From Amazon: Getting Personal with God Excerpts from Three Classic Messages: HOW TO HEAR FROM GOD, KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY, AND SEVEN THINGS THAT STEAL YOUR JOY
This one was really good - probably because it was excerpts from three different books so I was getting just the best parts and not all the filler! The three CD's flew by and I enjoyed each one. Joyce Meyer is the most practical evangelist there is - so down to earth, I love that about her. And while I often don't like it when authors read their own work, with Joyce it works. That flat Midwestern accent just adds flavor for me. It maybe because it is non-fiction and she's not trying to introduce characters or set a mood. It's just Joyce, talking to me, reminding me to pray, telling me to read my Bible, and gently chastising me for trying to handle my problem son my own while God waits patiently for me to ask Him to help.
The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Dewey by Vicki Myron
From Goodreads: DEWEY is the heartwarming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa, as told by his owner and companion of nineteen years, Vicki Myron, the librarian who found him on a frigid January morning when he was abandoned as a kitten in the book drop slot. It is also the story of a remarkable small town, which burned down at the beginning of the Depression, only to rebuild itself, and which was almost shuttered during the farm crisis of the 1980s, before regrouping and rededicating itself to small town American values. Dewey's local charm and worldwide fame became a symbol of hope for this recovering town. Through Dewey's antics, we come to know and love many of the colorful and inspiring people of Spencer. But perhaps the most inspiring person in Spencer is Vicki Myron herself, a single mother who survived the bankruptcy of her family farm and working in a box factory to put two of her brothers through college to become one of the leaders of the Iowa library system. Dewey is one lovable, roguish cat who managed to transform an entire town and inspire people across the globe.
Most everyone who reads book blogs has heard of Dewey and knows what a heartwarming story this is; I enjoyed every bit of this one from cover to cover. The rest of this is a spoiler so stop reading now if you haven't read it yet!
Is every book I pick up now going to be about cancer? The author has a bout with cancer, her mother dies of cancer, her brother dies of cancer and in the end even the cat dies of cancer. It just doesn't stop. I wonder if books have always been this cancer laden and I just didn't take note because cancer hadn't touched my life then like it has now. It's kind of like when I bought my red Volvo station wagon - I got it because I thought (for a station wagon) it was funky, different, off-beat - made me as cool as I could be in a station wagon. But as soon as I started driving it, I realized that there were plenty of other folks who also had red Volvo wagons - I just had never noticed them. Good book, plenty of tears, but a hopeful, joyful message throughout!
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Most everyone who reads book blogs has heard of Dewey and knows what a heartwarming story this is; I enjoyed every bit of this one from cover to cover. The rest of this is a spoiler so stop reading now if you haven't read it yet!
Is every book I pick up now going to be about cancer? The author has a bout with cancer, her mother dies of cancer, her brother dies of cancer and in the end even the cat dies of cancer. It just doesn't stop. I wonder if books have always been this cancer laden and I just didn't take note because cancer hadn't touched my life then like it has now. It's kind of like when I bought my red Volvo station wagon - I got it because I thought (for a station wagon) it was funky, different, off-beat - made me as cool as I could be in a station wagon. But as soon as I started driving it, I realized that there were plenty of other folks who also had red Volvo wagons - I just had never noticed them. Good book, plenty of tears, but a hopeful, joyful message throughout!
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Friday, January 27, 2012
After the Leaves Fall by Nicole Baart
From Goodreads: Julia DeSmit can't wait for her life to begin. After her mother leaves when Julia is nine years old, she's raised by an unassuming, gentle father and a saintly, matriarchal grandmother until her father dies just as Julia is becoming a young adult.
On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect place to start over. But when Julia makes a mistake that will change her life forever, she returns to her grandmother's farm, defeated and convinced of her own worthlessness. Only through the gentle prodding of her loving grandmother does Julia begin to accept the imprint her childhood has left on her life and look for hope in a loving God who longs to make all things new.
