Book Review: The Cat Who Went Bananas

The Cat Who Went Bananas

by:Lilian Jackson Braun
Audiobook read by George Guidall

PopSugar prompt: A book with a fruit or vegetable in the title
    Also could work for: 
     A book involving a heist, 
     A book about death or grief, 
     A book with an animal in the title, 
     A book with an ugly cover (it's hot pink with bananas on it, my poor retinas)
Goodreads Challenge:  1 of 51

Owned or borrowed: Owned (audio book)
Read before?: Yes 

Stars: ★★★☆☆

It's more of a 2½ stars.  Definitely not Ms. Jackson Braun's best.  So many of her later stories are about a transition of some sort and this is no exception.  Polly is transitioning from her job at the library to a bookstore.  Quill and the cats are transitioning to their winter quarters.  Multiple characters move to Pickax to escape their past.  This story doesn't have a true mystery, at least not one that is solved.  It's more like a snapshot into the town in a time of change.  The chapters seem short and unfinished.  It's fine to fall asleep to and not as bad as some of her other later books, but nothing to keep the attention.

I would recommend this to: A fan of the Cat Who books.  Not a great introduction to the series but an OK read otherwise.

Welcome to 2018

Another year, another set of goals, another Goodreads challenge year, another PopSugar reading challenge.  I've always wanted to complete a PopSugar challenge but never been successful.  This year I've used Habitica and picked out almost all of the books.  And I've set up my Goodreads goal to match.  If any of you would like to join me, here is the PopSugar challenge list ↓↓↓↓, and HERE is a link to my Goodreads account.

I'd also like to use my blog more so I promise to share my reviews of each book.

Blogapalooza 2016 - Day 13: LHS Winter Concert Review

     This evening my brother had his last winter concert as a high school student ... when did we get to be so old?!?!  Winter concerts are both my most and least favorite of the year.  Every year the finale is Ode to Joy.  All of the choirs come together and alumni are invited to join them on stage!  I love being able to be part of a choir again and everyone always gets so excited to sing with their friends.  What I'm not a fan of is all of the holiday music that must be put up with to get to that point.  Mrs. Rikli actually kept it pretty light in that regard this year, which was very nice!  I forgot to bring my paper and pen when I went to stand in the back (the body sprays, colognes, and laundry detergents were not only frying my brain but I felt them making me evil) so I couldn't write down my reviews of each song, but here are my best recollections.

Falcon Phenomenon

Nutcracker Jingles ... Tchaikovsky/James Pierpont, arr. Chuck Bridwell

     A hilarious take on two winter classics.  Jingle Bells words set to Nutcracker tunes are a delightful combination and Phenomenon performed it very well.

Light of a Clear Blue Morning ... Dolly Parton, arr. Craig Hella Johnson

     Sweet and clearly sung.

Volare Blue

Hodie ... Nancy Hill Cobb

     Harmonies were good.

Be Like the Bird ... Abbie Betinis, text by Victor Hugo

     I love the idea of this song.  It sounds like something I would listen to ... if I ignored the first sopranos.  They were pushing too hard and it made it shrill.

Ding! Dong! Merrily on High ... arr. Howard Cable, ed. Henry Leck

     It's a Christmas song.  I blocked it out.

Vocal Attraction

Christmas for Cowboys ... Steve Weisburg

     Cute!  I liked the staging and though the rhythm was off it was sung well.

A-Roving ... sea chantey, arr. Gary E. Parks

     Who doesn't like a sea chantey?  Very traditional.

Kings' Processional ... Debra Morton

     ... work on your rhythm.

Volare Gold

How Can I Keep from Singing ... Robert Lowry, arr. Michael Burkhardt

     I recognize this song from when I was in Treble Choir ... so weird! 

You Cannot Lose My Love ... Sara Groves, arr. Susan LaBarr

     So sweet!  I loved the words!

Jingle Bell Rock ... Joe Beal and Jim Boothe, arr. Alan Billingsley

     I danced.  It was grand.

 

Concert Choir

Carol of the Bells ... Mykola Leontovych arr. Peter Wilhousky

     One of the best live versions I've heard.  The bells were perfectly pianissimo.

Kačena Divoká ... Leoš Janáček

      This was a work in progress but it sounded pretty good anyways.  There were some harmony issues and it was dynamically flat.  Interesting story.

