Thumbs down for Patterson

I didn't think I'd ever read a James Patterson book that I didn't like but I actually found one. It's an oldie and not goodie. "The Season of the Machete" was written in the 70's and somehow I missed reading it. I really did think I'd read all of his but I found a couple that I hadn't. Well, I wasted my money on this one. Setting is San Dominica. Damian and Carrie Rose are successful psycho-pathic killers for hire. Their nemisis is Peter Macdonald. Patterson was all over the place with this novel. Loose ends and twisting story lines. I finished it because I kept hoping it would get better but it didn't happen. Hope the other book of his that I bought is better!

tick tock

Coming to the rescue of a screwed up scheduler at work has given me two 10 1/2 hour days. What would have been just two regular days has gotten me full time plus this week. Why do I do these stupid things? Why is my work ethic so much stronger than my co-workers who if they can't have a day off that they request they simply call in sick and take it? I requested three days off next week to enjoy a little relaxation after turning 60 but was turned down. Too many others had requested that time and therefore I'm on the schedule. They did give me the early shift so I can get home relatively early for a couple of those days.

Tomorrow is the big party. I requested the small, intimate family thing and my daughter keeps telling me that I ruined the surprise by doing that and she had to cancel everybody else. She's not fooling me for a minute. She asked for all my cousins' email addresses recently on the premise that she wanted to give them a heads up for the upcoming fall reunion. Yea! I was born yesterday! I got a birthday card yesterday from one who apparently won't make the party tomorrow and there was cash in the card. Our whole lives we've never sent birthday cards to one another and yet out of the blue here comes a b-day card with cash. No, I'm sure it's got nothing to do with tomorrow's party! I know more than they think....and I'm cleaning the guest room and the rest of the house in the morning since I suspect that I just might have a visitor staying for a few days. I also know exactly what my husband is giving me for a gift. He ordered through the catalog that just happened to have me as the recipient and when he gave them the codes on the catalog my information came up and therefore a shipping receipt was sent to my email telling me exactly what he had ordered and when it would arrive. A coupon arrived that same day giving us an additional $20 off a $100 order so I contacted the company and requested the discount on my gift. Hubby doesn't know yet that I saved him that $20. I just hope I get to use that beautiful new fishing reel by going fishing sometime soon. Sure do miss those family vacations! That would have been the best birthday gift! Anyway, I'm really appreciative that the kids want to throw this party for me and even though I've been in the dumps lately, I'll try my best to be "SURPRISED" tomorrow at the appropriate time.

My last days of being in my fifties.....

I'm in the last week of my 50's. On Sunday I turn the dreaded 60. How do you celebrate turning 60. Cry! Scream! Get depressed! Face it head on! Unfortunately none of these are going to stop it from happening.




I just read "Plainsong" by Kent Haruf. I was very similar to reading an Elizabeth Berg novel. A handful of characters and a chapter devoted here and there to that character. From the 17 year old girl who finds herself pregnant and thrown out of her home to the young boys who's mother has suffered some kind of breakdown and left them to live far away. The weaving of this story was very good. If I run across any more of Kent Haruf's books in a used bookstore, I will definitely pick them up and take them home. That's how I got this one.

A new author

Harriet Evans wrote a good little novel called "The Love of Her Life." I wanted light hearted but it had parts that could make you sad. Young Kate Miller is from London where she's trying to break into the magazine world. She has met the perfect fellow and everything is perfect. Well......we know that doesn't work. A collapse of her world as she knew took place in one day and she fled to New York to start another life. Three years go by and she's back in London to visit her sick father and comes face to face with the life she tried to escape. Growth of this young person into a mature woman is a fascinating story.

I guess I'll try to pick up the Jason Bourne novel that I put down to read this one. Somehow the loss of Robert Ludlum and his family's effort to keep his legacy going by selling his characters to the highest bidder is unsettling. The new author just can't get in the groove to make the character what Ludlum did. Of course trying to keep him a middle aged man when we devote followers of Ludlum's novels know that Jason Bourne would be a man in his 60's now. Maybe he's hoping that "movieland" will want to make more Jason Bourne movies from his novels.

Time marches on

I finished Tana French's "The Likeness." It took a couple chapters to get into it but then I really enjoyed it. Detective Cass Maddox has been called to a grisly crime scene and discovered the victim is her look alike. Not only does she have her face; she has her identity from her undercover days from several years ago. What better way to catch a murderer than to pretend the victim didn't die and that she's recovering and coming home soon. Home is a huge house that she shares with four other people. Best friends who are all students studying for their doctorates. Who killed "Lexie?" One of the friends or an outsider? Cass finds herself being drawn into this band of friends and taking on the victim's life. Apparently no one who lives in the house shares their past. It's off limits so "Lexie" fit right in since her past included many different identities. Cass has to assume her old name but in the process she has to try to become the person that the victim had made of that identity. Interesting twist.

Looking forward to a short day tomorrow. I've worked several long weeks and come Sunday I have 3 days off. A short week this week with only 28 hours. I was hoping to take a few days off the week of my 60th birthday which is quickly approaching but I couldn't get the time. Too many other employees requested that same time off. You'd think turning old would trump just wanting time off! I know there's a little party in the works. I was promised that it will be just immediate family, but can I trust those who are making the plans? Doubtful! I haven't been in the party mood lately.

Finally a good page turner

First I'll start with a review of "My Sister's Keeper" (the movie) which I saw earlier today with my daughter and granddaughter. They both read the book at my prompting and together we went to see this movie with trepidation. We weren't sure of the casting and we knew that the end of the movie had been changed. Kudos to Alex Baldwin and the cast of fine young actors that played their parts extremely well even though those parts were shortened because of the movie version. I'm not a fan of Cameron Diaz and still don't know if she was the best for the part or not. Since I'm not crazy about her acting then I guess it's okay since I wasn't crazy about the character in the book. My daughter sobbed from early in the movie until the end. I joined her toward the later part. It definitely is a tear jerker and the ticket taker at the entrance warned us to have our tissues ready. Even knowing what to expect still couldn't keep the tears from welling up. I wish Alex Baldwin could have had a much longer part. I felt the trial was an important part of the book and it was downplayed in the movie.




Now, to the book de jour. James Patterson's "Swimsuit" just was excellent. It was co-authored by Maxine Paetro and I think there's more to her writing in this than Patterson's. It's just didn't ring true for his style. I could not put the book down. It's a serial killer "gone wild." A former cop turned author/journalist is thrown into covering the story and becomes the story. A must read!!

Just another day

Feeling so old and tired.............help!