Thursday, May 07, 2020

Where Is Your Bookmark? (Murder in Bellamy Bay/Favorite & Least Favorite Required Reading)

I am nearly finished reading A Spell for Trouble (An Enchanted Bay Mystery #1) by Esme Addison, which has turned out to be a delight to read. It has really hit the spot.

Alexandra Daniels hasn't set foot in the quiet seaside town of Bellamy Bay, North Carolina in over twenty years. Ever since her mother's tragic death, her father has mysteriously forbidden her from visiting her aunt and cousins. But on a whim, Alex accepts an invitation to visit her estranged relatives and to help them in their family business: an herbal apothecary known for its remarkably potent teas, salves, and folk remedies.
Bellamy Bay doesn't look like trouble, but this is a town that harbors dark secrets. Alex discovers that her own family is at the center of salacious town gossip, and that they are rumored to be magical healers descended from mermaids. She brushes this off as nonsense until a local is poisoned and her aunt Lidia is arrested for the crime. Alex is certain Lidia is being framed, and she resolves to find out why.
Alex's investigation unearths stories that some have gone to desperate lengths to conceal: forbidden affairs, family rivalries, and the truth about Alex's own ancestry. And when the case turns deadly, Alex learns that not only are these secrets worth hiding, but they may even be worth killing for. [Goodreads Summary]

A weekly meme where readers share the first sentence of the book they are reading and say what they think. Hosted by the wonderful Gillion Dumas of Rose City Reader.

The house at 136 Cypress Lane didn't look like trouble--quite the opposite. The seafoam-green Queen Anne was well kept, with rows of purple tulips blooming beside the wraparound porch and daffodils leading up to the brick walk to the front door. Alex stepped out of the SUV and onto the sidewalk. Everything about this place was lovely. So why had her father insisted for years that she not set foot within miles of Bellamy Bay?


My thoughts: Why indeed? What is it about that side of her family that set her father on edge? What kind of trouble is implied in that opening statement? This opening paragraph makes me eager to find out.


A weekly meme in which readers share a random sentence or two from page 56 or 56% of the book they are reading. Hosted by the wonderful Freda of Freda's Voice.

Minka and Kamila made faces, while Lidia snorted out a most unladylike laugh. "That witch would rather see me hang than exonerate me from anything." [excerpt from 56%]


My thoughts: Poor Aunt Lidia. Accused of a murder she didn't commit. Obviously this "witch" she is referring to is not a friend.



What do you think? Does this sound like something you would enjoy?



Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

What platform do you use for your blog? (submitted by Elizabeth @ Silver's Reviews)
I use Blogger. It's been my home ever since I began blogging in July 2006. 


What about you? If you have a blog, what platform do you use?



Everyone has a favorite and then we also have something we dislike. Like a coin, there are two sides to every question. Each week, Carrie at The Butterfly Reads and Laura from Blue Eye Books ask participants to list what they like and don't like about that week's topic.


This week's topic is Favorite/Least Favorite Book You Had to Read for School

Favorite:

I fell in love with Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë the first time I was assigned to read it in high school, and again when I had to read it at the university. Even now, having re-read it on my own, I still take great pleasure in the book.

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre


Least Favorite:

I was one of those rare students who actually enjoyed most of the assigned reading in high school, and so it was rare that I came across something I did not enjoy. There was one writer whose work I always dreaded reading, however. Shakespeare. I can appreciate his influence on modern culture and his contributions to literature, and can even speak fondly of them now. But when it came to reading his plays in school, I would have rather been stuck in a waiting room with nothing to read.

“This above all: to thine own self be true.” ― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

What was your most favorite and least favorite book you had to read for school?


 I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Be sure and tell me what you are reading and are up to!

© 2020, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

42 comments:

  1. I've always used Blogger too! I do need to think about a redesign but it would still be on Blogger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marg - This is the longest I have used the same design, and I admit I have been thinking about a change . . . Like you though, it will definitely still be on blogger.

      Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  2. I love the cover and excerpts from A Spell for Trouble.

    I started blogging on Blogger, but a year later began some blogs on WordPress...and eventually everything moved there. I say "everything" because I had a lot of blogs. LOL. Still have six.

    Enjoy your week, and here are my excerpts: “LITTLE SECRETS”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurel-Rain - Isn't that a great cover? I like it too.

