The Book Garden

A Sarah Addison Allen Challenge

2012-03-09T05:31:00.000-08:00

I just found this amazing challenge yesterday and I just knew I had to sign up for it. I am a huge Sarah Addison Allen fan and this challenge is going to be a lot of fun. It is hosted by Quirky Girls Read. Here is the challenge:

Read one of Sarah Addison Allen's books and then make a recipe inspired by the story. You can use your own recipe or you can try one from Allen's website here. Once you have both read the book and made your culinary creation, write a post detailing your experience. Pictures are most welcome as are mouth-watering descriptions of your heart-and-soul-food! Then link to your post on the SAA challenge review page so we can vicariously partake! The challenge starts on March 21, 2012 and ends on June 20, 2012.

I have decided to read:

The Girl Who Chased the Moon

I'm hoping to start reading soon!

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig Review

2012-03-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

The Garden Intrigue by Lauren Willig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Emma Delagardie is an Amercian widow living in France. She disappointed her family by eloping when she was very young and after losing her husband has found refuge in the salons of Paris and is close friends with Napolean's stepdaughter Hortense. She spends her days gossiping and her nights drinking champagne. She also enjoys critiquing Augustus Whittlesby, the very wordy and bad poet who has been trying to win her friend Jane's affections. What Emma does not know is that Augustus is really an English spy who hides his information in the poetry he writes. Emma and Augustus begin with little appreciation for the other, but when they begin working together on a masque to be performed for Napolean they realise that they enjoy each others company much more than they thought they would.

Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation books are becoming a must read for me. This is the fourth one that I have read and I have enjoyed them all. This one is a delightful read. The characters in this one are so much fun, the banter between Emma and Augustus being the best parts of the book for me. Willig does a wonderful job with both the main characters, we see both of them at their best and their worst. Emma can be flighty and silly, but she is also a very compassionate woman who has seen her share of pain and disappointment. Augustus can be annoying with his awful poetry and impatient, but he is also very brave and intelligent when he lets his guard down. I really felt like I got to know both of them and they definitely had chemistry.

There is also some great history thrown in this one dealing with Napolean and his rise to power. There is also, of course, the Pink Carnation and the spies that do their best to find out what Napolean's latest schemes are. All of this added some real excitement to the story.

There is also a continuation of the story of Eloise and Colin who are from the present time. Eloise is an American researching the Pink Carnation and Colin is her very English boyfriend. These two are absolutely adorable and I love reading about all of the drama with Colin's family. The Garden Intrigue can be read as a stand alone but I think the reader would enjoy it more if they have read some of the other Pink Carnation books. The Garden Intrigue combines romance, mystery, and history into an entertaining book that I would highly recommend.

Pardonable Lies- A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear Review

2012-03-06T19:12:00.000-08:00

March is Maisie Dobbs month at TLC Book Tours and I am excited to be a part of it! The book that I have been asked to review is Pardonable Lies, which is the third novel in the series.

Here is a summary of the book:

In the third novel of this unique and masterly crime series, a deathbed plea from his wife leads Sir Cecil Lawton, KC, to seek the aid of Maisie Dobbs, psychologist and investigator. As Maisie soon learns, Agnes Lawton never accepted that her aviator son was killed in the Great War, a torment that led her not only to the edge of madness but also to the doors of those who practice the dark arts and commune with the spirit world. Determined to prove Ralph Lawton either dead or alive, Maisie is plunged into a case that tests her spiritual strength, as well as her regard for her mentor, Maurice Blanche. The mission will bring her to France and reunite her with her old friend Priscilla Evernden, who lost three brothers in the war, one of whom has an intriguing connection to the case.

My Review:

I am officially hooked on the Maisie Dobbs books. I had read the first book about a year ago and enjoyed it, but this third book I really loved. Maisie is such a great character, she tries so hard to be independent and strong, but memories of the past are constantly holding her back. Like so many others of this time she is still recovering from the horrors of WWI. Maisie was a nurse and dealt with death on a day to day basis. She also lost someone very important to her and Maisie finds herself constantly dealing with the past. I think this is the part of the book that really touched me the most. Maisie's pain felt so real and I found myself constantly thinking about all of the people who actually experienced the things Maisie went through in the book. Winspear does a wonderful job of showing the long hard road the healing process after the war was.

The mystery that Maisie is solving is interesting and had me guessing until the end. I really liked how Winspear had Maisie's case she was working on connect with the case she volunteers to do for her friend, Priscilla. Both cases had some interesting history about aviation and the spy network from WWI that I really enjoyed.

This is one of those books that really has a lot of great parts to it that add up to a wonderful read. There is a mystery to solve, history of an important time, great characters to get to know, and a little romance thrown in as well. I would recommend this book to any fan of mysteries or historical fiction, it is a great series that I am looking forward to reading more of soon.

My rating: 4 stars out of 5

About Jacqueline Winspear:

Jacqueline Winspear was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Following higher education at the University of London’s Institute of Education, Jacqueline worked in academic publishing, in higher education, and in marketing communications in the UK.
She emigrated to the United States in 1990, and while working in business and as a personal / professional coach, Jacqueline embarked upon a life-long dream to be a writer.
A regular contributor to journals covering international education, Jacqueline has published articles in women’s magazines and has also recorded her essays for KQED radio in San Francisco. She lives in California and is a regular visitor to the United Kingdom and Europe.
Jacqueline’s novels thus far—Maisie Dobbs, Birds of a Feather, Pardonable Lies, Messenger of Truth, An Incomplete Revenge, and Among the Mad, The Mapping of Love and Death, and A Lesson in Secrets are set in the late 1920s and early 1930s, with the roots of each story set in the Great War, 1914–1918. Her work has been nominated for numerous awards.
Find out more about Jacqueline at her website, http://jacquelinewinspear.com/, and find her on Facebook.

The Book of Lost Fragrances by M. J. Rose Book Tour

2012-03-05T18:47:00.001-08:00

Publication Date: March 13, 2012

Atria Publishing

384p

About the book:

A sweeping and suspenseful tale of secrets, intrigue, and lovers separated by time, all connected through the mystical qualities of a perfume created in the days of Cleopatra--and lost for 2,000 years.

Jac L'Etoile has always been haunted by the past, her memories infused with the exotic scents that she grew up surrounded by as the heir to a storied French perfume company. In order to flee the pain of those remembrances--and of her mother's suicide--she moved to America. Now, fourteen years later she and her brother have inherited the company along with it's financial problems. But when Robbie hints at an earth-shattering discovery in the family archives and then suddenly goes missing--leaving a dead body in his wake--Jac is plunged into a world she thought she'd left behind.

Back in Paris to investigate her brother's disappearance, Jac becomes haunted by the legend the House of L'Etoile has been espousing since 1799. Is there a scent that can unlock the mystery of reincarnation - or is it just another dream infused perfume?

The Book of Lost Fragrances fuses history, passion, and suspense, moving from Cleopatra's Egypt and the terrors of revolutionary France to Tibet's battle with China and the glamour of modern-day Paris. Jac's quest for the ancient perfume someone is willing to kill for becomes the key to understanding her own troubled past.

My Review:

This book pulled me into the story from the very beginning and I had a hard time putting it down. Jac L'Etoile is a wonderfully complex character and I enjoyed reading about her and following her through her many adventures. Jac is an intelligent and capable woman but she has many insecturities that stem from her mothers suicide and a break up with the only man she ever really loved many years before. When her brother disappears she returns to France to find him and to solve the mystery of the the Book of Lost Fragrances that has been a part of her family history for so long.

I really loved reading all of the history included in the story. Before reading this book I knew very little about perfume, I do not wear it. M. J. Rose does such a wonderful job of bringing the reader into the world of perfume both in the past and the present and I found it fascinating. I loved all of the descriptions of the different scents throughout the book, it really added a whole different way of experiencing the story. I found myself wishing I could smell some of the scents described!

The mystery in the story was suspenseful and I really liked the parts that took us back to different time periods, especially the part dealing with the fragrace first being made in Cleopatra's time. There is lots of passion and heartbreak with all of the different love stories that are described.

Jac has a love interest in the book as well when she must work with the man she loved so many years ago, Griffin. I thought Griffin was great and I enjoyed watching the two of them work together to help Jac's brother and at the same time find there way back to each other again.

What impressed me most about the book was how Rose incorporated so many different side stories and locations into one book and made it all come together so easily. I never got confused or felt distracted by the changes in location and this was due to Rose's ability as a storyteller.

This is one of those books that really has everything I love- history, suspense, a passionate love story, and strong characters that move the story along. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good love story mixed with some history, it was a thrilling read.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Author Bio:

M.J. Rose is the international best selling author of eleven novels and two non-fiction books on marketing. Her next novel THE BOOK OF LOST FRAGRANCES (Atria/S&S) will be published in March 2012. Her fiction and non-fiction has appeared in many magazines and reviews including Oprah Magazine. She has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, Time, USA Today and on the Today Show, and NPR radio. Rose graduated from Syracuse University, spent the '80s in advertising, has a commercial in the Museum of Modern Art in NYC and since 2005 has run the first marketing company for authors - Authorbuzz.com. The television series PAST LIFE, was based on Rose's novels in the Renincarnationist series. She is one of the founding board members of International Thriller Writers and runs the blog- Buzz, Balls & Hype. She is also the co-founder of Peroozal.com and BookTrib.com.

Rose lives in CT with her husband the musician and composer, Doug Scofield, and their very spoiled and often photographed dog, Winka.

For more information on M.J. Rose and her novels, please visit her WEBSITE. You can also find her on Facebook.

The rest of the tour can be found here.

Hearts of Darkness by Dave Thompson Review

2012-03-03T05:24:00.000-08:00

Hearts of Darkness: James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, and the Unlikely Rise of the Singer-Songwriter by Dave Thompson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Hearts of Darkness looks at three musicians who rose to fame in the late sixties/early seventies with their quiet and introspective songs. Each musicians road to fame is detailed with a look into their personal lives and an introduction to those that influenced them and those that helped them on their way to success. The book is also a look at music by other artists that were making more personal music like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Carole King. It is a detailed look at the artists that added a softer side to rock and roll.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, I am a big James Taylor fan and was eager to read about his life and music. I do not know as much about Cat Stevens or Jackson Browne so I was ready to learn more about them as well. Unfortunately, after reading the book I still feel like I do not know very much about any of the artists discussed in the book. I thought Thompson spent way too much time on things that really did not add to the story of these three men and made the book hard to read. For example, many times Thompson will mention a person or band connected to one of the three stars and will then go off on a three page tangent about that subject that has nothing to do with the main story. So many people are introduced in the book I could not keep them all straight. Way too much musical history for the time is given and it really made the book drag in places.

When Thompson eventually gets to Taylor, Browne, and Stevens the story shines and is interesting, but these instances are few. For anyone interested in reading more about these three men, I would suggest looking somewhere else. This book would be enjoyable to someone with an interest in music history form the time, not someone just wanting to read about these three particular artists.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt Review

2012-02-29T03:17:00.000-08:00

My Dear Charlotte by Hazel Holt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My Dear Charlotte is a novel written in letters from one sister to another. It is a British regency mystery that contains actual language of Jane Austen and gives a wonderful account of life in England in the early 1800s. The main character and writer of the letters, Elinor, lives in Lyme with her parents and writes faithfully to her sister Charlotte who is visisting relatives in Bath. Elinor gives Charlotte all of the details of the recent death in their small community and the mystery of who might have killed the woman. She also goes into great detail about all of the dinners and dances she attends while Charlotte is away. It is a charming look at everyday life for a young woman living at this time.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It is different from other books that I have read in that the entire book is letters sent from Elinor to Charlotte so we only ever get Elinor's point of view. It also does not really give a lot of insight into Elinor's feelings since it is more of just an account of events happening, Elinor does not go into detail on her own feelings very often. It is a very straight forward look at the mystery of who might have killed Mrs Woodstock and accounts of the behaviors of all those who might be involved in the murder. Elinor works with the magistrate on the case, a widowed man with two boys, and as the mystery comes closer to being solved we see Elinor become more attached to the boys and the father. It is a sweet romance that begins with friendship and mutual respect.

I do not think everyone would enjoy this book as much as I did. I think that only people who really enjoy reading about this time will like it. There are so many little details about shopping, clothes, bonnets, food, books, etc. that I could see how others could get bogged down in all of the detail. I found it all fascinating and I think that someone who really loves Jane Austen books will find this a worthwhile read.

I got this book for free from Amazon for my Kindle.

Book List for the Downton Abbey Fan

2012-02-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

This week as I was reading my Entertainment Weekly I found a list of books titled "Nine Great Cures for Downton Abbey Withdrawal". I have really enjoyed watching Downton Abbey and the list of books that they picked is a good one. Here they are:

1.

The Beauty And The Sorrow: An Intimate History Of The First World War

2.

Birdsong

3.

Doctor Zhivago

4.

A Farewell to Arms

5.

The Guns of August

6.

No Angel

7.

Parade's End

8.

Regeneration

9.

A Very Long Engagement

The only one of these books that I have read so far is A Farewell to Arms. I read the descriptions of all of these books and they all sound great. If anyone has read any of these books and has an opinion on them I would love to hear about them. I will definitely be reading at least a few!

Soulless by Gail Carriger Review

2012-02-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

Soulless by Gail Carriger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Soulless is set in Victorian England, but in this book vampires, ghosts, and werewolves are included as part of society. They have rules and regulations like everyone else. Alexia Tarabotti is a member of England's high society and finds herself unmarried at a late age. She takes her spinsterhood in stride and realises it is because of her Italian heritage, her intelligence, and her inability to stop talking. There is also the little problem of her being soulless. At the beginning of the book Alexia accidentally kills a vampire in self defense and finds herself dealing with the investigator on the case, Lord Maccon, who is a werewolf. As more vampires disappear and strange things begin to happen Alexia must work with Lord Maccon to solve the mystery.

What a fun read! Alexia is now one of my all time favorite characters, she was smart, brave, outspoken, and determined to live by Victorian standards even if she is soulless. The interactions between her and Lord Maccon are by far the best parts of the book. They have great chemistry together and I loved watching both of them slowly come to see that they are in love. A few of their interactions together become quite steamy and it was fun to watch proper Alexia try to handle them.

I always enjoy reading books set in Victorian times and Carriger does a great job of adding details to the book to highlight the Victorian era. I loved reading about the way the houses were decorated, the clothes worn, and the strict rules of manners that were followed. It was interesting to see vampires and werewolves added to the Victorian age!

The mystery was exciting and fun and added lots of suspense, by the end I could not put the book down until I had found out what happened. Soulless is a great book that is witty and fun with a wonderful romance thrown in and I would highly recommend it.

