Bout of Books- May 2015

It's that time again. Time for another Bout of Books read-a-thon. I have been in a reading slump lately, so this is just what I need to finish my current review book and book club selection. The book for book club is so not what I would normally read that I am having a hard time getting into it.
Will any of you be participating? Here is the info:

The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 11th and runs through Sunday, May 17th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 13 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Threshold by G.M. Ford

Threshold by G.M. Ford 254 pages, Paperback Published April 2015, Thomas and Mercer Source: From publisher for review as part of a TLC book tour
My Review
This was an interesting book-part police procedural, part supernatural mystery. 
It started off a bit rough. It was a little hard to figure out what was happening due to the changes in perspective from character to character. It seemed like two different stories that had nothing to do with each for awhile. However, once I figured it out, I couldn't stop reading.
Detective Mickey Dolan has been charged to locate the wife and daughters of a politician. A custody battle ended with the father being given sole custody and now his family are on the run. Through Dolan's investigation he discovers that there were sexual abuse allegations and iffy legal doings to not prosecute the father.
The Royster family is in fact being helped by a mother and her daughter. They are a bit of a mystery. The daughter, Grace, seems to have the power to awaken people out of comas and by selling her gift to families with comatose family members, they are able to fund the help they give women and their children to escape abusive situations. Interesting, right? I enjoyed it and seeing how it all would come to an end. Would it be a happy ending for all? Guess you'll have to read it to find out.
About the Author

G.M. Ford broke onto the mystery scene with Who in Hell is Wanda Fuca?, a gin-soaked tome featuring Seattle private investigator Leo Waterman. The six-book Leo Waterman series was nominated for several awards, including the Shamus, the Anthony, and the Lefty. In 2001, Ford launched a new series featuring disgraced reporter Frank Corso and his goth assistant, Meg Dougherty. In 2011, after a twelve-year hiatus, he decided to write a new Leo Waterman novel, Thicker Than Water, which Thomas & Mercer promptly bought. His eighth Leo Waterman book, Chump Change, followed in 2014. Ford lives and works in Seattle, and is married to the beautiful and talented mystery author Skye Kathleen Moody.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________

Favorite Photo Friday

It never gets old. Sunset over the Pacific in Marina, CA. We had a beautiful, fun and relaxing three nights here over spring break. We went with friends-enjoyed the pool and beach. Went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium and walked the path to the wharf. Ready to go back.
Happy Friday! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

This Is Mexico! by Carol M. Merchasin

Here is a book that I would love to read. My ancestral roots are deeply rooted in Mexico, yet my visits there have been very few. I love to read and hear positive stories about the country that my family is from. 
About the Book

This is Mexico is a collection of essays on the often magical and mysterious—and sometimes heartrending—workings of everyday life in Mexico, written from the perspective of an American expatriate. 

By turns humorous and poignant, Merchasin’s stories provide an informed look at Mexican culture and history, exploring everything from healthcare, Mexican-style, to religious rituals, and from the educational role of the telenovela to the cultural subtleties of the Spanish language. 

Written with a clear for details, a warm heart for Mexico, and a lively sense of humor, This is Mexico is an insider's look at the joys, sorrows, and challenges of life in this complex country.

About the Author

Carol M. Merchasin is a lawyer, a former partner in a large law firm and an author involved in a longtime love affair with Mexico. She fell in love with the country's language, people and culture during her first trip south in 1983, and she moved to San Miguel de Allende in 2005. She is a keen observer, an experienced researcher, and an enthusiastic student of Mexican culture.

For more information about the book and author visit her WEBSITE.

Happy Reading! _________________________________________
 FTC Disclosure: Clicking on book title and/or image links will lead you to my Amazon Affiliate page.

Finished!

I finally finished the little girl's new socks! Her previously knit socks accidentally went in the wash and felted/shrunk. Oops.  This was my first time trying to come up with my own sock pattern. It was fun, but time consuming.  
I figured out how many stitches I needed to cast on for her little foot and then went searching for a cable pattern that would work for the number of stitches. I settled on the Double Hourglass. I picked a weird number of stitches, (don't know why) so there had to be some messing around with them for the pattern and also with the heel, but not too bad.  I love the way they turned out.
Happy Knitting! _________________________________________

Pet Sematary ReadAlong

This book was so good that I read it very quickly. I couldn't put it down, actually, and finished way before the end of this Read Along. In true Stephen King fashion, it is filled with frights and horrors that you wish could never actually happen, and questions that you hope you never have to answer. 
Having a young child made this book even harder to read. 
The premise is this: A young couple with two kids move into a new home on a very busy street. Their cat gets hit by a truck and a neighbor helps to bring it back to life with the help of a strange indian burial ground behind their house. When their son is hit by a truck, Louis takes some drastic actions to bring back his son. The problem is, was it really his son that came back?
Ack! Yeah. Nightmare making book. I loved it. 
There are also some mentions of places and people from some of his other books that are always fun to find. Like little Easter Eggs for us fans, I guess.
I am ready for another King Read Along! What is next Jill?


Happy Reading! _________________________________________