, the elaborate drawls. I have to slow the pace of the book down to 85% and it’s still fast. Can’t imagine all the howling drawls at 100%. The south is tainted for me and I didn’t know this would be based there. I’ll continue it, pretend a rainbow of people are in it.

Just starting. Still getting used to the rhythm of the writing and the world building. I’ve decided not to read the most recent Murderbot (I’m afraid of being disappointed) and this was recommended.

Has a clippy, snarky tone to it. Pure entertainment so far. There’s a cat. Love his descriptions.

I’m learning more than I thought I would about the body on the cellular level: the structures, the processes. What has captured my attention are the regenerative stem cells—how they can be enlisted by the body to help out another areas that is injured or struggling in some way. We have to take care of them. Diet and exercise are, of course, the mechanisms for this down to the biochemical level.

After learning that the ending is so-so, I’ve decided to put it down.

I’m usually wary of reading books that score somewhat low on GR. But I was curious. Not what to make of this world building. The cryst people don’t make a lot of sense, so I just go along with it. THere’s a world they have, but I don’t get why they are warriors. It may have been explained but I missed it.

Found this in a used book store. I find it somewhat confusing with the settings very difficult to visualize. So far the world building is not clear for me. So far, just pirates and crystal creatures. Might not finish it.

The title gave me pause, but its the selection of my book club this month. Anyway, I’m not going to finish it. I’m not fond of family dramas. And I don’t particularly like anyone in the book except the protagonists friend with benefits. So, I’ve decided to put it down and I will just enjoy listening to my bookclub discuss the balance.

Yikes. Not sure this book is for me. A bit frenetic.

Not sure what to make of this book just yet. Sexism crosses all cultures, unfortunately. In this case, Nigerian culture. It’s so self serving. I know, it’s not the main theme of this book, but white privilege and sexism stick out like thorns.

A werewolf is killing people, and has killed people in the past, on a space ship. The ship is sentient and is trying to save the two humans who are left. I find the first voice irritating, so I’m reading the ebook version in hoopla.

Fascinating information about stem cells, especially those waiting in “niches” in the body. Waiting to serve the body wherever there’s an injury. As helpful as they are, they’re vulnerable.There are stem cells in hair follicles. I think of the chemicals in fake hair for braids soaking into the follicles.

Some find this book too filled with characters and world building.

I agree and yet I love it. There’s a lot going on. A LOT.

Strange names and terms and ranks and processes involving augmenting the body in frankly bizarre ways that serve a complex community.

And then there’s the sea monsters.

I dared to read some 1 star reviews to measure my own reactions. Some felt the book is doing too much. That may be the case, but I’m eating it up. Some feel detached from the detectives. I’m okay with them, although I’m waiting for a shoe to drop about Kol and his exam which earned him his role. So, while I agree with some of the 1 star reviews, I’m quite enjoying the book.