First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty Blog Tour

2012-02-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

First You Try Everything: A Novel by Jane McCafferty
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

First You Try Everything is about the unraveling of a marriage and what a wife is willing to do to bring her husband back to her. Evvie loves Ben and feels that she cannot function without him, when he tells her he wants a divorce her whole world falls apart. While reading the book we watch Evvie become more and more unstable until she does something drastic and dangerous to keep Ben from leaving her. The book is told from both Evvie's and Ben's point of view and we get a close up, personal look at the confusion and pain that they both feel as they go through the process of living apart.

What struck the most about this book was the amount of time and detail that McCafferty uses to describe the two main characters. I really felt like I knew Evvie and Ben, I didn't particularly like either of them, but they felt like real people going through a difficult time and I felt for both of them. Watching Evvie slowly lose her sense of reality and Ben feeling hopeless and confused about it was hard to read at times. It was a rare book for me in that I did not want to see them get back together, they did not seem right for each other any more. While reading the book I just kept hoping for Evvie to find some happiness for herself without Ben.

I was really impressed with how McCafferty took so much time in showing Ben's difficulties with the divorce. Even though he is the one that left that did not mean that he was able to shut Evvie out of his heart forever. Some of the most touching parts of the book are when Ben is struggling with his loss of Evvie while trying to make a new life with Lauren, the woman he has fallen in love with.

Everything moves towards an ending where Evvie hits desperation and does something she will later regret. I was surprised with how things turned out in this scene and I personally found it unbelievable and felt it took away from the rest of the book. Aside from that part I thought the book was an excellent look at a marriage falling apart and the thoughts and emotions shown by Evvie and Ben really made for a compelling read.

About Jane McCafferty:

Jane McCafferty is the author of the novel One Heart and two collections of stories, Thank You for the Music and Director of the World and Other Stories, which won the Drue Heinz Literature Prize. She is the recipient of an NEA award, the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s New Writers Award, and two Pushcart Prizes. She lives and works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The rest of the tour for First You Try Everything can be found here.

Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Books I'd Quickly Save If My House Was on Fire

2012-02-21T03:10:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks top ten is top ten books I would save is my house was going to be abducted by aliens. Here is my list:

Jane Austen: The Complete Novels, Deluxe Edition

2.

The Probable Future by Alice Hoffman

3.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling

4.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

5.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Toklien

6.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

7.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

8.

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Mongomery

9.

Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

10.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

The Detour by Andromeda Romano- Lax

2012-02-20T04:58:00.000-08:00

The Detour by Andromeda Romano-Lax
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ernst Volger is sent to Rome to collect a famous statue, The Discus Thrower, and get it to the German border where it will be sent to Germany for Hitler. Ernst realises the importance of this job and is determined to do it well, but from the very beginning things go wrong. He ends up on a detour with two Italian twin brothers, Cosimo and Enzo, that will change is life forever.

I was really impressed by this book from the very beginning, it is really well written. There were many times I found myself reading sentences over again. Here is a great example:

"The Lake's calm surface reflected the blue sky and cumulus clouds high above, creating a mirrored version that was, in fact, lovelier than the real sky, like a painting that allows one to see something unappreciated in everyday life- only one of art's valuable qualities."

I also really enjoyed reading about Ernst, he is a wonderfully complex character. His insecurities and his love for art are shown in great detail. It was heartbreaking at times watching him struggle with his memories and the actions he did or did not take in his life. He had such a difficult time throughout his young life, I found myself hoping he would finally find some happiness.

The history in the story is fascinating and something I knew little about. Hitler apparantly wanted to be an artist but was told he was not good enough. With his love of art he decides to collect all of the valuable pieces of art from around the world and collect them in Germany. One's he finds unacceptable are destroyed. Ernst's job is to help in deciding which pieces of art are the most important to add to Germany's collection. It is sad to think of the art that was lost in this process. I love reading about WWII and this book showed a whole different part of that time to me and I really enjoyed it.

This is a great book set in WWII about art, war, the search for love, and second chances. I would recommend it to any historical fiction fan or to any one who enjoys reading about WWII.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Persuasion: A Latter-Day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison Review

2012-02-17T04:29:00.000-08:00

Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale is the retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. The story begins with Anne setting up a garage sale, her father is selling their home and moving somewhere less expensive to help him get out of debt. Anne finds out that the person planning on buying her home is Jack Wentworth, the brother of Neil Wentworth, the man Anne was engaged to for a day and then turned down eight years before. Now Anne must deal with the problems her family is facing and watch Neil, who she still loves, date someone else. Through all of it she hopes and prays that she can find a way to have a second chance with the only man she has ever loved.

I love all things Austen so when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. I love Austen's Persuasion and have read it many times. This retelling stays pretty faithful to the story, it just tells it in modern times. Anne and Neil are still wonderful characters and I loved watching them slowly get to know each other again. Anne's family is quirky and demanding and add a whole extra level of tension to the story.

The one thing I really didn't like about the book was the large amount of the book that was spent on the Mormon faith. I didn't mind some references to religion and faith, but there were Mormon terms thrown in here that I did not have a clue what they meant and I just felt that at times it was a bit too preachy for me. I don't have a problem with an author putting religion into a book, I just do not want to be inundated with it.

I also thought the side story with Will, Anne's other suiter, seemed a bit unrealistic. It seemed like it was thrown in to add some excitement and adventure in the story. I thought the best parts of the book were with Anne and Neil finding their way back to each other, they did not need any extra drama to make the story interesting.

This was not a great retelling of Persuasion, but I love the original story so much that I found myself enjoying this one as well. If you are a big Austen fan and do not mind some religion put into the story, I would recommend this book for a light, fun read.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Tagged!

2012-02-15T10:09:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Kate at Musings of a Book Lover and have some fun questions to answer.

Here are the rules:

1 You must post the rules.
2 Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.
3 Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4 Let them know you’ve tagged them!

I could not just pick eleven bloggers so anyone who reads my blog and sees this is welcome to answer the questions.

Here are the questions that I had to answer:

1. Favorite ice cream flavor? chocolate chip cookie dough- yum!

2. What's in your purse? I hate dragging a big purse around so I just have a small one with my wallet and emergency supplies.

3. If you could meet one author who would it be and why? I would love to meet David Sedaris, I love his books and I am sure I would be laughing a lot!

4. If money was no object what is the one thing you would buy yourself right now? I would love to get all new furniture for my house, I love furniture shopping!

5. What do you want to be when you grow up? A librarian- I love sitting in a library!

6. What's another hobby besides reading? I play the piano and do yoga every day.

7. Favorite recipe? Spaghetti and meatballs, my family loves it.

8. Sweet or sour? Sweet

9. What is one movie you could watch over and over again? Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth, it is long but so enjoyable.

10. Have you ever been to a play? No

11. Why did you start blogging? Because of my love of books and I thought it would help me feel more comfortable working on a computer if I did it more often. I am not what you would call computer savvy.

Here are my questions:

1. What was your favorite book when you were younger?

2. Have you ever read a book you hated so much you could not finish it?

3. If you could travel to any country which one would you choose?

4. What is your favorite comfort food?

5. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

6. Who is your favorite actor/actress?

7. Are you a morning person or a late owl?

8. Do you have any pets?

9. Do you enjoy sports, if so which one is your favorite to play or watch?

10. What is your favorite song?

11. Do you have a favorite magazine?

Please let me know if you answer the questions so that I can check out your answers!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T03:09:00.000-08:00

Jack Johnson- Better Together

Bright Eyes- First Day of my Life

Band of Horses- No One's Gonna love You

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light by Amy Thomas Review

2012-02-13T05:36:00.000-08:00

Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light by Amy Thomas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Amy Thomas has written a memoir of a time in her life where whe finds herself torn between two cities, Paris and New York. While working in New York and enjoying a fun social life she is given the opportunity through her job to work in Paris. Thomas decides to go for it and shares all of the experiences she has there, the good and the bad. We get to read about what Parisians are really like and we get wonderful descriptions of the amazing food Thomas enjoyed while in Paris.

First I have to say that the descriptions of the food Thomas enjoyed in Paris are some of the best I have ever read, and I have read a lot of foodie books. They were quite a few times I was really craving a warm slice of French bread, a perfect cupcake, or a delicious piece of dark chocolate. The sections about the food were for me the best parts of the book.

Thomas also spends a lot of time writing about the difficulties she had to adjusting to living in France. I really felt for her when she talked about her difficulties with the language and her loneliness while in Paris. I am sure it would be very difficult to live alone in Paris and try to find your own way.

A lot of the book is also spent with Thomas dealing with so many of her friends getting married and having children while she was still single at 36. She really takes an honest look at the decisions she made in her life and tries to come to terms with the decisions she made and I admired for that.

The only problem I had with the book was that while I did love the parts about the food, after a while they became almost too much for me. There were too many detailed descriptions of all of the different shops she went to and all of the different food she tried. I found myself skimming over some sections after a while. Other than that it was a great look at what it would be like to live in Paris for a time and I know I am still craving some of those yummy sounding French treats!

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale Review

2012-02-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Charlotte Kinder, a mother of two, has been divorced for a year and still has not opened her heart up again to any new possibilities. She decides to take a much needed vacation and after recently reading the Jane Austen novels she decides to go to Autenland in England. Here she will be immersed in the time of Jane Austen with male actors who are there to make sure she has a good time. Instead of getting a relaxing vacation she finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery and she is having a hard time figuring out what part is real and what part is just part of the Austenland experience.

I recently read the first book in this series and enjoyed it so I was eager to read this next book by Shannon Hale. Unfortunately I did not enjoy it quite as much as I did the first book. The first book was witty and fun with a little romance thrown in. This book takes more from Austen's Nortanger Abbey which is my least favorite Jane Austen book. Instead of being light and fun, this book is darker and spends way too much time on the mystery for me.

Charlotte changes a lot through this book. She spends most of the book depressed with no confidence in her own self worth or abilities. She is constantly second guessing herself. I did find I liked her more as the book progressed and she began to change for the better. It seemed like she kept putting herself in dangerous situations when she should have just called the police from the beginning.

Even though I enjoyed the first book more there were parts in this one that made me smile and I did enjoy the character Eddie, who played Charlotte's brother. He was very sweet and fun. The ending was satisfying, I just wish that so much time was not spent on the mystery and it would have been a lighter more fun read like the first one.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster - A Classics Challenge

2012-02-09T05:17:00.000-08:00

From Goodreads:

One of E. M. Forster's most celebrated novels, "A Room With a View" is the story of a young English middle-class girl, Lucy Honeychurch. While vacationing in Italy, Lucy meets and is wooed by two gentlemen, George Emerson and Cecil Vyse. After turning down Cecil Vyse's marriage proposals twice Lucy finally accepts. Upon hearing of the engagement George protests and confesses his true love for Lucy. Lucy is torn between the choice of marrying Cecil, who is a more socially acceptable mate, and George who she knows will bring her true happiness. "A Room With a View" is a tale of classic human struggles such as the choice between social acceptance or true love.

Instead of a review I will be answering the questions from November's Autumn for the A Classics Challenge.

What phrases has the author used to introduce this character? What are your first impressions of them? Find a portrait or photograph that closely embodies how you imagine them.

When we first meet the main character, Lucy Honeychurch, she is in the middle of an argument with her cousin Charlotte about their disappointment in not getting a room with a view while on their trip to Italy. The first word used to describe Lucy is peevish, though Forster goes on to say it is because she is tired. My first impression was that Lucy did seem a bit selfish but she is a young woman traveling to Italy for the first time so she is naturally excited and wants to make the most of her trip.

How has the character changed? Has your opinion of them altered? Are there aspects of their character you aspire to? or hope never to be? What are their strengths and faults? Do you find them believable? If not, how could they have been molded so? Would you want to meet them?

As the book progresses Lucy does change a lot. At the beginning she is constantly being told what to do and think by those around her, especially her cousin Charlotte and her fiance Cecil. As the book goes on we find her becoming more independent and she finds that she has wants and desires that may go against what those around her want for her, but she is willing to follow her own heart. By the end of the book I really liked Lucy a lot and found her to be a very believable character. I was very happy to see the changes she made in her life.

A Room with a View is a delightful little book that has wonderful characters and a great look at English society. This is my first book by Forster and I enjoyed it so much that I am planning on reading another of his books soon, Howard's End.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Top Ten Tuesday- Top ten books I'd hand to someone who says they do not like to read

2012-02-07T03:09:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks top ten is books I would hand to someone who does not like to read. Here is my list of books that I think anyone would enjoy and would hopefully turn some people who think books are boring into readers!

I tried to pick books that were not too long and that were either laugh out loud funny or had a great story that was easy to get into.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore

2.
Domestic Violets by Matthew Norman

3.
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

4.
Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie

5.
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

6.
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

7.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

8.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

9.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

10.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

A Jane Austen Devotional by Steffany Woolsey Review

2012-02-05T05:37:00.000-08:00

A Jane Austen Devotional by Steffany Woolsey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A Jane Austed Devotional is a delightful little book that I have been enjoying reading. Every day I have been reading one of the devotionals, each includes a small scene from one of Austen's novels, a few paragraphs on the scene and what we can learn from it, and a short Scripture that relates to the scene from the book.

I am not an overly religious person and have never looked at a devotional before but being the Jane Austen fan that I am, when I saw this book I just had to give it a try. I have been very pleasantly surprised. There are a wide range of different sections taken from all of the books and the paragraphs that come after I have found to be very thought provoking. It is not overly preachy but gives effective examples of how to improve character and be a better person.

Of course my favorite part is rereading some wonderful section of Jane Austen's books, it is very nice getting a little dose of Austen every day. I would recommend this to any Austen fan and I am personally hoping to get my daughter to read it as well. I think it would be a very worthwhile book for her to read.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Letters in Cardboard Boxes by Abby Slovin Review

2012-02-03T03:11:00.000-08:00

Letters In Cardboard Boxes by Abby Slovin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Letters in Cardboard Boxes is the story of Parker and her relationship with her Grandmother. Parker was left home alone by her parents at an early age while they traveled around the world and Parker was left in the care of her Grandmother. Now Parker is 29 and is dealing with her Grandmother becoming older and ill and struggles with the reality that she will soon lose the only person that was ever truly there for her. To help her through this time Parker rereads letters her Grandmother sent to her when she was younger and she starts mentoring a young girl named Tanya that her Grandmother used to help.

I really enjoyed reading this story. Abby Slovin does a wonderful job in this book, the writing flowed well and was easy to read and the story was very emotional and interesting. Slovin spends a lot of time showing us Parker's character and we see it all, the good and the bad. Parker is quiet, timid, and afraid of change. She has a hard time making decisions on her own or doing anything constructive through most of the book. I found this frustrating at times but slowly we watch Parker begin to change and by the end of the book I was really happy with how far she had come.

The other three main characters are not given as much time as Parker, but they all add something important to the book. Watching Parker's Grandmother slip further away was the most emotional part of the book. The relationship with Jerry, Parker's neighbor, really seemed to give her the comfort she needed during this difficult time. Tanya really challenges Parker and also helps her to lighten up a little bit.