      Yes, you do have a lot of blogs! They are all great and have their own look.

      I hope you enjoy your week too. Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  3. I'm on wordpress only because it's what my son recommended. I enjoyed most of what I read in school, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy - My husband started me on Blogger, so I guess I got my start on my platform because of someone else's recommendation too. :-)

      Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  4. The least favorite thing I had to read in school was Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, but there were a lot more that I really liked.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lark - I loved Farewell to Arms! I know a lot of people don't care for Hemingway though. :-)

      Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Angelicreader - I am really enjoying it! Thank you for visiting.

      Delete
  6. Sounds like an interesting read!! Happy weekend, stay safe!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Freda - It is! I hope you are having a nice weekend too. Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  7. Hi,
    Your books sounds mysterious, I'll have to
    check this one out. Have a great day!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I haven't read those. Not sure if I would enjoy them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mary - Thank goodness there are lots of options out there! Thank you for stopping by.

      Delete
  9. I was quite lucky that I liked most of my readings in school! I can't recall any that I hated but I know that Fahrenheit 451 made the greatest impression on me!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eustacia - Bradbury's book is a good one. I read that one on my own and wasn't required to read it in school, surprisingly enough. Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  10. Blogger is so easy to use and I love it that for that! It’s why I use it too.

    Also, I love Jane Eyre! Great choice!

    Thanks for linking up and I hope you have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carrie - I find Blogger to be easy to use as well!

      I hope you are enjoying your weekend as well. Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  11. I'm always in for a cozy mystery! This sounds like the sort I would enjoy :)
    Ooooh, I really wish that my school's reading list included Jane Eyre! As I attended school in Greece, we had to read The Iliad and the Odyssey, and the ancient Greek tragedies.
    Konna @ The Reading Armchair

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Konna - I love a good cozy mystery. :-) If you do try it, I hope you love it.

      I had to read The Odyssey in school and loved it.

      Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  12. A teacher can make a book or break it for their students.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauren - Yes, a teacher really can. Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  13. I'm kicking myself for not grabbing that cozy! It sounds so fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katherine - It is a lot of fun. I'm really enjoying it. Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  14. A Spell for Trouble sounds like a fun read! I had a lot of favorite reads in high school but my least favorite was The Old Man & The Sea. I really should try some Hemingway as an adult!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Iliana - I am really enjoying it. I can't remember if I ever read The Old Man and the Sea. I know I've read a couple of Hemingway's books, which I really enjoyed. Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  15. This sounds delightful. I'm putting it on my wish list. I use Blogger and like it. I tried WordPress and hated it. Blergh. Blogger has flaws but it fite me better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bea - I hope you enjoy it if you read it. It is really good!

      I'm happy with Blogger too. :-)

      Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  16. You've been blogging since 2006? That's so weird, because my family just talked about the car we got in 2006 today. You go, that's a long time to blog! I've used Blogger my whole time. Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Louisa - Yeah, I've been around a long time. :-) Thank you for stopping by!

      Delete
  17. A Spell for Trouble is high on my wish list. It sounds like a great cozy. My favorite reads from school were Frankenstein and Of Mice and Men. My least favorite was probably Animal Farm.
    Hope you have a wonderful week! Stay safe! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ashley - I'm really enjoying A Spell For Trouble. I plan to finish it tonight. I haven't yet read Frankenstein, but it's one I've been wanting to try try. I never did read Animal Farm, and to be honest, never really wanted to. Seems like I was on the right track with that one. LOL I hope you have a wonderful week too. Thank you for visiting!

      Delete
  18. Hi Wendy, thanks for visiting my blog.
    As you already know, I originally started out on Blogger but have now gone self-hosted! Eek! 💜😊
    I hope you enjoy the rest of your week, stay safe and healthy.
    Here's my BBH Post
    Flora x

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love Blogger. I've tried Wordpress once but just couldn't get the hang of it. I figured I'm too used to using Blogger. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melody - Blogger has definitely been a good fit for me. Thanks for visiting!

      Delete
  20. Thanks for stopping by my website :D

    Hope you are safe and keep healthy!

    Take care and have a great week!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to visit Musings of a Bookish Kitty. Don't be shy! I would love to hear from you. Due to a recent increase in spam, I will be moderating all comments for the foreseeable future. Please be patient with me as it may take a few hours before I am able to approve your comment.