Read-A-Thon: End of Event Meme

To the organizers and helpers at Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon, thanks for the great experience!

I finished 2 1/2 books on my first Read-a-Thon! (I confess I didn't stay up all night to finish all three). The Read-A-Thon was fun and helped me finish those books much faster than I normally would have done. Thanks to all those who cheered me on!

Here is the last meme of the event:

1.Which hour was most daunting for you? The hour just before my normal bedtime.

2.Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? There are so many....depending on the genres you prefer.

3.Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I think everything went well and I was so impressed by the work of the organizers and volunteers.

4.What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? The cheering, the prize giving, everything really.

5.How many books did you read? Sad to say, only 2 1/2, this time....

6.What were the names of the books you read?
Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes by David Acord - 4 stars
The Gilded Shroud by Elizabeth Bailey - 3 stars
Dreaming in Chinese by Deborah Fallows - 5 stars, so far

7.Which book did you enjoy most? Dreaming in Chinese, a book on language and linguistics that is surprisingly funny and clever.

8.Which did you enjoy least?
Sadly, The Gilded Shroud, an historical mystery and the first in the series for the writer.

9.If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? They did a good job!

10.How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I'd love to participate again., perhaps donate a book for a prize,  but don't think I'd have enough time to be a cheerleader.

 

Read-a-Thon: Evening Update

I have rushed through my second book, The Gilded Shroud, an historical mystery and am starting a third book. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it by 8 a.m. tomorrow, though it's a short memoir/travel book.

 Wish me luck finishing Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language by Deborah Fallows.
 
It's great having readers and cheerers cheering me on!

Read-a-Thon: After Lunch Update

I have finished one book, Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes: Life Lessons from the Master Detective by David Acord, and enjoyed reading about the habits and methods of the famous detective that made him such a success. Acord applies Holmes' rules for detecting to general success in life in this remarkable little self-help manual on how to succeed. I really enjoyed learning more about Holmes and his creator, Arthur Conan Doyle.

I am still working on a longer book, The Gilded Shroud by Elizabeth Bailey, an English mystery set in the Georgian period. I hope to get this finished by this evening, so I can go on to Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language by Deborah Fallows.

Wish me luck!

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon: Hour 1 Introduction Meme

Introduction Meme

1)Where are you reading from today? From Ohio, USA, reading soon in my car while my hubby drives me around doing chores.

2)Three random facts about me… I'm an avid reader and have been doing a lot of blogging recently. I'm expecting a new grandbaby in a few weeks!

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I hope to finish 3.

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)? This is my first readathon, so I'm hoping to participate as much as possible and have a lot of fun!

Dewey's 24-Hour Read-a-Thon

I've signed up for Dewey's Read-a-Thon for the first time! Though I'll not be able to read for 24 hours straight, I'll be doing my best to read, visit other blogs, do a mini challenge or two, etc. The reading event begins Saturday, Oct. 22. The start time here in Ohio is 8 a.m. For start times all around the globe, click start times.

Here's some info re Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon: "For 24 hours, we read books, post to our blogs about our reading, and visit other readers’ blogs. We also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day. It happens twice a year, in April and in October.

It was created by the beloved Dewey. The first one was held in October 2007. Dewey died in late 2008. We’re still saddened by her absence, but the show must go on. The read-a-thon was renamed to honor its founder in 2009. Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon is hosted by Trish and Shesten with help from volunteers."

Starting tomorrow, I plan to read:

A Gilded Shroud (A Lady Fan Mystery) by Elizabeth Bailey

Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language by Deborah Fallows

Success Secrets of Sherlock Holmes: Life Lessons from the Master Detective by David Acord

Wish me luck!

 To join in as a reader or to volunteer, host a mini challenge, donate a prize, or be a cheerleader, click on the Read-a-Thon link.

E-Book Review: Little Elvises by Timothy Hallinan

Title: Little Elvises: (The Junion Bender Series) Kindle Edition
Author: Timothy Hallinan
Publisher: Hallinan Consulting, LLC (August 16, 2011)
Genre: thriller

I am a great fan of satire. Jonathan Swift's books were among my favorites back  in school, though I pretty much stick with  modern books nowadays. But I was delighted to find some modern satire combined with a genre I like - mysteries - not like the classics of course, but satire that made me nod my head and chuckle.

The book was an e-Book, Little Elvises, a Junior Bender thriller by Tim Hallinan, a very modern day writer who takes off on LA and Hollywood culture in his fairly new mystery series. The writer gives a bird's eye view of the goings-on in the San Fernando Valley, in Hollywood, and in La La Land in general.

Little Elvises comes off as wry humor and is very entertaining. It's also a good thriller. It has an engaging character, Junior Bender, who is sympathetic and as honest as a professional burglar can be who works for other crooks. Even though the thriller itself is fiction,  the social commentary is there and all pervasive. I loved the irony in the humor.

Product description: 2011 Edgar and Macavity nominee, Tim Hallinan, brings back Junior Bender, a top-of-the-line burglar who also works as a private eye – for crooks, and the hero of CRASHED, the first in the mystery/thriller series.  Little Elvises is a hilarious Los Angeles thriller about old-time rock-and-roll, missing persons, the world's oldest gangster, and a terrifying if somewhat hapless hit man named Fronts.

I received a complimentary copy of this e-Book.  

Book Review: The Ugly Sister by Jane Fallon

Title: The Ugly Sister: A Novel by Jane Fallon
Publisher: Penguin (September 29, 2011), 448 pages
Rating: 4/5

'I've decided to go back to modelling,' Cleo says. 'After all, Kate and Naomi still work, so why shouldn't I? It's just that I've been away for a while so I need to get my face out there, show people that I've still got it. And if that means having to endure a few go sees then...'

'Gosh. Good for you.'

The Ugly Sister is a study of sibling rivalry, a novel that does an excellent job of exploring and developing this theme. Told from the point of view of Abi, the younger sister who has grown up overshadowed by her older sister, the book is a character study as well as a novel of late fulfillment and finally realized dreams. It drags just a bit towards the second half of the book but overall it was an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.

Plot summary:
When Abi gets an invitation from her older sister Cloe to spend the summer at her home in London, Abi isn't sure what to make of it. The sisters have not been close since Cloe left home at age 16 to pursue a modeling career. Now Cloe has a family - a successful husband and two little girls, ages 10 and 7 -  and wants to revive her modeling career.

Abi soon begins to suspect that the self-absorbed Cloe only invited her to act as a nanny for the two girls while she goes off on photo shoots and appointments. Cloe's frequent absences from the house brings Abi closer to Cloe's husband Jon and the two girls, and Abi soon has an attack of conscience when she finds herself becoming more and more attracted to Jon. She is horrified when she realizes Jon reciprocates her interest.

Abi's intention has all along been to renew her friendship and her family relationship with her older sister. Abi has always considered herself the "ugly ducking" in the family and her sister Chloe the beautiful swan. Abi tries to discuss their childhood with Cloe, tries to rediscover the girl who used to be her sister Carolyn before Carolyn's name change to the more glamorous "Cloe". Is it too late for the sisters to reunite and be as close as they used to be as children?

About the author: Jane Fallon is a British television producer and novelist. Her book Foursome was nominated for a Melissa Nathan Award. This is her fourth novel.

A complimentary copy of this book was sent to me by Penguin Books.

© Harvee Lau 2011