hi there !
Just wanted to introdue myself ..... I'm a work at home mom, have been for 9+ years, my munchkins range in ages from 3yrs old - 15yrs old .... with two in the middle, ages 7 and 10.
My hobbies are staying active with my munchkins (currently Brownie Leader and CubScout Assistant Leader), photography and I LOVE to read mysteries. My kids are always asking me why I'm reading so much, I just explain that they like to watch TV or play video games, mommy likes to read.
I'm excited to be a part of this board and I look forward to getting to know you guys !!!
By the way Merry CHRISTmas !!!

By Feona on Monday, December 22, 2008 - 03:58 pm:

Welcome! All I read is celebrity rags and I like More! magazine for over 40 year olds.

I have been taking piano lessons to try to relax lately. We will see how long that lasts.

But you have to have something else to do while the kids are playing video games or watching tv or doing homework.

By Kidcrazie on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 05:54 pm:

Hey There,
I love to read. I read alot of Jodi Picoult books or Nicholas Sparks. I just read the shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella. I like books that I can read while the kids are playing or the tv is on and I don't have to go back and read the same page 3 times. I am a home childcare provider so I guess reading is my escape from kids. lol!
Miri

By Northcountrymom on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 - 06:08 pm:

Hi Harlena,

Share a lot of your interests and goals as a mom and even scouts. I'm a reader also - what kind of mysteries do you like? Lillian Jackson Braun is fun, no violence and kind of sweet (the Cat Detective series - I think the latest is The Cat Who Played Post Office). Or old school detective mysteries like Agatha Cristie, Dorthy Sayers, PG Woodhouse. I like John Grisham novels (The Appeal is the new one but I haven't read them all). They're a little more gritty - edge of your seat style.

On the kid front one of my grown children is in Florida these days so I'm hearing more on a non-tourist level about Florida. Is it good for kids?

Linda

By Feona on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 05:47 pm:

I liked those Shopaholic series too. Too funny. I have the last book left to read but I can't get through it for some reason.

The only thing I can concentrate on is magazines and I can concentrate on practicing the piano too. I guess the songs are short!

I used to love Agatha Crisie. I wish I had the concentration to read like I used too.

By ~harlena on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 10:01 pm:

wow .... glad to see such readers !

I LOVE Janet Evanovich, she just keeps me laughing and laughing ! I used to love Sue Grafton, but her latest one (or the last one I read, last year I believe) was strange, she mixed it up a bit and I didn't like it at all !

I also like Dean Koontz "Odd" series. Only that series. And I wouldn't have even read it had I known how the first one ended. I HATE sad books and movies, as my mother-in-law stated when I asked her if she went to see the movie, Titanic, "what's the point ? I know how it ends!" My point exactly, I read for PLEASURE, not for migraines, sleepless nights, nightmares, or even for knowledge .... hahaha !

I should check out the Shopaholic series. Is it a mysery series ?

I would say .... I like romance, but probably the 1950's version, the ones less than 100 pages (too much graphic sex in today's for me) same with mysteries, I like "who dunits", mystery without graphic violence. Even Patricia Cornwell is too much for me ! And mysteries beat out romance any day of the week. My problem is that I read too fast, and I can't put a book down. I can't even start one of Janet's unless I can read it non-stop (meaning have no actual deadlines or huge commitments larger than getting munchkins off to school and picked up from school) or everything (including family's dinner) suffers ! I'm addicted to mysteries !!! I find a book I like, then I research the author, go to the beginning of the series and go in order. Then eventually I run out of that author's work and have to find another one. It's the nature of the beast.

By Feona on Thursday, January 15, 2009 - 07:15 am:

The shopaholic series is a chick lit. That is what they call it. You might not like it but I think it was funny. It is about a shopaholic with a big heart. Sounds silly but alot of people enjoyed the series. Sort of like a brittish lucy ball with shopping addiction. She creates problems in her life by her shopping. Her justifications for buying things are hilareous. And you are just left shaking your head laughing. And she is just a real person. You can imagine having her as a friend because she is so real.

Maybe the library has it. You will have to put it on hold because it is popular. They made a movie out of it.

By Kidcrazie on Thursday, January 15, 2009 - 12:52 pm:

the shopoholic series reminds me of the Bridgette Jones Diary books (movies). I saw that The Shopaholic was going to be a movie soon. Worth checking out.

By ~harlena on Friday, January 16, 2009 - 11:19 am:

now that I think about it, there IS another series I absolutely love, not exactly mystery either ... they are the Miss Julia books, I've read every one of them and although they aren't mysteries (although there's always a "problem" that has to be solved) I read them for their humor content.

I'll try the shopaholic series, what was the name of the movie ? The same thing ? I don't remember it, but I don't get to the movies (unless it's one of the free ones in the summer) anyway ... however I love to catch them late at night !!

By Feona on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 08:33 am:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1535197067849738975

There is the trailer I think.

I don't have time to go to the movies either.

By ~harlena on Saturday, January 17, 2009 - 08:50 am:

thanks, I just viewed the trailer .... it looks funny !

By Northcountrymom on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - 11:28 pm:

I went to the library and asked them to get me the most recent book shopaholic series. If your an eclectic reader the librarian is never surprised by a request. She was typing the interlibrary loan request even as I was asking her about the series - her comment a good chick lit series. I watched the trailer - Legally Blonde-esque. Fun, not to deep - just what I need sometimes - bubble gum for my mind. My husband is confused sometimes by my need for mental freefall.

While I was there I was reminded of another couple of authors I've enjoyed - Anne Perry and Maeve Benchy. Not quite chick lit but women's authors. Anne Perry definitely does great mysteries.

By ~harlena on Thursday, January 22, 2009 - 11:35 pm:

thanks I'll look into her mysteries.

I don't think I like heavy novels, I read to relax life is stressful, heavy, whatever you want to call it, but I often wonder .... if Janet Evanovich is such a simple read, ok, well, what would you read if you wanted to develop your mind, or stretch yourself, I mean, are there novels (possibly mysteries even ?) that do that, or are we talking about reading the equivalent of textbooks ?

Hubby likes to read political thrillers, or historical fiction or even historical non-fiction, I just can't get into those, not because they're too intellectual, just that I have absolutely no interest in them ....

Please explain this to me .... if you even understand my question, hahaha !