Monday, July 27, 2009

Book Reviews from Master The Art of Reading participants Hole in One by Catherine Aird: Det. Chief Inspector Sloan and Constable Crosby have murder and mayhem to solve at a prestigious golf course. If you know a lot about golf you'll enjoy this! Amendment of Life by Catherine Aird: Ins. Chief Detective Sloan mystery takes place in Calleshire, England. I have enjoyed these books of Ms. Aird for truly decades. You've Got Murder by Donna Andrews: Couldn't stay with it. Revenge of the Wrought Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews: Believable characters, wonderful humor with enough seriousness to make this a most enjoyable read! Crouching Buzzard Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews: Meg loves her wacky family and friends, but then Meg is pretty wacky, too. Ms. Andrews keeps the police pretty much on the up and up when murder is involved and that is what makes wacky work. Baby and Child: all your questions answered This is a must have book for first time mothers. It answers all the questions you have. Country Called Home by Kim Barnes: It would be hard to turn the last page of this book and not feel an ache of sadness. The family that buys a broken-down farm near a wilderness canyon is adventurous, bet weak with human frailty. Common mistakes carry heavy penalties. This author reminds us how precious life is. Death of a Maid by M. C. Beaton: For me, these mysteries are more about the people in this village and their how,why, and where being more important and enjoyable with the plot just something extra. Death of a Dreamer by M. C. Beaton: Constable Hamish, tall, red headed and very cop smart, loves his little village of Lochdubh, Scotland so much he'll screw up on purpose to keep from accepting a promotion and having to move to a larger town. Whispers in the Dark by Eleanor Taylor Bland: An African/American female homicide detective. This is my first one of a Marti MaCalister mystery. By page 50 I had a good handle on Marti, her white partner "Vik" and her very troubled friend Sharon. Just by page 50. That is not good writing. 10:53:57 AM     Have Summer Plans? Go Wild! Our guest blogger today is Martha Nudel of the Department of Interior's National Wildlife Refuge System. Want to try something wild this summer? You don't have to go far or spend a bundle. National wildlife refuges, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are teeming with out-of-the-ordinary seasonal events. Here is a sampling: * As bird watching grows in popularity, new trails are popping up around the country, many on national wildlife refuges. The new Makoke Birding Trail in central Iowa is a collection of 22 separately mapped sites, none more than 40 minutes from downtown Des Moines. One of those 22 sites is Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, where tallgrass prairie restoration is bringing back habitat for more than 200 species of birds. A guide to the trail can be loaded: http://www.iowabirds.org/places/documents/Makoke_Trail.pdf. * The new Sun and Sage Loop of the Great Washington State Birding Trail features more than 200 of the state's 346 annually recorded bird species. Among the 52 stops in southcentral Washington is # 29, Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge, with its 1,700 acres of seasonal wetlands and shrub-steppe. Each fall, 30,000 waterfowl arrive at the Toppenish Refuge and stay for winter. You may spot Pied-billed grebes, northern pintails, northern shovelers and perhaps even short-eared owls. For a downloadable trail guide: http://wa.audubon.org/BirdingTrailMaps/TM_index.html. * All summer long, track wolves at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in Manteo, N.C., during the red wolf howling safari. Cars caravan to the howling site on Wednesday nights, weather-permitting. $5 to participate in the two-hour guided program. Bring a flashlight and insect repellant. For more information: www.redwolves.com or www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=41630 or 252-473-1131 * Learn how Native Americans made hunting tools from stone and bone August 9 at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, WA. Enjoy demonstrations of historic Chinookan