City of the Dead

 

City of the Dead: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman. New York: Ballantine Books, 2022. 336 pages. **** Publication February 2022

City of the Dead is 37 out of 37 in the Alex Delaware Series. Each of the books may be read as a standalone and enjoyed as a thrilling mystery. Once again psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are called out to investigate a puzzling murder scene. 

Donny and Alfie work for a national moving company, Armour, Inc, and nothing about this trip has gone right. However, nothing prepared them for a loud thump which turned out to be a naked man hitting their truck. "Wrong place, wrong time for everyone." 

When a man in the neighborhood suggests that the victim may have been running from a rental house nearby which has frequent visitors of questionable character, blood is discovered by the rear door. Sturgis and Delaware are called to the scene when a woman's body is found in the house. Further complicating the case is that Alex realizes he encountered the victim in a prior case. 

Some authors who write series books become stale over time, not Jonathan Kellerman. I welcome every new book as an old friend and this one doesn't disappoint. Kellerman provides clues along the way (easily missed) as he reels the reader in. I recommend this book as one to add to your TBR list. 

Jonathan Kellerman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than three dozen bestselling crime novels, including the Alex Delaware series, The Butcher’s Theater, Billy Straight, The Conspiracy Club, Twisted, True Detectives, and The Murderer’s Daughter. With his wife, bestselling novelist Faye Kellerman, he co-authored Double Homicide and Capital Crimes. With his son, bestselling novelist Jesse Kellerman, he co-authored The Golem of Hollywood and The Golem of Paris. He is also the author of two children’s books and numerous nonfiction works, including Savage Spawn: Reflections on Violent Children and With Strings Attached: The Art and Beauty of Vintage Guitars. He has won the Goldwyn, Edgar, and Anthony awards and has been nominated for a Shamus Award. Jonathan and Faye Kellerman live in California, New Mexico, and New York.

For more information about Kellerman - https://www.jonathankellerman.com

#psychologicalmystery #alexdelaware #cityofthedead #bookstagram #psychologicalthriller

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The Book Girls - Lifetime of Reading : 2022 Reading Challenge

 December 27th, 2021

I stumbled across this Facebook Group and I am so excited to join in the Reading Challenge and to have some fun! More information is on the Book Girls' Guide Wepage. When you sign up through the Website, you will receive a free book tracker. 

Each month on the 20th I will receive a suggested list of books according to the theme.  I may choose one (or any other according to the month's criteria). The January theme for the Group I have chosen is  Novels With A Child Protagonist 

A few pluses for this Reading Group over others:

• You don't need to participate through Facebook, you may communicate through email.
• Some of the books have been around for awhile, so they may be available at your library or a Used Book Store.

FAQs and Introduction can be found here.

My book choice for January is -- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. This is book one of ten in the Flavia De Luce series. 

  

A Book Review will be posted for each month's book and my Book Tracker will be updated. 

Review of the Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. 

#bookgirls #lifetimeofreading #thesweetnessatthebottomofthepie #2022readingchallenge

2022 Monthly Color Challenge

 The 2022 Monthly Color Challenge begins in one week! I have participated for the last 3 years and it is great fun. I am a Guest Blogger again this year. 

The Theme this year is "Spices" - sign up on Jen's Blog https://patternsbyjen.blogspot.com/2021/12/announcing-2022-monthly-color-challenge.html

and Join the "Quilt and Learn with Patterns by Jen" Facebook Group to show off your blocks and learn from others. Make sure you answer both questions in order to join. 

Look at all of those gorgeous colors!

I ordered these luscious fabrics from the Fat Quarter Shop. In previous years I spent may days trying to match colors and this year, I ordered the fabrics suggested by Jen.  

 I will be blogging during the months of March, July, and December. Follow along each and every month for tips and tricks from Jen and all of the Bloggers. 

Follow me on IG at kathy.nester

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/kathy.m.nester

#2022monthlycolorchallenge #quiltandlearnwithpatternsbyjen 

Elephant Quilt

 I saw an elephant quilt hanging in my local Quilt Shop. The Old Country Store in Intercourse, PA, and knew I wanted to make it for my daughter for Christmas. Ann Bertorelli taught the class and it was great fun! Ann is an excellent teacher with all of the tips and tricks to make the class successful.

We used the Elephant pattern by Edyta Sitar. I wanted the quilt to have a modern look, so I chose fabrics to look like Ann's quilt. I took the class on a Wed and my LAQ had a deadline of Sat. morning to get it long-armed by Christmas. The race was on! My husband cut an elephant template out of plastic and helped trace it onto Heat and Bond lite.