What I was most impressed with was that this book is filled with pain and grief but it was not a depressing read and by the end is was very uplifting. Slovin does a wonderful job of taking a difficult subject and not letting it become to heavy or sad. I would highly recommend this book to any reader looking for a well written, touching story.

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey Review

2012-02-01T03:09:00.000-08:00

Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kevin Kowalski owns his own bar, has a big family, and has no problem picking up women. Kevin is finding that the he is no longer attracted to the women who keep throwing themselves at him and he is looking for something more. When Beth enters his bar he is interested in her immediately but their first encounter goes badly. When they meet again at his brother's wedding they end up spending the night together and Beth ends up pregnant. Kevin really likes the idea of becoming a dad but he has his work cut out for him convincing Beth that he is the right man for her.

I am addicted to the Kowalski books by Shannon Stacey. I love reading about this big boisterous family and about these sweet, sexy guys. Of the three books I read, this is the one I enjoyed the least. Kevin was wonderful and the reason I gave this book four stars, Beth I wanted to smack in the head. She spends almost the entire book pushing everybody that just wants to help her throuth this pregnancy away. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why Kevin just didn't give up on her, she was that annoying.

Other than an awful female lead, the rest of the book was great. More fun times with the family and like I said, Kevin was great to read about. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light, fun, read. I am hoping for more books about the Kowalski family!

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Asenath by Anna Patricio Review

2012-01-30T05:41:00.000-08:00

Summary

In a humble fishing village on the shores of the Nile lives Asenath, a fisherman's daughter who has everything she could want. Until her perfect world is shattered.

When a warring jungle tribe ransacks the village and kidnaps her, separating her from her parents, she is forced to live as a slave. And she begins a journey that will culminate in the meeting of a handsome and kind steward named Joseph.

Like her, Joseph was taken away from his home, and it is in him that Asenath comes to find solace…and love. But just as they are beginning to form a bond, Joseph is betrayed by his master’s wife and thrown into prison.

Is Asenath doomed to a lifetime of losing everything and everyone she loves?

My Review

I was really intrigued by the idea for this book. I like how Patricio takes a relatively unknown woman from the bible and creates an interesting story for her. The story begins with Asenath living a happy life with her family in a small village. One day the village is attacked and Asenath is captured and taken from her home. She is eventually freed but she has lost her family forever. She is later adopted by a wealthy couple and learns to enjoy her life again. One day she meets Joseph, and seems to fall instantly in love.

While I enjoyed the story I did have some problems with the book. I love historical fiction because I love getting taken away to another place and time through the story. This did not happen in this book for me. I think the main problem was that it is just too short of a book and lacks the details of the setting and the time to really pull you in. I also had a problem with the language in the book. The B word was use at least two times, and it just did not make sense to have that language in a book set in this time. I think if the author would have researched a little more and worked at making the dialogue more authentic to the time of the book it would have helped a lot.

I liked Asenath a lot and I thought Joseph was an interesting character as well. I would have liked to have read more about Joseph in the book. This is not a great piece of historical fiction but it is an interesting story with a strong female character.

My rating: 2 1/2 stars out of 5

I received this book from the author for review.

Daphne and the Mysterious Girls Secret Bathroom Society by Robert Shields Review

2012-01-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

Summary

Following years of persecution at the hands of Vivica Vance, Daphne Downing levels the playing field wielding her No. 2 Ticonderoga pencil as she belatedly enters the world of witchcraft. Daphne becomes part of the Mysterious Girls’ Secret Bathroom Society and finds out that the politics governing witchcraft are daunting and sometimes deadly. She realizes she is aligned with the Charmers in this political battle with the Spiters led by her nemesis, Vivica. Along the way, she discovers that witches do not perform magic or witchcraft but a differentiated form of physics that only some women have mastered. The story deepens as she learns about the long history of witches’ domination and annihilation of wizards.

My review

Robert Shields has written an interesting story filled with lots of magic, adventure, and teenage girls acting like teenage girls with jealousies and fights. I think this book would be a good read for a young girl in middle school who loved the Harry Potter books. It is not as good a book as the Harry Potter books, but it is filled with lots of spells and a new twist on a magical history.

The part I liked the most was how Shields explains how physics is used in magic by the witches. This was the most interesting part in the book for me. I also liked Daphne, she was a fun character to read about.

I do think the book was a little too short and could have used some more depth into the characters and the magical world. Also, the author started a mystery involving Daphne's mom that is just kind of left with no resolution. This was frustrating because I was interested in finding out what had happened to Daphne's mom.

This is not a perfect book but I do think it could be a fun little read for the young fan of all things magic. There are lots of great witch scenes that will entertain.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The author gave me a copy of this book for an honest review.

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto Review

2012-01-28T05:40:00.000-08:00

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Shelley's husband died three years ago and she is still unable to get over his death. One day a young man shows up at her door and he has an uncanny resemblance to her late husband Max. The young man, Paolo, tells her that he believes her husband Max was his grandfather and he believes Max is still alive. Shelley does not know what to believe but she wants to discover the truth so she goes with Paolo on a trip to find Max. Along the way she tells Paolo about how she met Max through the European tour he ran and she recounts all of the stories Max told her and the other tourists on their trip. By telling Paolo the stories Shelley begins to piece together the truth about her husband.

I enjoyed this story from the very beginning, I thought the writing was absolutely beautiful. There were quite a few times in the book that I stopped to reread a sentence or section again because it was so well written. Here is an example of one from the beginning of the book:

"Shelley lingered over the tiny nothings, worrying that the slightest breeze might blow them away. These were the mundane specks that leave yawning gaps in shattered lives; no matter how well you think you've put all the pieces back together."

The actual story was complex and the mystery was interesting. I love historical fiction so I especially loved all of the stories that Shelley tells Paolo about from the tour with Max. There are lots of different times in history that are told about and I thought they were all interesting.

The love story between Max and Shelley was the part of the story I liked the least. It just seemed to happen so quickly, there was not much tension or build up to their romance. They were together pretty much from the moment they meet. I did like both characters though and wanted them to be happy together.

I finished this book a few days ago and I find that I am still thinking about it. Through her book Sotto makes you think about what is important in your own life, how you want to be remembered and how you can remember the ones you have lost. This book was different from any other book I have read, it put a totally different twist on happily ever after and I found tears in my eyes as I read the last page, the epilogue, of the book. I am eagerly waiting to see what this talented new author will be doing next.

Follow Friday 1/27

2012-01-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee of course and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it'll allow us to show off more new blogs!

Q: Which book genre do you avoid at all costs and why?

I do not read a lot of horror books or thrillers. I do not enjoy being scared or anxious when I read a book, I want it to be a fun and relaxing experience. The closest I have gotten to a horror book is The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I really liked it and it was not too terribly scary and that is as close as I need to get to a horror book!

The Forest Laird by Jack Whyte Review

2012-01-26T03:19:00.000-08:00

The Forest Laird by Jack Whyte
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Forest Laird tells the story of William Wallace, one of the most famous men in Scottish history. The story is told by his cousin James who grew up with William and was one of his closest friends. The story begins when they are young boys who watch William's parents and sister killed by the English and follows them on Williams road to outlaw, rebel, and eventually hero and patriot.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fairly long book but it felt like a fast read. What I liked most about it was that the author really seemed to try to stay away from the myth and legend of Wallace and instead give us a glimpse of the real man that lived and died for Scotland. James is a great character who does a good job of showing Wallace's strengths and weaknesses. I really got a sense of Wallace's frustration and anger at the English throughout the book.

There are not a lot of fight scenes in the book and it does not go into great detail at the more violent acts and I was glad though I am sure others might have been hoping for more details of the battles won and lost. The story was really more about the real man, his hopes and dreams for himself, his family, and his country.

I came away from the book with a greater respect for William Wallace and am very glad that I got to learn more about him. From some research I did on Wallace I found that not a lot is known about him but Jack Whyte does an admirable job bringing this mysterious historical figure to life. I would recommend this book to any historical fiction fan, especially someone interested in Scotland's history. I know I found it to be a fascinating read.

I received this book from the publisher for a review.

Austenland by Shannon Hale Review

2012-01-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

Austenland by Shannon Hale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane Hayes is a thirty something New Yorker who is single and has a serious obsession with Mr. Darcy. To be more specific, she has an obsession with Mr Darcy as played by Colin Firth in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. When an Aunt discovers her love of Colin Firth she leaves Jane a trip to England in her will that will allow Jane to live out her fantasies. For three weeks she will live as if she is in a Jane Austen book with the clothes, the manners, and of course the regency era gentlemen. Jane is hoping to finally rid herself of her Mr. Darcy obsession so she can get on with her life.

Let me start off by saying that I share Jane's obsession with Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in the BBC movie. I have watched it many times and never get tired of it so I liked this book from the very beginning. I was laughing as soon as I opened the book and saw the dedication was to Colin Firth that Shannon Hale had written:

"You're a really great guy, but I'm married, so I think we should just be friends."

This really set the tone for the whole novel- light, fun, with lots of Austen references. The book really gets interesting once Jane gets to Austenland and discovers that it is not that easy living in Jane's time. She also has diffictulties with playing along with the other actors and guests and I really felt for the problems she faced. I don't know if I could have acted along and flirted with the men who were really actors either.

The other characters in the book were quirky and fun. With most of the other characters being actors we never get a real sense of who they really are and I was trying to figure out if the men were really interested in Jane or just playing their part just as she was. The only character I really did not like was the other guest, Miss Charming. She was just annoying the whole way through the book.

I really enjoyed this book for what it was, a short entertaining read that let me see that I am not the only Colin Firth fanatic out there. The ending was sweet and satisfying and I am eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series, Midnight in Austenland.

Top Ten Tuesday- Favorite Male Characters

2012-01-24T03:09:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks top ten is a freebie, we could pick any topic we wanted so I decided to pick my top ten favorite male characters. I have been happily married for a very long time but I will admit to doing a bit of swooning over all ten of these men. Here are my top ten:

1. Jamie Fraser- Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Jamie Fraser is Scottish and from the 18th century and he loves Claire with all his heart and isn't afraid to tell her. Here are some of my favorite quotes from Jamie.

“Don't be afraid. There's the two of us now.”

“I can bear pain myself, he said softly, but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have.”

“Oh, aye, Sassenach. I am your master . . . and you're mine. Seems I canna possess your soul without losing my own.”

2. Mr. Darcy- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Mr. Darcy has been my ideal man since I was eighteen years old. He is an honourable and good man and it doesn't hurt the Colin Firth played him to perfection.

3. Colonel Brandon- Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Another Jane Austen man that I adore. I loved how patient and kind he was with Marianne and I also loved Alan Rickman's portrayal of him in the movie.

4. Gabriel Oak- Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

I really enjoyed this book and it was mostly because I loved reading about Gabriel Oak.

5. Rhett Butler-Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Rhett could be a bad boy but he had a good heart and he really did love Scarlett.

6. Graham Keith- The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

I loved this book, my first by Susanna Kearsley, and I really enjoyed reading the romance between Carrie and the quiet Graham.

7. Sean Kowalski- Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey

I don't read a lot of romance books but this series of books by Shannon Stacey have become some of my favorites. Sean Kowalski is amazing and there were times I laughed out loud at some of the things he says. This is a very fun, romantic read.

8. Alexander Barrington- The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

This book is long and intense but I really loved it. Alexander and Tatiana go through a lot to be together and their love story was amazing.

9. Gilbert Blythe- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Another of one of my first loves. How could you not love Gilbert? This series is still one of my all time favorites.

10. Aragorn- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

I loved everything about this trilogy, especially Aragorn. He was brave and fierce and true to his love for Arwen.

So that is my list, I would love to hear if you think I missed any great male characters or if you agree with the ones on my list!

Blog Tour Review: The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

2012-01-22T17:59:00.000-08:00

Publication Date: January 10, 2012

Synopsis

An aristocratic young nun must find a legendary crown in order to save her father—and preserve the Catholic faith from Cromwell’s ruthless terror. The year is 1537...

Joanna Stafford, a Dominican nun, learns that her favorite cousin has been condemned by Henry VIII to be burned at the stake. Defying the sacred rule of enclosure, Joanna leaves the priory to stand at her cousin’s side. Arrested for interfering with the king’s justice, Joanna, along with her father, is sent to the Tower of London.

The ruthless Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, takes terrifying steps to force Joanna to agree to spy for him: to save her father’s life she must find an ancient relic—a crown so powerful, it may hold the ability to end the Reformation. Accompanied by two monks, Joanna returns home to Dartford Priory and searches in secret for this long-lost piece of history worn by the Saxon King Athelstan in 937 during the historic battle that first united Britain.

But Dartford Priory has become a dangerous place, and when more than one dead body is uncovered, Joanna departs with a sensitive young monk, Brother Edmund, to search elsewhere for the legendary crown. From royal castles with tapestry-filled rooms to Stonehenge to Malmesbury Abbey, the final resting place of King Athelstan, Joanna and Brother Edmund must hurry to find the crown if they want to keep Joanna’s father alive. At Malmesbury, secrets of the crown are revealed that bring to light the fates of the Black Prince, Richard the Lionhearted, and Katherine of Aragon’s first husband, Arthur. The crown’s intensity and strength are beyond the earthly realm and it must not fall into the wrong hands.

With Cromwell’s troops threatening to shutter her priory, bright and bold Joanna must now decide who she can trust with the secret of the crown so that she may save herself, her family, and her sacred way of life. This provocative story melds heart-stopping suspense with historical detail and brings to life the poignant dramas of women and men at a fascinating and critical moment in England’s past.

My Review

I was really impressed by Nancy Bilyeau's first novel, it had everything that I love in a good historical fiction book. It was an exciting read from the very beginning with a mystery that had me guessing until the very end. It is filled with lots of history and interesting facts from this famous time in history, the reign of Henry VIII. There are some great characters in the book that really move the story along well, the most important being Joanna Stafford. I loved reading about Joanna and all of her many adventures, she is smart, brave, and always struggles to do what she thinks is right.

One thing that I really enjoyed about the book was that it is a story about England during Henry VIII's time, but Henry is not a main character in the story at all. It was nice to read about some other people that were important players at this time as well. I particularly liked reading about Bishop Gardiner, he was so complex and devious I spent a lot of time trying to figure out his motives and real goal. The two monks that are sent to help Joanna are also interesting characters that kept me wondering if they were truly good monks or had an agenda of their own.

This story is filled with action and suspense and kept me up late into the night so I could find out how it ended. It is a complicated mystery with several layers of history and clues to go through to understand how everything comes to a satisying conclusion in the end. I highly recommend it to any historical fiction fan, especially for those who enjoy reading about the Tudor's but is looking for something a little bit different. I am definitely looking forward to the next novel by this new author.

My rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5

The rest of the tour can be found here.