Bíonn Siúlach Scéalach ... Matthew Erpelding

     There is just something about Celtic music that touches me.  I was ready to cry happy tears by the time the second soloist joined in.  The parts of the choir singing the bodhrán were too loud at first but then those singing the lyrics caught up.

     Well done ladies and gents!

Blogapalooza 2016 - Day 12

     What a day!
     Today I took Charlie to the vet with my mother.  It was time to get his shots updated and a general check up.  He gets a clean bill of health though his teeth could use a clean and he's put on a few pounds.
     After I got home I got a text from the guy interested in my desk that he was on his way from Tigard.  When he got here he took a quick look and paid the full asking price!  I was so nervous!  This was my first experience selling something that large and I did it by myself!  We had to figure out how to get the hutch off but that didn't take too long, thankfully!  Phew!  My parents are so glad to have that room in the garage again!  😄
     When he left I burned off (ha ha) my nervous energy by making a candle!  As you may remember, my sister hosted a tea party and promised to make candles out of two attendee's cups.  One down, one to go!  I mixed plain paraffin, a tiny bit of one of my favorite chocolate candles (Dollar Tree sells a line of chocolate pastry themed candles that smell divine), and a teeny tiny piece of a burgundy crayon to give it the color of one of the fruity teas that was served.  I did an initial pour to fill the cup about 3/4 of the way up and left it to set while I ran to the library.  There I picked up four Mythbusters collections and ... the board game Pandemic!  I watched Wil Wheaton and guests play it on TableTop and now I want to too!
     After I got home from the library the wax had set enough to do my second pour to top the cup candle off and create a beautifully smooth top.  I am so proud of it!!

Blogapalooza 2016 - Day 11: Shuffling it up

My Spotify Favorite Recommendations on random:

I’m into Something Good/Happy Together - GQ - GQ

Red Robin - Clark Richard - Kissing Kelly

Better Than I (from Joseph: King of Dreams) - Dailyn Vail Bayles - Prayer

My New Philosophy - Ilana Levine, Kristen Chenoweth Stanley Wayne Mathis - You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown: The Broadway Musical

Lily’s Eyes - London Cast - The Secret Garden: A Musical

Broken - Ramin Karimloo - The Road to Find Out

Keep Me Warm - Erin Bowman - Keep Me Warm

Edelweiss [The Sound of Music] - Richard Rogers, Julie Andrews, London Musician’s Orchestra, Ian Fraser - Classic Julie - Classic Broadway

On the Edge - Sarah Modene - Forgetting Yesterday

Fare Thee Well Love - The Rankin Family - Reunion


We had our Increase Your Faith in Jehovah assembly yesterday so I scheduled that post and slept in today.  Then we had waffles and bacon for breakfast at noon and I went shopping with my mother, sister, and grandmother.  Therefore, I completely forgot to write my post for today!  Oops!  Here, have a list of one my playlists on shuffle.

Blogapalooza 2016 - Day 10: Favorite things to sense

👃 Favorite things to smell 👃

Freshly cut lumber

Gasoline

Orange cinnamon candle
Wooded area after rain

👂Favorite things to hear👂

Rain

Train rumbles

Baby giggles
Kitty purrs

✋Favorite things to feel✋

Day old beard stubble

Paws - gerbil, cat, dog

The concussive blast of a proper firework, the Wall of Fire, or a Blue Angel rattling my chest ... so basically the airshow

Warm rain

👅Favorite things to taste👅

Sourdough bread with butter

Orange cranberry jam

Cherry cordial Kisses

Raspberry limeade 

Blogapalooza 2016 - Day 9: Games Day

Today school and work was cancelled for most, if not all, due to the freezing rain last night.  For days like this our tradition has come to be inviting people over to play games and have food.  Today we played an off brand of Heads Up then Superfight.  I didn't win any rounds but I had fun with some of my characters.  I also discovered that I should not play Ironman.  The last time I played someone turned my Ironman into guacamole and this game my 10 story tall Ironman became a pinata. 😕  I was very proud of my terrifying bionic kindergarten class (which in my head look and act like the kindergartners on Recess) but then someone had to go and make them agoraphobic.  At least they could still chuck things out the class window.  And I want to be telekinetic Robin Hood!
     After most of our guests left my siblings and our friend Irene played Star Trek Catan.  My sister won, my brother came in second, and Irene and I tied for last/third.  Once again I was called a Romulan and my brother was a Ferengi.