Category: Life

Life, Random, Reading

Help Save Undershaw House (Home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Help Save Undershaw House (Home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A games a foot!

Who could forget the eccentric detective that made forensics so dashing and exciting? Science and investigating became ‘cool’ thanks to Sherlock Holmes. Holmes has become an iconic fixture in pop culture….I hear in the BBC has remade Holmes into a modern day hero in the TV show, Sherlock (which I am dying to watch by the way!), it also goes without saying that the Robert Downey Jr/ Guy Ritchie films have made the classic literary figure and his partner Dr Watson into a charming, sexy heros–thus appealing to new generations and audiences.

As a result of the recent ‘Holmes’ craze, the public is re-discovering Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels. I know I did! After watching the first Sherlock Holmes film, I read the Conan Doyle books (The Hound of Baskervilles was one of my favs!) and I have also been reading lots of ‘Sherlock-ish’ detective novels (The Mary Russell series, the Hatton and Roumande series, and the Charles Lenox series to name a few). Continue reading “Help Save Undershaw House (Home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)” →

Book Challenges, Book Review, Books, Funny, Humor, Life, Reading, Reading Challenges

Review: The Fleet Street Murders (Charles Lenox Mysteries #3) by Charles Finch

by The Lit Bitch6 Comments on Review: The Fleet Street Murders (Charles Lenox Mysteries #3) by Charles Finch

I can feel fall in the air which means it’s time for another mystery book! This time I read the next book in the Charles Lenox mystery series, The Fleet Street Murders by Charles Finch.

I started reading the Lenox series as part of the Historic Fiction Reading Challenge.

When I started the series, I didn’t really know what to expect…I had heard mixed reviews about it. But after finishing the first book, A Beautiful Blue Death, I was pretty much hooked. I guess we can still consider this book part of the Historic Fiction Reading Challenge though it’s technically ‘over’ for me, my goal was to read just two Historic Fiction Books which I have gone WELL ABOVE so I guess technically this counts 🙂

What I like about the series is that it is consistently good….you know how some book series start good but then can’t keep up the momentum or some of the installments are good while others just aren’t…this book series IS NOT like that.

As I have said before, the series is simple and at time predictable but that is also what makes it a quick, easy read. It’s not overly complicated and not overly involved with tons of plot twists…it’s easy to follow and a good ‘mental’ break from other complicated mystery plots. I have read other reviews about this book and the series…overall most say the same things, it’s good but not complicated. I’m sorry but sometimes one just needs to read something fun and uncomplicated. As I have also said before though, the same things that I love about this series are the same things that I don’t like about the series….double edged sword to be uncomplicated I guess. Continue reading “Review: The Fleet Street Murders (Charles Lenox Mysteries #3) by Charles Finch” →

Books, Gen Lit, Humor, Life, Literary Criticism, Reading Challenges

Review: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (The Mary Russell #1) by Laurie R. King

by The Lit Bitch10 Comments on Review: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (The Mary Russell #1) by Laurie R. King

I desperately needed something fun and easy to read….and this time of year I just love a good mystery….something about the turning leaves and the cool, slightly foggy mornings….geese flying south for the winter, the pumpkins ripening….I just love fall and always associate mysteries as the season’s preferred genre….maybe it’s the spirit Halloween (incidentally that is my fav holiday as well)!

I just finished reading The September Society by Charles Finch and was hungry for another mystery but was waiting for my mom to give me back my copy of the next book in the series (The Fleet Street Murders) that I plan on reading next. So I was stuck wondering what to read.

My sister and I went to this great used bookstore in my hometown a few weeks ago and she suggested that I read this series called the Mary Russell series, the first book being The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R King. The bookstore had it in stock so I bought it, took it home, put it on my shelf, and kind of forgot about it.

As I was browsing through for something to read the bright yellow honeycomb cover totally stood out so I grabbed it and started reading….my only regrets were that I didn’t pick this book up MONTHS ago and didn’t buy the next book in the series (because of course they don’t have the book in stock anymore! I was so upset that I had to ‘bookmark it’ every night so I could actually get up for work the next day….I was DYING to get home and start reading it again. Continue reading “Review: The Beekeeper’s Apprentice (The Mary Russell #1) by Laurie R. King” →

Funny, Humor, Life, Travel

Locked up abroad & our return home–Aruba Vacation (Days VII/VIII)

by The Lit Bitch2 Comments on Locked up abroad & our return home–Aruba Vacation (Days VII/VIII)

I suppose comparing our VERY short detention at immigration to the National Geographic Chanel show Locked-Up Abroad is a GROSS OVER exaggeration. However after watching that show I am paranoid and when the US Customs agents stopped Sam and I at the airport all I could think of was ‘OMG it’s like that show….I’m never going home’!!! Though I was obviously not carrying drugs, firearms, or explosives….my thoughts drifted to the suitcase carrying the seashells that Sam had teased me about the night before…’I’m going to die laughing when they stop you, search your bag and then the shells and you get deported’.

After waking up early and eating a large breakfast (waffles this time) we caught our shuttle to the airport where were had to navigate the hordes of tourists trying to figure out the small airport. And when I say small airport….it’s like a single terminal airport….small. The US departures part was flooded with Americans all trying to figure out which way to go. Oh and let me just say….I have never seen so much luggage in my LIFE. I swear every person we saw had a carry on, personal item, LARGE checked suitcase, and a golf bag…..really??? Continue reading “Locked up abroad & our return home–Aruba Vacation (Days VII/VIII)” →

Funny, Humor, Life, Random, Travel

The lure of nuclear radiation & heat exhaustion–Aruba Vacation (Day VI)

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on The lure of nuclear radiation & heat exhaustion–Aruba Vacation (Day VI)

The soft warm trade winds wake me gingerly from sleep…a quiet whisper calling me back to reality. I hear the soothing waves breaking slowly, calmly on the white beaches not too far off. It’s may favorite time of morning, the sun has just risen but people are not quite awake yet, the day is new and fresh….anything is possible.

As I lay in our hotel room with the window open I try to commit this last moment to memory….and every memory from our vacation, the sights, the smells, the sounds….everything about our adventures and experiences so I can recall them later, remembering every little detail.

I lick my lips….they taste salty, though I have not been sweating or in the water. After a quick deduction I realize it must be from the air which practically SMELLS salty!! My skin is soft from the nourishing aloe sunscreen I use on a regular basis, I haven’t worn makeup in five days but I haven’t needed it–I get a nice blush and bronze color from the sun.

My hair has dried naturally and though the salty seas and sun dry it out, the humidity preserves the moisture so my hair can at least look acceptable in a pony tail. The relaxed atmosphere has finally set in and today is our last day here….tomorrow afternoon we will awake from our dream and depart ‘our’ quiet Aruban paradise and return to civilization and….daily life which for us is high stress jobs, responsibilities, and RAIN. Continue reading “The lure of nuclear radiation & heat exhaustion–Aruba Vacation (Day VI)” →