The author's website can be found here.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey Review

2012-01-21T05:16:00.000-08:00

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jessica Packwood is getting ready to start her senior year of high school. She is a good student, is excellent in math, likes spending time with her best friend, and is interested in a guy named Jake. All of her plans for her last year of high school are ruined when she meets Lucius Vladescu. Lucius shows up at her house and tells her that she is a Romanian vampire princess and she is supposed to marry him and through that marriage bring peace to the vampire community in Romania. Jessica spends the year learning about her families history, coming to terms with the fact that she is a vampire, and working through the different feelings that she has for Jake and Lucius. Lucius must adjust to being a teenager in America, fighting his jealousy of Jake, and finding a love interest in America of his own.

This was an interesting book, I thought the idea for the story was different I liked how it was written from Jessica's point of view and from Lucius' point of view through his letters to his Uncle in Romania. The letters that Lucius wrote were actually my favorite parts of the book, at time they were laugh out loud funny.

I found Jessica to be rather annoying but I liked Lucius a lot. It was great reading about him adjusting to American life and his commentaries on typical high schoolers was fun to read. Fantaskey does a great job of making Lucius mysterious and sexy and I could not figure out how Jessica resisted him as long as she did.

The biggest problem I had with the book was the ending. I felt like the book kept building up to this big climactic ending and I personally was left disappointed. It just didn't seem that exciting to me and it seemed rushed like the author was in a hurry to wrap it up. Other than that is was a fun, easy read with a great male character to swoon over.

I picked up this book for free on Amazon for my Kindle.

A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Review

2012-01-19T08:06:00.000-08:00

“Lord, what fools these mortals be!”

I love this quote from A Midsummer's Night's Dream. It is said by my favorite character in the play, Puck, and it seems to express what Shakespeare show us throughout the play- how silly humans can behave when they are in love. This point is perfectly shown by the four young lovers who flee to the forest one evening. They are unaware that fairies are in the forest that same night and the fairies King Oberon decides to meddle with the young lovers. Of course nothing goes as planned and we along with the fairies get to watch the confusion and problems unfold .

While all of this is going on we also get to read about amateur actors preparing to put on a play. It is silly and fun and when they actually put the play on it is most entertaining listening to the comments from the members of the audience. The whole thing makes for a delightful read that of course sees happy endings for every one in the end.

As I said, my favorite character is Puck. He is mischievous and funny and I love the last lines of the play that he recites.

"So good night unto you all.

Give me your hands if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends."

The whole play feels light and fun and whimsical with lovers young and old and fairies making mischief everywhere. It is full of humour and imagination and a cast of characters that made for an enjoyable read. So far this has been my favorite Shakespeare play.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Review

2012-01-18T06:22:00.000-08:00

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Basil Hallward paints a portrait of his dearest friend Dorian Gray and puts so much of his passion and love into it that he knows it is his greatest work of art. When Dorian sees it for the first time he is captivated by it and realises that all of the youth and beauty that he sees in the portrait will not last and makes a wish that he could be the one that stays young and untouched by life and the portrait should be the one to change over time. Dorian gets his wish and soon realises what a mistake he has made as he becomes more shallow, decadent, and selfish. The book is a look at the total moral disintegration of one man.

This was a very interesting read. I loved the idea for the book that the picture would show all the sins of Dorian while he would remain untouched by time. It was fascinating to watch Dorian change, at the beginning of the book he is young and innocent and everyone loves him. Through the influence of his friend Lord Henry Wotton and the effect of the picture hiding his sins, Dorian turns more and more into a pleasure seeking, selfish man with little or no conscious. Wilde does a wonderful job of showing how other characters respond to him as he changes throughout the book.

Wilde's use of dialogue in the book was my favorite part. Lord Henry Wotton is very witty throughout the story and some of the comments he makes to Dorian were for me the most memorable lines in the book. I also really liked Basil, he was the one who loved Dorian the most for his innocence and goodness at the beginning and he was the only one who makes an effort to get him to change his evil ways.

I was surprised with how the book ended, but it did seem fitting. It was the perfect ending to a classic tale filled with great dialogue and detailed descriptions that really pulled you into the story. I was so impressed with Wilde's dialogue that I am planning on reading his plays soon as well.

Top Ten Tuesday- books I would recommend to someone who does not read historical fiction

2012-01-17T03:21:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks top ten is top ten books you would recommend to someone who does not read a genre of your choosing. I picked historical fiction.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre to read because I love reading about different times and places in history without it being just dry facts or a history lesson. There are so many great books out there, here are the ten that I would recommend to someone who does not usually read historical fiction books.

1.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A classic that has great characters, romance, and a detailed look at what happened in the South during the civil war.

2.
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak
This is a beautifully written story of a young girls struggle to survive in Germany during WWII. This is one of my all time favorite books.

3.

Next to Love by Ellen Feldman

Another great book set during WWII, this story follows three women's lives as they deal with tragedy and loss during the war.

4.
The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau

This is a great historical fiction/mystery that I thought was an exciting read. It kept me guessing until the end.

5.
The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

This is a great historical fiction/romance/time travel book set in Scotland. Kearsley is an amazing author and I think this book is her best.

6.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

This is another hsitorical fiction/romance/time travel book set in Scotland that I love. This is the first book in a series and I am hooked and am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series.

7.
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly

The Tea Rose is the first in a trilogy of books. This one is a rags to riches story set in London. It gives such a vivid picture of what it was like to be poor in London and I liked the main character, Fiona, from the beginning.

8.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Amazing book filled with love, humor, and hope. I couldn't put it down.

9.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I have recommended this book so many times, a beautiful story about what happens at Guernsey during the German occupation.

10.
The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Wharton is one of my favorite authors, she does such an amazing job of bringing the subject of her book to life. This book deals with the wealthiest people in New York City in the late 1800's. Wharton's attention to detail really gives a great look at the upper class from this time.

Mailbox Monday 1/16

2012-01-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

This month Mailbox Monday is being hosted by At Home With Books.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Here is what I received this week:

The Forest Laird by Jack Whyte

Asenath by Anna Patricio

Letters In Cardboard Boxes by Abby Slovin

The Companion of Lady Holmeshire by Debra Brown

The Detour by Andromeda Romano-Lax

The Lady of Bolton Hill by Elizabeth Camden

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn Review

2012-01-14T06:02:00.000-08:00

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks by Kathleen Flinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kathleen Flinn has written a wonderful book that shares her experience with a group of women who were not comfortable in the kitchen. Kathleen begins to give them lessons in the basics of cooking to help them to not have to rely on takeout or overly processed food found at the grocery store.

The book is filled with wonderful tips from each of the lessons given. I learned a lot about picking out a good knife and how to chop things correctly and I also really liked the part that teaches you how to cut up a whole chicken. I do a lot of cooking and baking and I still found lots of useful tips in this book.

The only problem I had with the book was that I got bored reading about all of the individual woman in the cooking class. All of their stories were rather boring and I found myself skimming through them to get to the actual cooking lessons and recipes.

This book was a very different read for me. I would have enjoyed it more if it would have had less personal stories and more tips and recipes. I was very pleased with the information that I did get from the book and I hope it helps me to change from buying boxed cake mixes and frozen pizzas to working on making my own food with healthier choices.

The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich Review

2012-01-12T03:12:00.000-08:00

The Midwife of Venice by Roberta Rich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Midwife of Venice tells the story of Hannah Levi, a Jewish woman known for her abilities as a midwife. One night a Christian Count appears at her door begging her to come to his home to aid his wife who is having a difficult time delivering their child. If Hannah goes she could be put to death for helping a Christian family. Hannah has compassion for the woman and also finds the large amount of money the Count promises her hard to resist. Her husband, Isaac, was recently taken from a ship and forced to become a slave, the money the Count promises her will be enough to free him and bring him home. Hannan loves Isaac and decides she will do whatever it takes to free him so she goes to the Count's home and her decision starts a chain of events that will change Hannah's life forever.

I was surprised by how quickly I got through this book. It was an interesting story and I enjoyed reading about Hannah and Isaac. There are lots of interesting facts about 16th century Italy, especially the Jewish quarter called the Ghetto. A lot of time is also spent in the book on Hannah's job as midwife. I personally found reading through the birthing scene rough, a little too much detail for me.

I did have problems with parts of the plot. I found it hard to believe that a couple that fought so hard to have a child would then leave it so easily with two Uncles who would benefit from the child being dead. I also found the ending to be a bit unbelievable. It seemed like Rich rushed the ending and wrapped things up rather quickly.

This is not a great piece of historical fiction, but it is not a bad book and and I did learn a lot about 16th century Italy. I think that if more time would have been spent on the two main characters and some changes were made in the plot it would have made it a better book.

I received this book from Simon & Schuster for review.

Top Ten Tuesday- Top ten authors I wish would write another book

2012-01-10T03:18:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks top ten is authors I wish would write another book. This can include debut authors, authors who seem to have taken a hiatus, OR for those who read classics authors you wish would have written another book before they passed. Here is my list.

1. Jane Austen- I have loved all of Jane Austen's books and have read them many times throughout the years. I would have loved to read a new story or maybe found out what happened with Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth after they were married!

2. Hannah Harrington, author of

Saving June- I just read this book about a month ago and I loved it. I am really looking forward to more books by this new author.

3. Chad Harback, author of The Art of Fielding. I fell in love with this book this year too and would love to read another book by Harback.

4. Matthew Norman, author of Domestic Violets. This book had me laughing out loud and I enjoyed every page of it.

5. Andrew Davidson author of The Gargoyle. This was one of those books that I was thinking about long after I had finished reading it, an amazing love story.

6. Margaret Mitchell author of Gone With the Wind. I would have loved to have found out what happened to Rhett and Scarlett!

7. J.K. Rowling- I enjoyed all of the Harry Potter books so much I would love to see her start a whole new series of books!

8. Harper Lee, author of To Kill a Mockingbird. This book is one of my all time favorites and I so wish Harper Lee would have written another book.

9. Annie Barrows, author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. This is a great work of historical fiction and I would love to read another by this talented author.

10. Kathrynn Stockett, author of The Help. I was afraid this one would not live up to the hype but it did, I really loved this book and am looking forward to the next one from Stockett.

Priestess of the Fire Temple by Ellen Evert Hopman Review

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Priestess of the Fire Temple: A Druid?s Tale by Ellen Evert Hopman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Priestess of the Fire Temple tells the story of Aislinn. Aislinn is the daughter of an important King in a land where the power of the Druid is declining and the followers of Jesus, the Cristaidi, are taking over the land. Aislinn has been trained as a Druid but must hide her beliefs as she is wed at the age of 14 to a Prince in another Kingdom. The marriage is an unhappy one and Aislinn ends up running away. She has many adventures as she learns to embrace the powers and magic of her Druid training.

This book was just an ok read for me. I liked Aislinn, she was an interesting character and she did have lots of dangerous adventures, but for some reason I found the story rather boring. The most exciting part of the story for me was the parts that dealt with the clashes between the Druids and the Cristaidi. I would have liked to read more about the tension between these two very different religions in the book.

The part of the book that I enjoyed the most was the information that was given about the Druids and their practices. I have always wanted to learn about the Druids and their beliefs and this book does a good job of showing what it was like to be a Druid during this time. I enjoyed reading about the Fire Temple and the training Aislinn received.

I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in learning about the Druids, their beliefs and practices. The story is not terribly exciting but their are lots of interesting facts about the Druids.

I received this book from NetGalley.

January Prompt for A Classics Challenge- Oscar Wilde

2012-01-06T07:06:00.000-08:00

I am participating in a Classics Challenge and every month there are questions to answer about the book you have chosen. This month the questions focus on the author. I am reading The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, here are my answers.

Who is the author? What do they look like? When were they born? Where did they live? What are some of the other novels they've written? What is an interesting and random fact about their life?

Oscar Wilde was born with the name Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde on October 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. His parents names were William Wilde and Jane Francesca Elgee. He had an older brother, William, and a younger sister, Emily, who died when she was ten from a fever. Oscar took Emily's death very hard and carried a lock of her hair sealed in an envelope until his death.

He excelled in school especially in his Classics courses and received a
Foundation Scholarship from Trinity College in Dublin. He later attended Oxford and after graduation lived in London for some time.

Wilde married Constance Lloyd on May 29, 1884 and they had two sons. The following years would be his most creative time, he published some children's stories and worked on his only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In the summer of 1891 Oscar met Lord Alfred 'Bosie' Douglas, the third son of the Marquis of Queensberry. The two became lovers and were inseperable for years. Eventually Wilde was arrested and convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years hard labor. He never recovered creatively from this time and died from meningitis on Nov. 30, 1900.

Here are some of his literary works

The Happy Prince and other Tales

The Picture of Dorian Gray

An Ideal Husband

The Importance of Being Earnest

What do you think of his writing style? What do you like about it? or what would have made you more inclined to like it? Is there are particular quote that has stood out to you?

I am really enjoying the book so far, Wilde's writing style is a joy to read. Their are lots of beautiful, detailed descriptions of settings that really add to the book. It is also filled with witty dialogue that add a touch of humor. The character of Lord Henry Wotton is the most interesting so far and his thoughts and views on life that he shares with others were I am sure quite shocking at the time. Here is a good quote of Henry talking of his beliefs to his friend Basil:

"You seem to forget that I am married, and the one charm of marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties. I never know where my wife is, and my wife never knows what I am doing. When we meet -- we do meet occasionally, when we dine out together, or go down to the Duke's -- we tell each other the most absurd stories with the most serious faces. My wife is very good at it -- much better, in fact, than I am. She never gets confused over her dates, and I always do. But when she does find me out, she makes no row at all. I sometimes wish she would; but she merely laughs at me."

This is my first time reading Oscar Wilde and so far I am enjoying the book. I knew nothing about him before doing research for these questions and was surprise to see he was convicted of a crime and sentenced to two years of hard labor. He was certainly an interesting author and I am glad that I took the time to find out more about his life.

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman Review

2012-01-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lionheart is the tale of King Richard and focuses on his time during the third crusade. The book focuses on the battles, Richard's use of diplomacy, his marriage to Berengaria, and the many obstacles those that took up the cross faced. It gives a fascinating look at one of the most famous men of history and legend.

I was really impressed by this book. The amount of detail about not only Richard but those closest to him really made me feel like I now have a better understanding of the man Richard was, not just the legend. Most people know of his extraordinary gifts in battle but I was very impressed with his intelligence as well. Throughout the Crusade he takes the time to try to come up with the best plan for victory and his use of diplomacy proved to be very effective throughout the Crusade.

The only negative for me was at times I felt there was too much information given. There were so many different characters in the book that I did get confused at times about who was on which side. It is definitely a book that needs to be read slowly and carefully to understand and enjoy it.

This is the first book that I have read about Kind Richard and cannot imagine having to read another, this book gives such a thorough look at all aspects of this complicated man. I would recommend it to any historical fiction fan or to someone interested in King Richard. I enjoyed this book so much that I am planning on reading the book Penman wrote about Richard and all of his family, Devil's Brood.