tool making, plant harvesting and weaving from natural materials, noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Cathlapotle Plankhouse. The plankhouse is open regularly on weekends from noon to 4 p.m. through October. For more information: www.plankhouse.org or 360-887-4106. * Take your camera when you visit national wildlife refuges so you can become part of an online wildlife photo mosaic. Go to http://yououtdoors.org/ to get started. This summer, go wild!! For more information about national wildlife refuges, go to: http://www.fws.gov/refuges/. - Editor [Gov Gab: Your U.S. Government Blog] 10:25:44 AM     News from Master The Art of Reading Adult Summer Reading Program Week 5 of the summer reading program saw 44 people read 98 books, for a summer cumulative total of 148 people having read 698 books! Jennifer Mastee won a gift certificate to McDonald's Candies, Diane Carlson won 2 tickets to the West Michigan Symphony, and Genika Townsel won a gift certificate to Witt Buick. Congratulations to our winners and thank you to our sponsors! Muskegon Reads! author title Albert, Susan Wittig Wormwood Amos, Robyn Lilah's List Andrews, V. C. My sweet Audrina Baker, Sam Deadly Beautiful Banks, Leanne Blackmailed into a fake engagement Barry, John Rising Tide Bowen, Rhys Evan's Gate Bowen, Rhys Evans to Betsy Bowen, Rhys In Like Flynn Box, C. J. Blue Heaven Brashares, Ann Sisterhood of the traveling pants Braun, Lilian Jackson Cat who robbed a bank Braun, Lilian Jackson Cat who talked turkey Brown, Rita Mae Cat's Eyewitness Canfield, Jack Chicken Soup for the Christian Soul Carter, Chris X Marks the Spot Child, Lee Gone Tomorrow Coben, Harlen Just one look Coben, Harlen Woods Connelly, Michael City of Bones Davidson, Diane Mott Grilling Season Deaver, Jeffrey Roadside Crosses Dekker, Ted Skin Denning, Tray Unseen Queen Dickens, Charles Little Dorrit Douglass, Sara God's Concubine Douglass, Sara Pilgrim DuFour, Richard Whatever it takes Egan, Timothy Worst hard time Ephron, Hallie Never tell a lie Garwood, Julie Fire and Ice Gibson, Rachel True love and other disasters Giffin, Emily Something blue Giffin, Emily Something borrowed Golden, Arthur Memoirs of a Geisha Goodman, Anthony John of Gaunt Grafton, Sue E is for Evidence Gunn, Robin Jones Sisterchicks in wooden shoes Harris, Charlaine Real Murders Harrison, Lisi Invasion of the boy snatchers Harrison, Lisi Pretty Committee Strikes back Hill, Sandra Love me tender Hudgins, Andrews Shut up, you're fine Ingermanson, Randall Double Vision Jackson, Brenda Irresistible Forces Jackson, Lisa Malice Johansen, Iris Everlasting Johansen, Iris On the run Johansen, Iris Storm winds Kenyatta, Kelly Aaliyah Kinsella, Sophie Remember Me Koontz, Dean Odd Thomas Koontz, Dean Your heart belongs to me Lavrens, Stephanie Edge of desire Lescroart, John Betrayal Lopez, Steve In the clear Macomber, Debbie Morning Comes Softly Mallery, Susan Straight from the hip Masson, Jeffrey Face on your plate McCarthy, Jenny Baby laughs McCutcheon, Pam My Favorite Husband Meyer, Stephenie Eclipse Meyer, Stephenie New Moon Meyer, Stephenie Twilight Morrison, Grant New X Men New Worlds Murphy, Shirley Cat Laughing Last O'Brien, Tim Northern Lights O'Dell, Tawni Coal Run Paolini, Christopher Eragon Patterson, James 8th Confession Patterson, James Cross Country Patterson, James Midnight Club Peretti, Frank This Present Darkness Pilcher, Rosamonde Sleeping Tiger Quill, Monica Sine Qua Nun Ray, Frances Dreaming of you Ray, Frances Getting Merry Ray, Frances Only you Roberts, Nora Vision in white Sandford, John Wicked Prey Scottoline, Lisa Look again Sint, Steve Wedding Photography Sparks, Nicholas Guardian Steel, Danielle Amazing Grace Steel, Danielle Matters of the heart Steel, Danielle Second Chance Stoks, Peggy Loved One Tolkien, J. R. R. Hobbit Torres, Dana Age is just a number Ure, Louise Liars Anonymous Waiter Waiter Rant Walsh, Monica Killing Club Weir, Alison Katherine Swynford Wright, Eric Buried in Stone Y'Barbo, Kathleen Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper Young-Eisendrath, Polly Self esteem trap Yvonne, Alisha Around the way girls 3 table producing by T2T 10:08:21 AM

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