I completed 5 elephants in class. 

Working feverishly, I laid the blocks on the living room floor. Looking at the finished size, I decided it definitely needed to be bigger. Instead of 24 blocks, I needed 35 blocks.

Ta-dah ! I made it! 

 I took it to the long-armer with a little lee-way on her part. She did a fabulous pattern and design. 

A flange binding always looks so easy on Youtube. When bringing the binding to the front and sewing it, the stitches were not straight and were unsightly. I took them out and decided to hand sew the flange. 

It wasn't until I started on the binding that I found the teal elephant on the lower left is not sewn down. It's completely quilted, now what?? Whatever I do is going to be noticeable. A few options -1. hand sew it down so it won't be seen from the back. (a straight or buttonhole stitch) 2. Sew it with a buttonhole stitch on the machine. 

Even though I have a right eye BRVO and stitching is difficult, I did try to sew even stitches. 

Slower progress and there's still the label to create. 

3 more days til Christmas! 

She loved it!

#elephantquilt

One Word - 2022

 One Word 2022- Pause

Each year brings its own blessings and challenges. Choosing a word each year is always difficult, however, Pause keeps jumping out at me. My family had a good year despite COVID and the nightly news and I am very grateful. 

I am struggling right now because my "people skills" are lacking, so Pause seems fitting. I have little patience and am curt and discourteous when I should be kind.

This quote inspired me. 

My One Word from past years:

2021 - Grateful

2020 - Joy  

2019 - Opportunity

2018- Clarity

2017 - Balance  

2016 -  Promise

2015 - Abundance

2014 - Believe

2013 - Simplify 

Information about "One Word"

http://myoneword.org

https://oneword365.com/find-your-tribe/?searchword=pause

#oneword #oneword2022

Follow me on IG at kathy.nester

Brandywine Valley Quilters 2022 UFO Challenge

For the last two years, my Quilt Guild has had a UFO Challenge. I wasn't going to join this year because I only seem to get 2 or 3 finished. On the other hand, I get 2 or 3 finished. Some of my UFOs are on this list for the 3rd year.  3rd times the charm, right?

UNFINISHED OBJECTS  

1. Flamingo Birthday Quilt

2. Baby Boy Quilt

3. Gnome Quilt

4. 2021 Monthly Color Quilt

5. Gypsy Wife Quilt

6. Snow-a -long Quilt

7. Temperature Quilt

8. Medallion Quilt

9. Hen Quilt Party

10. Tea Party Quilt

11. Tula DayDreamer 

12. Color Quilt

Check back for progress reports or follow me on Instagram @ kathy.nester

#BVQ2022UFOChallenge 

The House in the Cerulean Sea

 

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book, New York, 2020. 394 pages. *****

Linus Baker is a by-the-book caseworker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. His  job is to inspect orphanages and determine if the children are cared for appropriately according to the Rules and Regulations. He is given a highly classified secret assignment to travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage in the Cerulean Sea. There are 6 children on the island with Master Arthur Parnassus. 

Given folders and paperwork on the children doesn't prepare him for the creatures he encounters on the island. The more Linus gets to the know the children, the more he realizes that there are circumstances when the Rules and Regulations don't apply and sometimes family and home can be discovered in the strangest places.

I love a well-written fantasy book filled with whimsy, fun, and love. I have read that it is a "Gay" book. While I will certainly recommend it to anyone, I don't like labels. It is a love story (nothing graphic); all alluded to and about acceptance for others and who we are. 

Some controversy has surfaced about the source of Klune's inspiration for this story:

The Big Idea - https://whatever.scalzi.com/2020/03/17/the-big-idea-tj-klune/?fbclid=IwAR1GzfSh7VWrFKCjqUB3z_P41dAxGJHHXd1evkQqvQwZOwQAgC9mC2x1Re8

On TJ Klune's the House in the Cerulean Sea and the Right to Write

Perfect for a Young Adult. 

cerulean - A deep sky-blue color.

TJ KLUNE is a Lambda Literary Award-winning author (Into This River I Drown) and an ex-claims examiner for an insurance company. His novels include  the Green Creek series, The House on the Cerulean Sea and The Exraordinaries. Being queer himself, TJ believes it's important—now more than ever—to have accurate, positive, queer representation in stories.

Interview with Klune

Tj can be reached at tjklunebooks@yahoo.com.

Follow me on IG at flamazing_books

#fantasybook