Top Ten Tuesday- Books I am excited to read in 2012

2012-01-03T03:04:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks top ten is books I am excited to read in 2012. Here is my list.

The Rebel Wife by Taylar M. Polites

2.
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

3.
The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy

4.
Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

5.
Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

6.
The Book of Lost Fragrances: A Novel by M.J. Rose

7.
Six of One: A Tudor Riff by Joann Spears

8.
The Solitary House: A Novel by Lynn Shephard

9.
Written with My Own Heart's Blood by Diana Gabaldon

No cover for this one yet, it is the one I am looking forward to the most!

10.
The Second Empress : A Novel of Napoleon's Court by Michelle Moran

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

2012-01-02T05:38:00.000-08:00

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Language of Flowers tells the story of Victoria Jones, an 18 year old who has just been emancipated from the foster care system and unsure of how to begin her life on her own. We read about Victoria through her present situation and her past experiences when she was nine years old and sent to live with a woman named Elizabeth. We find that the only connection that Victoria can make with other people is through flowers. At 18 she is scared and homeless until she begins working at a flower shop and finds her talent for picking out flowers that will make her customers happy. When she is just beginning to find a way to a future for herself she meets a man with a connection to her past that makes her come to terms with the mistakes she has made.

I loved this book. It was beautifully written and drew me in from the very beginning. Victoria's story is heartbreaking and made me think of all the children that go through the foster care system and how truly hard it must be. I thought Diffenbaugh did a wonderful job of showing Victoria's thought processes and relating to us the reason why she made she choices she made. I really enjoyed watching Victoria change and grow through the book. It was so hard for her to reach out to others because of her past, it was nice to see her try to connect to others, even in small ways.

Before reading this book I knew almost nothing about flowers. I do not garden and know few names of different flowers. I feel like I got quite an education about flowers in this book and it was very interesting. I think that every time I see a flower now I will be wondering what its definition is in a Victorian flower dictionary. This is a wonderful story that I would highly recommend and I am looking forward to future books from this impressive author.

Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey Review

2011-12-31T08:37:00.000-08:00

Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Keri Daniels works hard at her job and really wants a promotion. In order to save her job she is sent by her editor to interview Joe Kowalski, a reclusive best-selling author. Keri is picked for the job because in High School her and Joe were a couple. Almost twenty years later with her job on the line Keri must convince Joe to give her an interview.

Joe, who has never gotten over Keri, comes up with a plan when he hears about Keri wanting to interview him. Keri has to go camping with his family for two weeks and every day that she makes it through she is allowed to ask him a question. Keri reluctantly agrees and so the two find themselves together again and dealing with their feelings for each other and with the drama that surrounds Joe's big family.

I am really loving Shannon Stacey's books. I had read Yours to Keep and loved it and this one is a winner as well. The Kowalski family is big, loud, loyal, and laugh out loud funny. These books always make me wish I had a big family like the Kowalski's, they are so supportive of each other.

The chemistry between Keri and Joe is great, they were a fun couple to read about. Joe is absolutely adorable, some of the comments he makes to seduce Keri are hilarious. They have some fun adventures with Joe's family swimming, four-wheeling, and making smores. All of this added up to a fun, romantic read that I would recommend to any contemporary romance fan.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield Review

2011-12-29T05:25:00.000-08:00

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran: One Young Man's Quest for True Love and a Cooler Haircut by Rob Sheffield
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is Rob Sheffield's personal story about being a teenager in the 80's and the effect 80s music had on his life. He begins the book when he is 13 years old and each chapter's title is a song from the 80s. He holds nothing back no matter how embarrasing it might be, his awkwardness around girls, his years living as a hermit listening to The Smiths, his glory days as the ice cream man, all are discussed in the book with the music he loved mixed in to help tell the story.

I really enjoyed this book. I was also a teenager in the 80s and this book brought back a lot of memories- the good and the bad. Rob Sheffield is a writer for Rolling Stone and his knowledge and passion for music really shines in this book. Along with the music from this time Sheffield also talks about the fashion, movies, and TV shows that will really bring you back to the decade. I particularly enjoyed the tribute to John Hughes movies which I loved.

I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times in this book, Sheffield is very funny and I found myself thinking how much fun it would be to hang out with him at a party. His personality really comes through in his writing.

I do not think that everyone would enjoy this book as much as I did. I think it is really meant for people who grew up in the 80s or people who enjoy hearing about that decade. I know that a lot of the things that he talks about would probably be lost on a younger reader. For all of you fans of Madonna, The Smiths, and of course Duran Duran you will have a great time walking down memory lane with Rob Sheffield.

Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Favorite Books I Read in 2011

2011-12-27T04:24:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This weeks top ten is top ten favorite books of 2011. According to my Goodreads challenge I read 106 books this year which is an all time high for me. Here are my top ten in no particular order.

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach.
I was surprised to enjoy a book about baseball so much.

2.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
This book had a great story that had me laughing and crying.

3.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
I love Sarah Addison Allen's books and this one has become one of my favorites.

4.

Doc by Mary Doria Russell
Hisorical fiction is my favorite genre to read and this book about Doc Holliday was informative and entertaining.

5.

Lionheart by Sharon Kay Penman
This was my first book by Penman and I was blown away by the detail and information in this book and am looking forward to reading more books by this wonderful author.

6.

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
This book about a girl coming to terms with her sister's suicide was an emotional read for me. The thing I liked about it the most was all of the great classic music that was talked about throughout the book, I really loved this one.

7.

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
Another wonderful book of historical fiction that I was amazed at the amount of detail put into it. For me this is Hoffman's best book.

8.

The Time In Between by Maria Duenas
This book had it all- great story, romance, adventure, a spy network, and history too. I couldn't put this one down.

9.

The Summer Garden by Paullina Simons
This book is the last in a trilogy and I enjoyed all three of them. I loved reading about Tatiana and Alexander.

10.

The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley
A great time travel/romance book that I enjoyed from start to finish.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris Review

2011-12-23T04:54:00.000-08:00

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am a huge David Sedaris fan and this book is one of my favorites. It is definitely not for everybody. The humor in this book is twisted and sometimes rude and I could see how some people would be offended by it. For me, it is just laugh out loud funny, especially the first story about Sedaris' job as a Santa elf. I have three kids so I have waited in line to visit Santa more than a few times in my life and reading about his experiences working with Santa is hilarious. The other stories in this small book are also fun to read but SantaLand Diaries is really the standout in the collection. If you don't mind a little dark humor in your holiday reading, I would definitely recommend this book!

Winner of A Princess and Her Garden

2011-12-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

My giveaway of the book A Princess and Her Garden is over and the winner is:

Meg A Bookish Affair

Congratulations Meg! An email has been sent out.

Thanks to everyone who participated in my giveaway.

Historical Fiction Reading Challenge and Reading Shakespeare: A Play a Month Challenge 2012

2011-12-21T05:13:00.000-08:00

Once again this year I am participating in the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge hosted by Historical Tapestry. Historical fiction is my favorite genre so I know I will enjoy doing the challenge. Here are the rules:

Each month, a new post dedicated to the HF Challenge will be created. To participate, you only have to follow the rules:

everyone can participate, even those who don't have a blog (you can add your book title and thoughts in the comment section if you wish)

add the link(s) of your review(s) including your name and book title to the Mister Linky we’ll be adding to our monthly post (please, do not add your blog link, but the correct address that will guide us directly to your review)

any kind of historical fiction is accepted (HF fantasy, HF young adult,...)

During these following 12 months you can choose one of the different reading levels:

Severe Bookaholism: 20 books
Undoubtedly Obsessed: 15 books
Struggling the Addiction: 10 books
Daring & Curious: 5 books
Out of My Comfort Zone: 2 books

The level I am doing is struggling the addiction- 10 books.

I have also decided to join in on the Reading Shakespeare Challenge hosted by Breadcrumb Reads.

We will be reading a play a month, here is the reading schedule.

January — A Midsummer Night’s Dream
February — Macbeth
March — Henry V
April — Much Ado About Nothing
May — Antony and Cleopatra
June — Richard III
July — As You Like It
August — King Lear
September — Cymbeline
October — Twelfth Night
November — Othello
December — Pericles

I have been meaning to read more Shakespeare and I will be thrilled if I can get through all of these this year!

Top Ten Tuesday- Top Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings

2011-12-20T03:05:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks top ten is books I hope Santa brings. Here is my list:

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

2.
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie

3.
Soulless by Gail Carriger

4.
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

5.
Willoughby's Return: A Tale of Almost Irresistible Temptation by Jane Odiwe

6.
Captain Wentworth's Persuasion: Jane Austen's Classic Retold Through His Eyes by Regina Jeffers

7.
Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe

8.
Illuminated by Erica Orloff

9.
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume II by Arthur Conan Doyle

10. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan Review

2011-12-19T03:32:00.000-08:00

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Luis de Santangel is Chancellor to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain, he has worked hard to climb his way to to this postion, his ancestors were Jewish converts to Christianity. Being a convert to Christianity meant his belief in Jesus is constantly questioned, especially during this time of the Spanish Inquisition. Santagel watches as those around him, including his family, are arrested and tortured all in the name of Christianity. He begins to really look at the questions he has about his faith and beliefs. During this time of questioning he meets the intelligent and beautiful Judith Migdal, a Jewish woman who shows him a different kind of life. He also meets Christopher Columbus who needs his help in his plans to discover a new route to wealth.

I was really impressed by this book. Kaplan's writing is wonderful to read and the amount of research he put into writing this book can be seen in all of the information and details given throughout the story. I learned a lot about the Spanish Inquisition, a part of history I really did not know much about. I also learned a lot about what Jews were facing at this time and the difficulties that people had even after they converted to Christianity. It seemed no one was safe and many lived in fear of torture and death.

Luis de Santangel was a great character to read about. He was complex, intelligent, and always questioning himself, it made for a fascinating read. I also enjoyed reading about Judith and the issues she faced. I wish there could have been more of the book with Santangel and Judith together.

This is a very impressive first book by Mitchell James Kaplan. I enjoyed both the history I learned and the story of Santagel. I would recommend it to any historical fiction fan, it is a wonderful novel.

I received this book from the author for review.

Simply Great Breads by Daniel Leader Review

2011-12-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

Simply Great Breads: Sweet and Savory Yeasted Treats from America's Premier Artisan Baker by Daniel Leader
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Daniel Leader's Simply Great Breads is a wonderful collection of recipes for people who enjoy making bread at home. This is not a huge book and does not cover everything like some other baking books that I have, but Leader has some recipes that I have not seen before that I am eager to try. There is a secion on ciabatta, which I love, and the recipe for cialbatta rolls sounds wonderful.

I usually use my stand mixer to knead my bread for me but Leader has a how-to guide on how to hand-knead bread that I think I am going to try. There is also a recipe for pancakes with yeast and a recipe for strawberry jam that caught my eye.

Some different ideas and recipes made this bread book worth while for me. I think that any one who enjoys making their own bread will find something that they would like to try in this delightful book.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello Review

2011-12-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lauren Alexander has spent the past six years raising her daughter Kristen on her own. Her parents would not support her after she backed out of an adoption for Kristen and decided to keep her. After six years on her own Lauren has built a wall up around herself and has promised herself never to trust a man again.

One night a few weeks before Christmas Kyle Preston is playing Santa at the mall when Kristen sits on his lap and asks for a daddy. Kyle is charmed by Kristen right then and there and he meets Lauren later that night when he helps her with her car. There is an instant attraction for Kyle but he has his work cut out for him, he needs to show Lauren it is ok to trust in love again.

This was a cute little Christmas story. It was not a great read, but it was fun. My favorite character was Kyle, he had a troubled past but he didn't let that stop him from making a good life for himself. I enjoyed his relationship with Lauren and Kristen and it was heartwarming to watch them become a family together. The book is fairly predictable, but still a fun story to enjoy during the holidays.

Follow my Book Blog Friday 12/16

2011-12-16T03:14:00.000-08:00

Follow My Book Blog Friday is hosted by Parajunkee.com and Alison Can Read.

This weeks question is:

Q: When you’ve read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)

If I enjoyed the book I will keep it. I have an insane number of books in my house right now but I cannot give a book up if I really enjoyed it. If I didn't enjoy the book but think someone else would I do a giveaway or donate the book to my local library.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

A Princess and Her Garden Review and Giveaway

2011-12-14T19:11:00.000-08:00

Summary:

A Princess and Her Garden is a fable that reflects the stories of many women-and some men-who learn to put other people's needs before their own, until one day they come to realize they feel lost or unhappy because they have forgotten, or perhaps never learned, how to care for themselves.
The telling of this story is more about the awakening and arrival of you, the reader, than it is about the journey of the Princess. The authors have wisely used their years of counseling and coaching experience to create a guided journal (The Queen of Yourself) that prompts you to reflect and answer thought provoking questions about your childhood, and what you learned about taking care of yourself and others. This unique journaling experience helps you cultivate a new life story in which you love both yourself and those closest to you. Beautiful color illustrations enhance this new edition-a beautiful allegory for reflecting on any stage in life. The included book club discussion questions are designed for meaningful conversation around changing lives.
The perfect gift for people in transition, from new parents to the just-divorced, A Princess and Her Garden is also a welcome story for fresh graduates and newlyweds, and anyone (including yourself) who is learning how to take care of themselves and plant nourishing seeds.

My Review:

I really liked this beautiful book. The actual story is relatively short but it is a fable that does a wonderful job of showing how we can have a tendency to care too much for other peoples needs and not take care of our own. The illustrations in the book are very nice and really add to the story. The questions in the journal part of the book are in depth and thought provoking.

I think this book would be a wonderful gift for any young woman just starting out on her own or someone of any age going throug a life change. It gives such an important lesson in really looking at our own needs and finding out what we need in our lives to make us happy. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to keep a journal or enjoys writing about pesonal life experiences. The questions in the book will really help in some self help therapy and soul searching.

My rating: 4 stars

The authors website can be found here.
The facebook page is here.

The Giveaway:
The publisher has kindly allowed me to have one of the books to give to one lucky winner.

To enter the giveaway you just need to leave an e-mail with an address so I can contact you if you win.
Shipping address must be in U. S. or Canada only please.
The giveaway will end on Dec. 22.
The winner has 48 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!

Why Buy the Cow Reading Challenge 2012

2011-12-14T05:26:00.000-08:00

Why Buy the Cow Reading Challenge 2012 is hosted by The Unread Reader and Reading the Paranormal.

Here is how it works:

Should you choose to participate in this challenge, your goal is to read at least twelve (12) legally obtained FREE e-books. While twelve is the minimum there is no maximum limit.
Anyone can join. You don't have to be a blogger, and you don't have to live in the United States.
Any E-Reader will work for this challenge, including: iPad, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, Sony Reader, enTourage.
Please Note: If you don't have an e-reading device, you can still join in with Amazon's Free Kindle Reading Apps which you can download for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC, Blackberry and more.
The challenge runs from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. You can join at anytime.
e-books in ANY genre count for this challenge as long as it was FREE at the time that you downloaded it.
Every month in 2012, I will make a post for the Why Buy the Cow? Reading Challenge 2012 so you can link your reviews. Based on participation, monthly link ups may be combined.
Those that link their reviews will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a different prize each month, such as an Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card, a bookmark, or a GelaSkins for your e-Reader.

