Keeping Track in 2015
Jan. 20th, 2015 09:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rayvyn2kI have decided that, in order to inspire me to post more, I'm going to keep track of, and share the titles and a brief comment of the books I read this year with you, my tiny audience.
Last year, I decided to take a break from my beloved Regency romances (they can start to seem the same after a couple of hundred or so), and I discovered two new-to-me authors and their fantastic books.
So far this year (since January 1), I've read six books and am in the middle of a seventh.
Death of Kings and The Pagan Lord books six and seven in "The Warrior Chronicles" series by Bernard Cornwell. From his website regarding the series: "Uhtred is an English boy, born into the aristocracy of 9th Century Northumbria, but orphaned at ten, adopted by a Dane and taught the Viking ways. Yet Uhtred’s fate is indissolubly bound up with Alfred, King of Wessex, who rules over the last English kingdom when the Danes have overrun Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia.'
I am really enjoying this series. The eighth one is out, but I'm waiting for the e-book price to come down some before I buy it. I stumbled upon the first book in the series, "The Last Kingdom", for 1.99, and I was a goner from there. Very interesting how Mr. Cornwell weaves Uhtred into Saxon history. Fair warning, there's lots of battles with hand to hand combat and blood and guts, and Uhtred isn't always nice. But, no one was very nice in those days, were they?
"This Time Together" by Carol Burnett. "... in This Time Together, Carol really lets her hair down and tells one funny or touching or memorable story after another – reading it feels like sitting down with an old friend who has wonderful tales to tell."
I liked this one too. (I rarely read books I don't like. So, be ready to hear "I liked this one too!" all the fucking time. Seriously.)
The stories were good, but after I read it, I found myself wanting a bit more detail. It was like eating cotton candy. Yummy while it's in your hand, forgotten once you've tossed away the wrapper. I got it on sale for 2.99 and that's about all I'd recommend paying for it if you have an e-reader of any kind.
(I have a Nook and I use that app on my Samsung tablet, too. Unless otherwise mentioned, all the books I read are read on an electronic device.)
The next three are all in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series of mysteries written by Charles Todd.
Interestingly, (from Wikipedia) ...Charles Todd is a pen name used by American authors Caroline and Charles Todd. This mother-and-son writing team lives in the eastern United States, in North Carolina and Delaware respectively.
The first book in the series is A Test of Wills. From the Barnes and Noble page: "It’s 1919, and the “War to End All Wars” has been won. But there is no peace for Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge, recently returned from the battlefields of France shell-shocked and tormented by the ever-present voice of the young Scot he had executed for refusing an order."
Another book on sale. I read "A Test of Wills" last year, then quickly bought the rest as they came on sale. So far in January, I've read "A Matter of Justice", "The Red Door", "A Lonely Death" & I am currently reading "The Confession".
What I love about these stories is that they are set during the time after WW1. And the whole idea of the shell-shocked Inspector Rutledge having the voice of Hamish in his head is simply brilliant. It is very well done and believable. The mysteries are twisty and turn-y, and I think I have only guessed one culprit correctly. The authors don't always give you all the info you might want--they take you along for the ride and you find things out when Rutledge does.
That fact has kept me up waay too late on many a night thinking "just one more chapter". Until I finished the book, heh. Since there's only two more to go (another will be out this year) I am trying not to read "The Confession" too fast. But it's difficult.
Unless I buy another book (which I won't until I'm finished with this one) it looks like it'll be 7 for January.
As you may recall, Hubby's grandfather died last year. He didn't have a will, so it took until late October for the estate to be settled.
Hubby was allowed to go through the house (it was a pit-no exaggeration-it looked as bad as some of the Hoarder houses you may have seen on TV) and take anything he wanted. There wasn't much, but he got a couple of tables, some pics and a few knickknacks. We also got some small crystal "plates" which are smaller than an average saucer...more like a condiment side plate than anything else. And some placemats. I think that was it...
His mother and uncle were the only heirs (no will and they are the closest next of kin) so they split the life insurance, sale of the house and property & other things. His mother's share was in the 100k range.
When we went over at Christmastime, she asked to see us separately from the rest of the family. She handed my husband a check for 15k. To say we were shocked is an understatement. He seriously didn't expect anything at all. So, it was unexpected, but very welcome.
She also remembered my children (2500 each!) which she did not have to do.
The first thing we did was to pay (most of) the balance of one of our credit cards. The rest will be paid with our tax refund and/or our bonus money from work. That will leave only two cards left to pay. Our plan is to pay off the other two in the next six years so that I can retire at 62. Six years looks like such a long time from here, but I know it will pass in a blink. And now, it looks even more likely that we will be able to have the cards paid off which must be done if we are to live on one salary and social security/pension.
We put a good chunk toward that, but decided to hold on to most of the rest except for:
The only "frivolous" thing hubby has bought has been a big (55") TV and a fancy sound system to go with it so we have theatre type sound from it. It was delivered and hung by the Geek Squad on Saturday.
Oh. My. God.
We never knew how much we were missing. (Our other TV is only about 27".) The first movie we watched was "Guardians of the Galaxy" (of course!). It was almost like being in the theatre, seriously.
And the playoff games were awesome as well.
Last night we watched "Fellowship of the Ring". Sigh. We love our new TV. Hubby said the other day that last Saturday was almost like Christmas all over again. It's that nice.
There is talk of an actual vacation this year...not just the usual trip to the Great Smoky Mountains or to see my folks in Florida. We'll see how that works out.
Guess that's all for now.
Last year, I decided to take a break from my beloved Regency romances (they can start to seem the same after a couple of hundred or so), and I discovered two new-to-me authors and their fantastic books.