The level I am going to try for is coupon clipper- 12 books.
This challenge should be easy for me since I love picking up free books for my Kindle and probably have about 30 of them I have not read yet. I think it will be a fun challenge!

Saving June by Hannah Harrington Review

2011-12-13T03:22:00.000-08:00

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The story begins with Harper and her family in shock after the suicide of Harper's older sister June. June was the perfect girl in everyones eyes; good student, never got in trouble, and always did what was expected of her. Her suicide leaves everyone in shock, especially Harper. As Harper thinks about her sister memories of June desperately wanting to go to California give her the idea to take her ashes to California so June could finally be where she wanted. With the help of her best friend Laney, Harper begins to plan her trip. They realise they cannot make the trip alone and Jake, a guy June was tutoring before her suicide, offers to take them to California. So begins an adventure across the country that will hopefully finally set June free.

I really loved this book a lot. Hannah Harrington does an amazing job with making the grief that Harper feels so very real. Harper is such a complex character and by the end I really came to admire her. She can be standoffish and rude and shuts people out a lot, but she is incredibly loyal to her best friend, is honest, and shows she can be tough when she needs to be.

I fell in love with Jake from the very beginning. It doesn't hurt that we have the same taste in music- Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, etc. He was a jerk at times, but through most of the book he is very sweet and tender with Harper and his problems and issues added even more depth to the book.

This book really has it all- a great adventure, a look at many issues that all teens face, the effects of suicide on those left behind, a sweet romance, the bond of a strong friendship, and a soundtrack that is amazing. I highly recommend this book!!!

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Mailbox Monday 12/12

2011-12-11T12:47:00.000-08:00

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists!

This month Mailbox Monday is being hosted by Let Them Read Books.

Here is what I received this week:

Rivals in the Tudor Court by D. L. Bogdan

Road from the West by Rosanne E. Lortz
This was a win from Meg at A Bookish Affair- thanks Meg!

Hearts of Darkness: James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, and the Unlikely Rise of the Singer-Songwriter by Dave Thompson

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

2011-12-10T04:42:00.000-08:00

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Peach Keeper is the story of two women who live in Walls of Water North Carolina, Willa and Paxton. Willa has moved into her fathers home after his death and has opened a sporting goods store in the tourist town. The only family she has is in the town is her grandmother Georgie who is living in a nursing home. The home that Willa's grandmother grew up in, The Blue Ridge Madam, is now being restored by Paxton Osgood. The Madam was taken from Willa's family when they could no longer pay the taxes and now Paxton is bringing it back to its former glory.

Paxton, who still lives at home with her parents at the age of 30, is dealing with lots of different things; renovating the Madam and planning a huge party in it, living with her parents and trying to break free on her own, and coming to terms with her feelings for Sebastian who she loves but does not know how he feels. While all of this is adding to Paxton's stress a dead body is found under the peach tree that was being removed from the property. The body is found to be a man named Tucker Devlin and now Willa and Paxton must work together to solve the mystery.

I always enjoy Sarah Addison Allen's books and this one is a wonderful read. What I like the most about her writing is how she adds magic to her stories in such a subtle, natural way. It makes the story that much more believable. Both Willa and Paxton are interesting and complex characters, we see the good and bad sides to their personalities. I actually found Paxton to be more fun to read about. She tries so hard to be perfect but is always coming up short in her mind. It was great to see her grow and change throughout the book and I loved her and Sebastian.

The mystery over the body was interesting and I liked how it brought Willa and Paxton together to form a friendship. The best part of the book for me was the message that was found throughout the book, you need to become comfortable with the person that you are and not worry about who you want to be. An important lesson for anyone!

A Regency Holiday Review

2011-12-08T03:21:00.000-08:00

A Regency Holiday by Allison Lane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a collection of four delightful stories that will get you into the Christmas spirit. All four stories are short but sweet and the final story, Home for Christmas by Alicia Rasley, was particularly good. It is about a man and woman, Verity and Justin, who have just met and pretend that they are married to save her reputation and protect her daughter. The scenes with Justin and Verity's daughter are really wonderful and I really enjoyed this story a lot.

The only thing that bothered me about all of the stories was how the men realised they were in love after only a day or two. I found this highly unlikely but I still found myself enjoying all of the stories just the same.

If you are looking for some light, fun romance stories to read during this Christmas season I would recommend A Regency Holiday. All four stories are a wonderful treat!

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Book Bloggers Holiday Giveaway Hop Winner

2011-12-07T05:18:00.000-08:00

The Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop is officially over and I have a winner for my giveaway, The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory. The Winner is:

Cindy

Congratulations Cindy! An email has been sent out to you.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway, it was a lot of fun!

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman Review

2011-12-07T03:34:00.000-08:00

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In The Dovekeepers Alice Hoffman brings to life the tragedy of what happened at Masada in 70 CE when 900 Jews tried to stop Rome from conquering their last refuge. History tells us that all of the Jews died except for two women and five children. Hoffman tells us the story through four complex women. The book begins with Yael who ends up in Masada with her father and brother after the only man she ever loved dies. While in the desert she becomes a savage, a lioness who learns to do what she needs to in order to survive. Revka arrives at Masada with her two grandsons after losing her daughter in a cruel and terrible way. She does everything she can to protect her grandsons, her only reason now for living. Shirah, who is the Witch of Moab, comes to Masada because that is where her lover is. She works with her two daughters, Revka, and Yael as the dovekeepers. Aziza, Shirah's daughter is a fierce warrior who feels more like a man than a woman and feels most alive when fighting. We read about each of characters past as well as what is happening at this time in Masada.

This book blew me away, I enjoyed it from the very beginning and had a hard time putting it down. The four main characters in the book are so complex and well developed I really came to care for each one of them. They all faced such difficult trials and each had the courage and strength to do the best that they could. I could not pick one that I enjoyed reading about more than the others, they were all compelling and fascinating.

I am a big fan of Alice Hoffman's novels, I love how she incorportates magic into her stories and this one also had magic put in that really added to the book. It is Shirah's magic that made her so interesting. I loved reading about the different spells she uses to cure people.

The doves were an interesting addition as well, Hoffman puts so much detail into the doves they felt like a central character to the book. There was also a lot of descriptions of what the women needed to do to take care of the doves that I found fascinating. The whole book is filled with wonderful little details that really put you into this place and time, from the heat of the desert to the sea salt in the hair.

I really felt this book was different from other Alice Hoffman books, it was more intense and historical than her other books, but I think it is my favorite of her books by far. I highly recommend it to any fan of historical fiction, it is one of those stories that stays with you long after you have finished reading it.

2012 A Classics Challenge

2011-12-05T08:04:00.000-08:00

I have decided to participate in the A Classic Challenge hosted by November's Autumn.

For the challenge we are to pick seven classics that we would like to read during the year. Here are my seven picks:

1. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

2. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

3. The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

4.Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

5. Paradise Lost by John Milton

6. A Separate Peace by John Knowles

7. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

I am really eager to get started on this challenge and am hoping to enjoy all the books I picked. Any ideas on which one I should read first?

In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long Virtual Book Tour

2011-12-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

Book Synopsis:

Leah grew up in a privileged upper-middle class world. Her parents spared no expense for her happiness; she had all-but secured an Ivy League scholarship and a future as a star athlete. Then she met Todd.
Leah’s parents watch helplessly as their daughter falls into a world of drugs, sex, and wild parties. While Will attempts to control his daughter’s every move to prevent her from falling deeper into this dangerous new life, Zoe prefers to give Leah slack in the hope that she may learn from her mistakes. Their divided approach drives their daughter out of their home and a wedge into their marriage.
Twelve-year-old Justine observes Leah’s rebellion from the shadows of their fragmented family. She desperately seeks her big sister’s approval and will do whatever it takes to obtain it. Meanwhile she is left to question whether her parents love her and whether God even knows she exists.
What happens when love just isn’t enough? Who will pay the consequences of Leah’s vagrant lifestyle? Can this broken family survive the destruction left in Leah’s wake?
This mesmerizing debut novel tells the tale of a contemporary American family caught in the throes of adolescent rebellion – a heartbreaking, funny, ultimately redemptive quest for love, independence, connection and grace.

My review:

I really enjoyed reading this book. Having a teenage daughter myself I really felt for what Will and Zoe went through with Leah. I found myself wondering how I would have handled things if I was in their shoes many times throughout the book. Terri Giuliano Long does a great job of showing how a typical girl like Leah could go from soccer star and good student to dropout and drug user. It made me think about the pressure my own daughter is under and how easy it would be for her to get swept up by the wrong people, especially a boyfriend that is not good for her.

The strongest part of the book for me was watching how Leah's problems really effected each member of the family in such dramatic ways. We watch Will and Zoe's marriage start to fall apart, Zoe goes into a depression, and the most heartbreaking was watching Leah's little sister Justine totally fall apart with no one there to help her through. There were a few times in the book where I just wanted to scream at Will and Zoe to wake up and remember they have two daughters that needed them!

I really liked the ending because it didn't end with all the problems solved and everyone happy. It was more realistic in there were still things to work through and problems to face, but it ended with hope and a chance for this family to be happy again. I would recommend this to anyone who would enjoy a book that takes an honest look at a family dealing with tough problems.

My rating: 4 out of 5

The rest of the book tour can be found here.

You can visit the author's website here.

Mailbox Monday 12/5

2011-12-04T09:32:00.000-08:00

This month Mailbox Monday is being hosted by Let Them Read Books.

Here is what I received this week:

A Princess and Her Garden: A Fable of Awakening and Arrival by Patricia R. Adson, PH. D.

By Fire, By Water by Mitchell James Kaplan

Persuasion: A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson Review

2011-12-03T04:51:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Matilda Honeycutt causes quite a stir when she moves into the small town of Parrish Springs and buys a building to open her shop in before the holidays. Matilda is different from the people of the town, some of the them calling her an old hippie. The townspeople become even more upset when her store opens in the middle of the downtown area and it is nothing but a secondhand store selling worthless old junk. The town becomes divided over whether she should stay or be forced out. As more of the people of town enter the store they begin to see there is more here than meets the eye, and by making people remember things from their past Matilda helps them to heal past hurts and make a better future.

This book was not what I expected. With the title The Christmas Shoppe I thought it would be about a Christmas store, not a secondhand one. Still, the characters were interesting, especially Tommy, the owner of the newspaper and Susanna who has recently moved into town. It was an interesting idea to have people find things from their past in the store and Matilda was interesting to read about.

The book is so short that I just felt like everything got rushed in the end to wrap up the story quickly, especially the love story between Tommy and Susanna. It is still I nice heartwarming story that will definitely get you in the mood for the Christmas season.

Book Lovers Holiday Giveaway Hop

2011-12-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Book Lovers Holiday Hop is hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer and Kid Lit Frenzy.

For this hop I am giving away my ARC copy of:

The Lady of the Rivers by Philippa Gregory

To enter, just leave a comment with an e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. You have until Dec. 6th at 11:59 pm Eastern to enter. Shipping address must be in the U.S., you must be at least 13 years of age and be a follower by GFC or Email. The winner has 48 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!

Becoming Marie Antoinette by Juliet Grey review

2011-11-30T05:12:00.000-08:00

Summary from Goodreads:

Raised alongside her numerous brothers and sisters by the formidable empress of Austria, ten-year-old Maria Antonia knew that her idyllic existence would one day be sacrificed to her mother’s political ambitions. What she never anticipated was that the day in question would come so soon.

Before she can journey from sunlit picnics with her sisters in Vienna to the glitter, glamour, and gossip of Versailles, Antonia must change everything about herself in order to be accepted as dauphine of France and the wife of the awkward teenage boy who will one day be Louis XVI. Yet nothing can prepare her for the ingenuity and influence it will take to become queen.

Filled with smart history, treacherous rivalries, lavish clothes, and sparkling jewels, Becoming Marie Antoinette will utterly captivate fiction and history lovers alike.

My review:

I really enjoyed this book about Marie Antoinette. I didn't really know a lot about her before reading this book so I was excited to learn so much about her early life. I loved the beginning that focused on her early life in Austria. Juliet Grey does a wonderful job of describing Marie Antoinette's family, especially her mother who was the Empress of Austria. It was her mother's greatest hope to have the marriage of Marie to the French dauphin and she worked tirelessly to make the marriage happen.

I was surprised by how many changes Marie Antoinette needed to make for the French to allow her to became their dauphine. She had to change her appearance, her manners, and had to work on improving her mind as well. I loved reading about all of the work that went into making her acceptable to the French. I also got a great history lesson in the politics of this time between the countries of France, Austria, and Russia. It was very interesting.

Once Marie Antoinette gets to France we watch her struggle to form a bond with her new husband who shows little interest in her. She also must learn the rules and etiquette of the French court and find her way in a country full of people who had no real interest in her as a person. The book made me much more sympathetic towards her. Marie Antoinette was not perfect, but I do not think she was as callous and cruel as she is usually described. I am very glad I read this book and am looking forward to the next one in the series.

My rating: 4 1/2 stars

Tune in Tuesday 11/29

2011-11-29T03:28:00.000-08:00

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads!

This week I thought I would pick some great girl bands that I love.

I have to start off with the band I grew up listening to, the Go-Go's. I still enjoy them just as much today!

Next up is another band I loved listening to when I was younger, The Bangles.

The Wilson sister are next, I have been a Heart fan for a long time.
.

Last is The Indigo Girls with Closer to Fine

A Cottage by the Sea by Ciji Ware Review

2011-11-28T05:04:00.000-08:00

Summary from Goodreads:

Some might call it running away . . .

But after a scandalous Hollywood divorce, Blythe Stowe considered it damage control for body and soul. The pain, the humiliation, the daily tabloids shouting details as her famous husband dumped her for her own sister demanded a serious getaway: to the wild coast of Cornwall and a cottage by the sea that her Wyoming grandmother claimed had been home to her ancestors.

Some might call it chance . . .
But Blythe encountered more than just a quaint retreat nestled amid vivid skies and gorgeous ocean. And she had the odd sensation that her wickedly handsome neighbor Lucas Teague was more than a British gentleman going broke. He might be her
destiny . . .

My Review:

I was at Kat's blog No Page Left Behind recently and she mentioned how much she enjoyed the book A Cottage by the Sea so I knew I had to read this book. It was a great read. It had a great story, wonderful characters, and a steamy romance.