So far this year (since January 1), I've read six books and am in the middle of a seventh.
Death of Kings and The Pagan Lord books six and seven in "The Warrior Chronicles" series by Bernard Cornwell. From his website regarding the series: "Uhtred is an English boy, born into the aristocracy of 9th Century Northumbria, but orphaned at ten, adopted by a Dane and taught the Viking ways. Yet Uhtred’s fate is indissolubly bound up with Alfred, King of Wessex, who rules over the last English kingdom when the Danes have overrun Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia.'
I am really enjoying this series. The eighth one is out, but I'm waiting for the e-book price to come down some before I buy it. I stumbled upon the first book in the series, "The Last Kingdom", for 1.99, and I was a goner from there. Very interesting how Mr. Cornwell weaves Uhtred into Saxon history. Fair warning, there's lots of battles with hand to hand combat and blood and guts, and Uhtred isn't always nice. But, no one was very nice in those days, were they?
"This Time Together" by Carol Burnett. "... in This Time Together, Carol really lets her hair down and tells one funny or touching or memorable story after another – reading it feels like sitting down with an old friend who has wonderful tales to tell."
I liked this one too. (I rarely read books I don't like. So, be ready to hear "I liked this one too!" all the fucking time. Seriously.)
The stories were good, but after I read it, I found myself wanting a bit more detail. It was like eating cotton candy. Yummy while it's in your hand, forgotten once you've tossed away the wrapper. I got it on sale for 2.99 and that's about all I'd recommend paying for it if you have an e-reader of any kind.
(I have a Nook and I use that app on my Samsung tablet, too. Unless otherwise mentioned, all the books I read are read on an electronic device.)
The next three are all in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series of mysteries written by Charles Todd.
Interestingly, (from Wikipedia) ...Charles Todd is a pen name used by American authors Caroline and Charles Todd. This mother-and-son writing team lives in the eastern United States, in North Carolina and Delaware respectively.
The first book in the series is A Test of Wills. From the Barnes and Noble page: "It’s 1919, and the “War to End All Wars” has been won. But there is no peace for Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge, recently returned from the battlefields of France shell-shocked and tormented by the ever-present voice of the young Scot he had executed for refusing an order."
Another book on sale. I read "A Test of Wills" last year, then quickly bought the rest as they came on sale. So far in January, I've read "A Matter of Justice", "The Red Door", "A Lonely Death" & I am currently reading "The Confession".
What I love about these stories is that they are set during the time after WW1. And the whole idea of the shell-shocked Inspector Rutledge having the voice of Hamish in his head is simply brilliant. It is very well done and believable. The mysteries are twisty and turn-y, and I think I have only guessed one culprit correctly. The authors don't always give you all the info you might want--they take you along for the ride and you find things out when Rutledge does.
That fact has kept me up waay too late on many a night thinking "just one more chapter". Until I finished the book, heh. Since there's only two more to go (another will be out this year) I am trying not to read "The Confession" too fast. But it's difficult.
Unless I buy another book (which I won't until I'm finished with this one) it looks like it'll be 7 for January.
As you may recall, Hubby's grandfather died last year. He didn't have a will, so it took until late October for the estate to be settled.
Hubby was allowed to go through the house (it was a pit-no exaggeration-it looked as bad as some of the Hoarder houses you may have seen on TV) and take anything he wanted. There wasn't much, but he got a couple of tables, some pics and a few knickknacks. We also got some small crystal "plates" which are smaller than an average saucer...more like a condiment side plate than anything else. And some placemats. I think that was it...
His mother and uncle were the only heirs (no will and they are the closest next of kin) so they split the life insurance, sale of the house and property & other things. His mother's share was in the 100k range.
When we went over at Christmastime, she asked to see us separately from the rest of the family. She handed my husband a check for 15k. To say we were shocked is an understatement. He seriously didn't expect anything at all. So, it was unexpected, but very welcome.
She also remembered my children (2500 each!) which she did not have to do.
The first thing we did was to pay (most of) the balance of one of our credit cards. The rest will be paid with our tax refund and/or our bonus money from work. That will leave only two cards left to pay. Our plan is to pay off the other two in the next six years so that I can retire at 62. Six years looks like such a long time from here, but I know it will pass in a blink. And now, it looks even more likely that we will be able to have the cards paid off which must be done if we are to live on one salary and social security/pension.
We put a good chunk toward that, but decided to hold on to most of the rest except for:
The only "frivolous" thing hubby has bought has been a big (55") TV and a fancy sound system to go with it so we have theatre type sound from it. It was delivered and hung by the Geek Squad on Saturday.
Oh. My. God.
We never knew how much we were missing. (Our other TV is only about 27".) The first movie we watched was "Guardians of the Galaxy" (of course!). It was almost like being in the theatre, seriously.
And the playoff games were awesome as well.
Last night we watched "Fellowship of the Ring". Sigh. We love our new TV. Hubby said the other day that last Saturday was almost like Christmas all over again. It's that nice.
There is talk of an actual vacation this year...not just the usual trip to the Great Smoky Mountains or to see my folks in Florida. We'll see how that works out.
Guess that's all for now.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 1/21/15 04:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/22/15 12:51 am (UTC)I know GH has some awful prejudicial scenes in a couple of hers...I wince and remember she was a writer of her time. No excuses, but the other books of hers are sublime, IMO.
(no subject)
Date: 1/21/15 05:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/22/15 12:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/21/15 06:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/22/15 12:54 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 1/21/15 07:31 am (UTC)When we moved back to the UK, we swapped from a cathode-ray TV, about 26", to a 42" flat screen and OMG the difference!
(no subject)
Date: 1/22/15 12:55 am (UTC)