Blythe was an unusual character, she just divorced her famous director husband and left her life in Hollywood. I expected her character to be a rich Hollywood snob but she was very down to earth and seemed more influenced by being raised by her beloved Grandmother in Wyoming than by her famous husband. She decides to get away from all of the madness and goes to live in a small cottage in Cornwall hoping to find any truth to the family stories of their relatives coming from Barton Hall. Soon after she arrives she meets the owner of Barton Hall, Lucas Teague. They enjoy each others company right away and Blythe decides to help Lucas save his ancestral home.

While Blythe is beginning to feel at home at Barton Hall she notices a family tree of the family and finds that when she touches it she is transported back into time and relives what happened to her ancestors so many years before. This part of the book was very suspenseful and so much fun to read. I didn't feel that the way Blythe went back in time was very believable but I still got caught up in the story and couldn't wait to see what happened.

The love story between Blythe and Lucas is wonderful. Both had hearts that were broken that needed to mend and it was nice to see them turn to each other for comfort and support. This book has humor, suspense, the power of forgiveness, and the search for what is meaningful in life. I would recommend it to any fan of romance or time travel books.

My Rating: 4 starts out of 5

Marian's Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly Review

2011-11-25T18:18:00.000-08:00

Marian Wynswich is determined to have a good Christmas this year. After losing her father last year in an accident and finding her family in serious financial trouble and in danger of losing their home she knows this might be the last chance they have for a nice Christmas together. Her brother Percy has decided to bring two distinguished gentlemen home with him for Christmas in the hopes that one of them will marry Marian's oldest sister Ariadne and save the family home. Sir William is rich but unattractive and rude and Gilbert Collingwood, an Earl, is mysterious and kind. As the story unfolds of course nothing goes as planned and Marian finds herself enjoying Gil's company more and more.

This was a really cute holiday romance that I enjoyed. The main reason I enjoyed the book was the two main characters, Marian and Gil. Marian is intelligent, impulsive, caring, and can never manage to stay quiet. Gil is charming, funny, and his admiration for Marian is seen from the first moment they meet. Their playful banter with each other had me smiling throughout the book. I also liked Marian's little brother Alistair, he added lots of fun to the story with his antics. The entire family was fun to read about and a genuine love and concern for each other was shown by all the members of the family.

The book is set during the time of Napolean so a little history and intrigue is thrown in as well that really added to the story. I found the end quite exciting and the last scene in the book was really well done. I really enjoyed this fun story that got me ready to enjoy the Christmas season!

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

The rest of the blog tour can be found here.

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber Review

2011-11-24T22:39:00.000-08:00

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Natalie Stewart is seventeen and lives with her father who works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Natalie is mute, she lost her voice after her mother had died several years before. She becomes interested in a painting that has just come to New York that is a portrait of Lord Denbury whose beautiful eyes seem to be alive. The more Natalie sees of the painting the more she is drawn to it.

With the help of her new friend Mrs Northe, Natalie tries to solve the mystery of the painting and finds that she is the only one who can magically enter the painting and talk to the tortured Lord Denbury. She likes Lord Denbury more and more and becomes determined to set him free.

This book is told from Natalie's diary and it made for an interesting way to tell this entertaining story. Natalie is a wonderful character, intelligent, brave, and determined to make the most of her life even though she cannot speak. Mrs Northe becomes her closest friend and mentor and guides her through what she must do to set Denbury free.

There is lots of magic in this book which I love and a great mystery Natalie needed to solve. Another part of the book I liked was how Hieber had Natalie show sympathy for the poor women of New York City who had to danger their lives by giving their bodies to strange men in order to survive. Hieber also talks a lot about Natalies disability and how it effected her life in so many different ways, including how others treated her.

Lord Denbury was wonderful and the love story between him and Natalie is very sweet. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a story that is dark and filled with magic and mystery. It is a very fun read!

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Top Ten Tuesday- Authors I would like at my Thanksgiving Feast

2011-11-22T03:27:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks top ten is authors I would like to have at my Thanksgiving feast. Here is my list:

J. K. Rowling- I am sure she will be on many lists. I have a million questions I would love to ask her about the books, I am sure she would be a fascinating guest!

Diana Gabaldon- the author of the Outlander books. I love this series almost as much as I love Harry Potter and could spend the whole day talking about Jamie Frasier, one of my all time favorite book characters.

Alice Hoffman- Author of several books including Practical Magic, The Probable Future, and The Dovekeepers. I love books that deal with magic and I have been a fan of Hoffman's books for a long time. I would love to talk to her about my favorite book, The Probable Future.

David McCullough- Author of 1776 and John Adams. David McCullough writes nonfiction books that are as entertaining to me as fiction. He has a way of really bring history to life. I love reading about the American Revolution and he is such an expert on the topic I would love to have a discussion with him about it.

Chad Harbach- Author of The Art of Fielding. I just read this book recently and I absolutely loved it. I would love to discuss baseball and the characters from the book with him.

Marc Brown- Author of the Arthur childrens books. I have three kids and all three of them loved the Arthur books and TV show on PBS. I would love to get a chance to thank Marc Brown for helping to make my kids the readers that they are today.

Paullina Simons- Author of The Bronze Horseman. I read all three books in this series this year and they blew me away. I had never read a book set in Russia before and I was fascinated with this story. I would love to talk to Paullina about these books!

Sarah Addison Allen- Author of Garden Spells and The Peach Keeper. Allen is another author that adds magic to her books and I have enjoyed all of the books of hers that I have read so far.

David Sedaris- Author of Holidays on Ice and Me Talk Pretty One Day. David Sedaris makes me laugh like no other author can and I think he would add a lot of fun to the Thanksgiving meal.

10.

Christopher Moore- Author of Lamb and Bite Me: A Love Story. Christopher Moore is another author that really makes me laugh, his books are a lot of fun. I would love to have him at my Thanksgiving dinner.

The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge

2011-11-21T06:12:00.000-08:00

I am going to be participating in The Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge hosted by The True Book Addict @ The Christmas Spirit Blog.

I am going to try for the Mistletoe level which is 2-4 Christmas books.

Here is what I am planning on reading:

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson

Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris

A Home For Christmas by Deborah Grace Staley

All I Want for Christmas is You by Lisa Mondello

I cannot wait to get started on this fun Christmas challenge!

Mailbox Monday 11/21

2011-11-20T10:06:00.000-08:00

This month's Mailbox Monday is hosted by the founder of Mailbox Monday: Marcia at the Mailbox Monday Blog!

I received two books this week, both from NetGalley:

Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Summary from Goodreads:

If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down again.

Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

Summary from Goodreads:

When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.

Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town—and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.

He proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.

But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri
Joe 2gether 4ever.

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach Review

2011-11-18T03:20:00.000-08:00

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Art of Fielding follows the lives of five people at Westish College. Mike Schwartz, the captain of the colleges baseball team discovers raw talent in Henry Skrimshander and helps get him into Westish College and playing with him on the team. Mike becomes Henry's mentor, coach, and best friend. Owen Dunne becomes Henry's roommate and fellow baseball teammate and they develop a close bond. Guert Affenlight is the President of Westish and is surprised to find himself in love so late in his life. His daughter, Pella, comes to stay with him looking for a fresh start after ending a bad marriage. All five lives will be changed by each other and by events that happen at Westish College.

Let me start off by saying that I am not a huge baseball fan so I was not sure I wanted to read this book, but I had heard so many good things about it that I knew I had to give it a try. I am so very glad I did. Chad Harbach turns baseball into a beautiful art form in this book and made me want to start watching baseball so I could enjoy the love for the game expressed in this well written story.

My favorite character was Henry. He started off as such a simple character, just a boy who lived to play baseball, to play a perfect game. As the story progresses we watch Henry grow, face difficulties, and learn to interact and care for other people. His relationship with Schwartz, my second favorite character, was so complicated and intense, it made for a wonderful read. His relationship with his roommate Owen was also interesting, not as complicated but just as important for Henry.

The only thing I really didn't like about the book was the relationship between Guert and Owen. I just didn't find it believable and I personally had a problem with the age difference. It just didn't feel right to me.

The strength of this book is in the story told about friendship, being part of a team, falling in love, and finding your own way in life. I had a really hard time putting it down. I had come to care so much about Henry and Mike I couldn't wait to find out how everthing turned out for both of them.

I think that anyone who enjoys a great story that is well written will like this book, an interest in baseball is not necessary to enjoy it! It is one of the best books I have read so far this year, I highly recommend it.

Some favorite quotes from the book:

“It was strange the way he loved her; a side long and almost casual love, as if loving her were simply a matter of course, too natural to mention”
“He already knew he could coach. All you had to do was look at each of your players and ask yourself: What story does this guy wish someone would tell him about himself? And then you told the guy that story.”
"He didn't seem to move faster than any other decent shortstop would, and yet he arrived instantly, impeccably, as if he had some foreknowledge of where the ball was headed. Or as it time slowed down for him alone."

Shadow's Walking by Douglas R. Skopp Virtual Book Tour Review

2011-11-16T19:07:00.000-08:00

SYNOPSIS: Johann Brenner, an idealistic physician and ardent German nationalist, has joined the Nazi Party and willingly participated in its "crimes against humanity." His Jewish childhood friend, Philipp Stein, has also become a doctor. Their lives inevitably intersect until their last, fateful meeting.

After the war, Brenner, with stolen papers and a new name, has become a janitor in the courthouse where the Nuremberg Trials are being held. Hoping to "heal himself" and wishing to begin a new life with his estranged wife, he decides that he must write her a letter telling what he has done and why.
Brenner's letter sets the theme for each chapter of Shadows Walking. Through his letter, we see him admit his choices and their consequences as he slips deeper and deeper into the brutality of the Third Reich.

My Review:

I was not sure if I wanted to read and review this book, I knew the subject matter was going to be difficult to read and upsetting. What drew me to reading it was the question that I and I am sure many others have had about this time in history, how could the German people follow Hitler and do the atrocities we know were done to so many innocent people? What makes this book even more interesting is that it specifically looks at a Doctor who has sworn to do all he can to help his patients turn his back on that oath and do what he is ordered to do by his superiors.

Johann Brenner is a complex character that Skopp really brings to life, we see all of his good qualities and bad and get an in depth look at the rationalizations that he uses to survive. The other important character in this book is Johann's best friend, Philipp Stein. Philipp, who is a Jew, tries desperately to hold on to the love he has for Germany, his home, while living with the hatred and viciousness of the Nazi regime.

As Johann becomes more frustrated with how things progress for Germany after WWI and his medical profession does not live up to what he had hoped for, he becomes more and more willing to join the Nazis. This book gives a detailed and fascinating look at the step by step process that took this average man from a doctor to a killer for the Nazi party.

I feel like I have a much better understanding now of what life was like in Germany after WWI, the frustration and pain that so many people felt, the lack of leadership and more importantly the lack of hope. Hitler sadly became their hope. Their are some powerful lines in this book that really add to the quality of this story. Here is an example of Johann finally looking at the mistakes he had made:

"It is not as though I didn't have eyes to see what was happening. I looked right into the throat of the monster. But I refused to imagine what we all would become if we let it devour us. I don't mean the man, Hitler. I mean the anger, the hatred, the contempt for others that dwelled in him, in me, in most of us. That was our doom."

Through it all we see Johann fight with his hatred for Jews in general and his love for his friend Philipp. So many times Philipp tries to make Johann see things the way he does and we find many instances in the book where there are arguments between them that really get to the heart of the problems the German people faced.

This was not an enjoyable read, my heart broke in many scenes in the book, but it is such an important look at what happened to the German people during this time and I think so much can be learned from it. I know I am glad I read it and encourage anyone interested in this topic to read it as well.

My rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

Douglas R. Skopp's WEBSITE can be found here.

Shadows Walking Virtual Tour Schedule can found here.

Top Ten Tuesday- Books that have been on my shelf the longest

2011-11-15T03:30:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

This weeks list is:

Top Ten Books That Have Been On My Shelf For The Longest But I've Never Read

This is an easy list for me because I have a ton of books on my bookshelf that I just have not had time to read yet. Here are the ones that have been on my shelf the longest.

People of the Book by GeraldineBrooks

2.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

3.
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

4.
Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

5.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

6.
The River King by Alice Hoffman

7.
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

8.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

9.
The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig

10.
Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

If anyone has an opinion on which of these books I should try to read first I would love to hear your thoughts!

Mailbox Monday 11/14

2011-11-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

This month's Mailbox Monday is hosted by the founder of Mailbox Monday: Marcia at the Mailbox Monday Blog!

Here is what I received this week:

The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach

The King's Agent by Donna Russo Morin

What was in your mailbox this week?

The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly Review

2011-11-10T03:27:00.000-08:00

The Little Women Letters by Gabrielle Donnelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Little Women Letters is a delightful book about three sisters who are the descendents of Jo March. Each sister is unique and I really enjoyed getting to know all three of them. Emma, the oldest, is planning her wedding, Lulu is trying to find the perfect job, and Sophie is an actress determined to make it big on stage. While looking for something in their parents attic Lulu finds letters written by her Great-Great- Grandmother Jo and finds comfort in the letters. She reads about the love her Grandmother had for her sisters and her family and Lulu finds a deeper appreciation for her own family through reading the letters.

This book was such a fun, warm comfort read for me, I am so glad I finally got around to reading it. Little Women is one of my favorite books of all time and this book really had the same feel to it for me. Their was the fighting among the sisters but also the love and tenderness everyone in the family felt for each other. I liked that this book took place in London, I always enjoy reading about London and it really added a nice twist to the story. The book is filled with interesting characters that come into the families life, I especially liked Lulu's' friend Charlie. The parents were very real with difficult problems of their own, and I thought their story line was interesting and important to the book.

I really cannot think of anything I did not like about the book except that it ended to soon. The ending wrapped the book up nicely and I liked how things ended for all the characters. I would recommend this to any Little Women fan or any one who enjoys a good comfort read about family, especially the bonds between sisters.

Tune in Tuesday 11/8

2011-11-08T03:27:00.000-08:00

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads!

The other day I was listening to the radio and a Doors song came on and that I love and I thought I would post a couple of my favorite Doors songs today. Jim Morrison was the man!!!

Mailbox Monday 11/7

2011-11-06T12:24:00.000-08:00

This month's Mailbox Monday is hosted by the founder of Mailbox Monday: Marcia at the Mailbox Monday Blog!

Here is what I received this week:

From NetGalley:

A Jane Austen Devotional by Thomas Nelson

Darker Still by Leanna Renee Hieber

A Regency Holiday by Allison Lane, Alicia Rasley, Lynn Kerstan, and Rebecca Hagan Lee

From the author for an upcoming book tour:

In Leah's Wake by Terri Giuliano Long

What was in your mailbox this week?

Prime Time by Jane Fonda Review

2011-11-05T03:52:00.000-07:00

Prime Time: Love; Health; Fitness; Sex; Spirit; Friendship; Making the most of all of your life by Jane Fonda
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jane Fonda's book gives advice on growing older gracefully. The topics covered in the book include fitness, food, sex, spiritual growth, and the brain. Fonda has done a lot of research for this book, it includes lots of interviews with experts and people that have learned to age well. There is also interesting scientific research included that backs up a lot of the tips given in the book. By also using experiences from her own life journey, Fonda gives a guide to what we can do to face growing older the best way we possibly can.

I have to admit that this book is not what I expected. I knew it was about dealing with growing older, but most of the book dealt with what to do when you are in your seventies of older. I am not their yet so I found some of the book not relevant to me right now. Having said that, I still liked the message Fonda gives on trying to stay positive, eating well, exercising, staying connected, etc. It was all excellent advice. I also liked the personal stories and pictures that were included in the book. She has lived such a fascinating life, I always enjoy reading her personal stories, both the ups and downs, and how she got through them.

There were times when I thought Fonda did give too much information and some parts I found myself skimming over. The section on sex had way more info than I needed! Other than that I am glad I read this book, there are many useful ideas that I think can make growing older easier and more enjoyable. Jane Fonda really is a great role model for how to face growing older and how to enjoy every day you are given.

I received this book from NetGallley for review.

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise Review

2011-11-03T03:29:00.000-07:00

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a wonderful retelling of Pride and Prejudice. In this version Mr. Bennet dies and Mr. and Mrs Collins move into Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet and the three youngest daughters move in with relatives, Jane becomes governess for the Gardiners, and Elizabeth becomes governess to a wealthy family in London. Elizabeth is glad to be close to Jane and the Gardiners but is still mourning the death of her father and she is adjusting to the change in her social status. In the midst of all this the family she works for is invited to spend time at Pemberley and Elizabeth is once again in the company of Mr. Darcy. After reading the letter he sent to her a year before over and over and watching his behavior now, Elizabeth finds her feelings for Mr. Darcy change every day until she realizes she is in love with him but fears it is too late.

I have such a love for Mr. Darcy that I must admit that a book only need to put his name on the cover and I will most likely read it. Some of these books I have enjoyed more than others and I would have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Kara Louise changes the story but stays true to the main characters personalities. I fell in love with Mr. Darcy all over again. The story was interesting and the new characters that are introduced in this book added to the story. Watching Elizabeth have a rival for Darcy's affections, Rosalyn, was amusing and reminded me of Caroline Bingley. Of course Lydia and Mr. Wickham still cause trouble and it was fun to see how Louise had things turn out for the couple in this retelling. All in all a light, fun read that allowed me to visit with my favorite characters again. I will definitely be looking to read more from this author.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop Winner

2011-11-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

First, thank you to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and TheDiaryofaBookworm for hosting this great giveaway hop. It was a lot of fun to participate in. The Winner of my giveaway of two books, The Lantern and French Lessons is:

Jasmine Marie

Congratulations!!!

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

Tune in Tuesday 11/1

2011-11-01T03:30:00.000-07:00

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads!

This week I am posting some videos of a band I just found a few weeks ago and have been listening to a lot. They are The Head and the Heart and I am really loving their music. You can see the joy that have in their music and that makes them so much fun to listen to, hope you enjoy them too!

Mailbox Monday 10/31

2011-10-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

This month Mailbox Monday is being hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit.

Here is what I received this week:

Marian's Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly
I received this book from NetGalley

Wildflower Hill by Kimberley Freeman
I won this book from Books, Belles, & Beaux- thanks Joanne!!!

Five Complete Hercule Poirot Novels by Agatha Christie
I picked this up at a library book sale. I have not read any of these so I was excited when I found it!

What was in your mailbox this week?

November New Releases

2011-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

Here are some books coming out in November that I will be interested in reading:

Mozart's Last Aria by Matt Rees
Release date: November 1, 2011

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
Release date: November 8, 2011

Season of Light by Katherine McMahon
Release date: November 10, 2011

Then Again by Diane Keaton
Release date: November 15, 2011

Darker Still byLeanna Renee Hieber
Release date: November 8, 2011

The Time in Between by Maria Duenas Review

2011-10-27T05:36:00.000-07:00

The Time In Between by María Dueñas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Sira Quiroga, she leaves her fiance and her mother in Spain and runs off with a man she thinks she is in love with. The man leaves her, steals her money, and leaves her responsible for paying the bill for the hotel they had been staying in at the time. For the first time in her life Sira is lost, desperate and does not know what to do. From here Sira finds her way in the world on her own terms, she begins a career sewing beautiful clothes for important woman and eventually uses this skill to spy for the British Secret Service.

Wow! This book was an amazing read, I enjoyed every page of it. The first thing that impressed me was how the writing flowed throughout the book, it made it such a pleasure to read. I love historical fiction and reading about WWII so I was thrilled with all of the history put into the book. I have to say that I have never really looked at what happened in Spain during this time so this book gave me a whole new perspective. All of the spying of course added lots of excitement and tension. Sira gets herself into some pretty dangerous situations and at times I could not put the book down until I found out how everything turned out.

Sira was a wonderful main character. At first she is shown as a selfish young woman who leaves her family for a man who is obviously not good for her. After this we watch her mature and grow into an intelligent woman able to take care of herself and use her skills in unusual but successful ways.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of this time and to anyone who enjoys reading about espionage. Both aspects are well detailed in this beautiful book.

I received this book from Simon & Schuster for review.

Tune in Tuesday- Soundtrack Edition 10/25

2011-10-25T03:27:00.000-07:00

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads! The month of October is featuring songs from our favorite soundtracks. Here are my picks for this week.

Since this is the last week for Soundtrack Edition and I am posting the last of my favorite songs from movies.

I am a huge Beatles fan and I absolutely love the movie A Hard Day's Night. Here is the title song from the movie.

Next is Don't you Forget About Me from The Breakfast Club. Great movie and great song.

I am also a huge Eric Clapton fan and this song breaks my heart every time I hear it, Tears in Heaven from the movie Rush.

Next is a really fun song from Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist- Lover by Devandra Banhart.

Pulp Fiction has some great scenes in it and I loved this song, Girl You'll be a Woman Soon by Urge Overkill.

I love the movie Benny and Joon, I think it is one of Johny Depp's best performances. I love this song from it and listen to it a lot, Have a Little Faith in Me by John Hiatt.

Notting Hill is another one of my favorite movies, it has some great music. I really like this one, She by Elvis Costello.

And finally, one from Grease.

A Death for Beauty or, An Immortal by Alberto Rios Arias Blog Tour

2011-10-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

About the book:

Set during the Civil War, a troubled young woman struggles with her conscience after the suspicious death of her unfaithful husband. When her dreams of a new life seem hopeful, she ventures across the western plains with her sickly daughter in tow and an unscrupulous businessman who promises her a pot of gold. But the seeds of this dangerous venture—sown in blood—yield the unexpected and what she encounters along the fringes of the Oregon Trail in the dark corners of the prairies, will change her life forever

My Review:

A Death for Beauty is the debut novel for Alberto Rios Arias. The book gives the reader an intimate look at one woman, Virginia, and her struggle with her conscience and her search for a better life for herself. The story begins with the death of her husband and her conflicting feelings over his death. She decides to try to make a fresh start and takes her daughter on an arduous journey on the Oregon Trail. There are some really well written sections of this book that I was impressed by, here is a quote from the book that sums up Virginia's thoughts so well:

"It feels like my life has come face-to-face with injustice. Not unlike the Confederacy trying to take over. Nothing here is going my way, except that we're a Union State. But if I don't start over somewhere else, I think I'm going to die a slow, agonizing death right here. I can feel it."

Virginia is not a very likable character, she is selfish, harsh, and makes some bad choices. She is still an interesting character that I found fascinating to read about. It is all her imperfections and mistakes that add depth to the book.

I did find the book hard to follow at times, some parts were confusing and I didn't understand the ending at all. It was not a great read for me, but the history of this time shown in the book was interesting, the main character was complex and well described, and there are some beautiful lines in the book that I really enjoyed. Here is another quote from the book I thought was particularly good:

"My love for your Pa ran deep at times, but truth is, a thick layer of resentment, like churned butter, was spread over the whole affair. Doomed it to Hell from the very beginning. Sure did."

I also liked the inclusion of some of Emily Dickinson's poems, they fit nicely with the story.

You can learn more about the story at http://www.adeathforbeauty.com/.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars

I was given this book by the author for the blog tour that can be found at Pump Up Your Book!

The Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

2011-10-23T15:57:00.000-07:00

This giveaway hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and TheDiaryofaBookworm.

Here is my giveaway for the hop:

I am giving away Advance Reader's Copy's of two great books. One winner will receive both books.

The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson
I thought this would be a perfect book to giveaway for the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop since it is a dark, gothic mystery.

The second book is

French Lessons by Ellen Sussman
This is a wonderful story set in a single day in Paris, great characters and great setting.

To enter, just leave a comment with an e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. You have until 10/31/11 at 11:59 PM Eastern to enter. Shipping address must be in the U.S., you must be at least 13 years of age and be a follower by GFC. The winner has 48 hours to contact me before a new winner is chosen. Good luck!

Treasured Amish and Mennonite Recipes Review

2011-10-23T11:38:00.000-07:00

I love good old-fashioned comfort food so when I saw this cookbook I knew I had to check it out. The first thing that struck me about it was how many recipes their were in it, 600 to be exact that cover every type of food you could want to make. Some of the sections in the book are appetizers, main dishes and casseroles, European dishes, breads, and desserts. The section I found the most recipes that I would like to try was the bread section. I love to bake bread and their are some great recipes to try in this book.

The one thing that I found disappointing was that a lot of the recipes relied on canned soups in the ingredients. When I think of Amish cooking I think of food that is made from scratch with homemade sauces and soups, not canned ones. I also saw a few that called for Velveeta cheese and that just doesn't sound homemade Amish to me.

I would have to give this book 4 out of 5 stars, there are a lot of good recipes that remind of food my grandmother made and they brought back good memories. Not all of the recipes were what I was hoping for, but still a worthwhile cookbook to have.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy Review

2011-10-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Theodora and her rise from dancer/prostitute to Empress of Rome. The book starts with Theodora working on stage at the Hippodrome and being trained by Menander, a man she feared and loved. After becoming famous she falls in love with Hecebolus and moves to Africa with him. When Hecebolus casts her off for another she flees Africa and finds her way to Alexandria where she finds her faith, looks for forgiveness for her sins, and puts her fate in the hands of Timothy who she respects. Timothy helps her to find her way to Justinian who is preparing to become the next Emporer of Rome.

I really enjoyed this book. Theodora is a fascinating character to read about, there are so many different facets to her personality. At times she is selfish, cruel, and obstinate but she also shows she can be loving and compassionate when she wants to be. I liked her from the beginning of the book and I was hoping things would turn out well for her.

The story moved at a fast pace, there were no slow sections for me in the book at all. The other characters in the book were also very entertaining, I really liked Justinian and Theodora's mentor Menander. There are lots of great descriptions of Constantinople and a fascinating look at the tensions between different religious groups at the time. It was a very volatile time and the rulers were constantly trying to keep the peace with little success.

Being that a large part of the book is about Theodora being on the stage as an actress and being a prostitute their are some difficult scenes in the book that some readers might be uncomfortable with. A lot of bad language is also used throughout the book that might be offensive. I think that if that does not bother you and you like a good historical fiction book about ancient times, you will find this book to be well worth the read.

I received this book from NetGalley for review.

Triangle by Ellen Hopkins Review

2011-10-19T05:32:00.000-07:00

Triangles by Ellen Hopkins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Triangles is the story of three women who are facing difficult times in their lives and trying to make the best choices for themselves and their families. Holly is a stay-at-home mom who is bored with her life and decides to add some excitement by cheating on her husband. Andrea is a single mom trying her best to bring up her 13 year old daughter alone and desperately wanting to find a decent man to share her life with. Marissa is coping with a son that is gay, a terminally ill daughter, and a husband who is never around to help their struggling family. This book is about all of their lives, how the connect and disconnect, and how they all deal with the problems they face.

I had never read a book by Ellen Hopkins before so I did not know what to expect from this book. It was totally different from anything I have read before. The entire book is in verse and it makes for a much more intimate look into the lives of all three women. Ellen Hopkins not only used words to bring out the thoughts of these women, she also used how the words were put on the page, I really enjoyed this aspect of the book.

All of the characters were interesting, but the one that I really felt for the most was Marissa. Her story his heartbreaking and by the end of the book I felt a real connection to this character. Reading about the moments she had with her children felt so real and the feelings she has are so brutally honest, I was really impressed with Hopkins writing.

This book is not for everybody. There are a few graphic sex scenes and a lot of bad language used throughout the book. It is a dark read that holds nothing of these characters back. If these things do not bother you, I would highly recommend it.

I received this book from Simon & Schuster for review.

Tune in Tuesday- Soundtrack Edition 10/18

2011-10-18T03:34:00.000-07:00

Tune in Tuesday is hosted by Ginger at GReads! The month of October is featuring songs from our favorite soundtracks. Here are my picks for this week.

This week I decided to pick some of my favorite soundtrack songs that are on my I-Pod.

The first one is In Your Eyes from Say Anything. Say Anything is one of my favorite movies of all time and the scene with this song is amazing. Unfortunately I could not find the entire scene with the song so it is short but sweet.

I have always been a Madonna fan and this one of my favorite songs, Crazy for You from Vision Quest.

Here is another 80's classic movie, Pretty in Pink

Next is a song from Whip It. I really liked this movie and fell in love with the song Your Arms Around Me by Jens Lekman. It's quirky and fun.

Last is Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams from Elizabethtown.

Mailbox Monday 10/17

2011-10-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

This month Mailbox Monday is being hosted by Savvy Verse & Wit.

I received just two books this week:

The Time In Between by Maria Duenas

Summary from Goodreads:

The Time In Between is a word-of-mouth phenomenon that catapulted María Dueñas, a debut author, to the top of Spain’s bestseller lists.

This sweeping novel, which combines the storytelling power of The Shadow of the Wind with the irresistible romance of Casablanca, moves at an unstoppable pace. Suddenly left abandoned and penniless in Algiers by her lover, Sira Quiroga forges a new identity. Against all odds she becomes the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers. But she is soon embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy as she passes information to the British Secret Service through a code stitched into the hems of her dresses.

I received this book From Simon & Schuster

Marian's Christmas Wish by Carla Kelly

Summary from Goodreads:

Miss Marian Wynswich had not been raised to be a proper young lady. Instead she had been educated to be as good as any man in everything from reading Greek to playing chess.

Thus it was with dismay that she saw what falling in love could do to the most sensible of females, as she watched her sister Ariadne turn giddy when a gentleman captured her heart. Never, Marian vowed, would she ever commit that feminine folly.

Then the dashing Lord Gilbert Ingraham came to pay a Christmas visit. And the question was not only if this worldly lord would make Marian break her vow...it was also if this man who could have any woman he wanted would also break her heart....

I received this book from NetGalley.

What was in your mailbox this week?