If I had read the description a little more carefully, I would have seen that this was Christian fiction. Despite being a Christian and liking fiction...Christian fiction just really isn't my thing. The first half of the book caught my attention, it was a basic coming of age story with hardship and unrequited love and all the teary angsty stuff I enjoy but with a dollop of faith discussion that was just right. But then the second half of the book, the preaching began taking first place and the story seemed neglected to second place and it all fell apart for me. It wasn't that it was bad, it's just not what I would choose. I have heard that this is the first book in a trilogy, I may grab the second if it come sup as a freebie on my Kindle list, I am curious how things are going to turn out. If there is a next time, I will be going in knowing what to expect and thus will be in the proper mind set to enjoy it for what it is rather than what I wish it could be.
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
On the cusp of womanhood, Julia feels jaded by her circumstances and longs for a new identity. College seems like the perfect place to start over. But when Julia makes a mistake that will change her life forever, she returns to her grandmother's farm, defeated and convinced of her own worthlessness. Only through the gentle prodding of her loving grandmother does Julia begin to accept the imprint her childhood has left on her life and look for hope in a loving God who longs to make all things new.
If I had read the description a little more carefully, I would have seen that this was Christian fiction. Despite being a Christian and liking fiction...Christian fiction just really isn't my thing. The first half of the book caught my attention, it was a basic coming of age story with hardship and unrequited love and all the teary angsty stuff I enjoy but with a dollop of faith discussion that was just right. But then the second half of the book, the preaching began taking first place and the story seemed neglected to second place and it all fell apart for me. It wasn't that it was bad, it's just not what I would choose. I have heard that this is the first book in a trilogy, I may grab the second if it come sup as a freebie on my Kindle list, I am curious how things are going to turn out. If there is a next time, I will be going in knowing what to expect and thus will be in the proper mind set to enjoy it for what it is rather than what I wish it could be.
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber
From Goodreads: Four lives knit together ...There's a little shop on Blossom Street in Seattle called A Good Yarn. You go there to buy knitting supplies and patterns -- and now it's offering a knitting class. The first lesson: how to knit a baby blanket.
For owner Lydia Hoffman, the shop represents her dream of beginning a new life free from the cancer that has ravaged her twice. A life that offers a chance at love ... and maybe marriage.
Jacqueline Donovan is stuck in a marriage that has dwindled into an arrangement of separate rooms and separate lives. She disapproves of the woman married to her only son, but if she knits a baby blanket, she can at least pretend to like her pregnant daughter-in-law.
For Carol Girard, the baby blanket brings a message of hope as she and her husband make a final attempt at in vitro pregnancy.
And tense-looking Alix Townsend -- that's Alix with an "i" -- is learning to knit her blanket for her court-ordered community service project.
Brought together by an age-old craft, these four women make unexpected discoveries -- about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to love, to friendship and acceptance, to laughter and dreams.
I randomly bought an audiobook at a tag sale like I have done a hundred times but this was different because I accidentally stumbled onto the FIRST book of a series rather than something in the middle - hooray! I really enjoyed this one! It was fairly predictable (actually that should probably say VERY predictable - I think I knew how everyone's story would turn out within moments of beginning!) but for a listen in the car when I am only half paying attention, predictable is not a bad thing. I'm not going to go out and search for the next books in the series...it wasn't THAT good, but I will keep one eye open for them!
Here's the author's website.
This one counts for the following challenges..
The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
For owner Lydia Hoffman, the shop represents her dream of beginning a new life free from the cancer that has ravaged her twice. A life that offers a chance at love ... and maybe marriage.
Jacqueline Donovan is stuck in a marriage that has dwindled into an arrangement of separate rooms and separate lives. She disapproves of the woman married to her only son, but if she knits a baby blanket, she can at least pretend to like her pregnant daughter-in-law.
For Carol Girard, the baby blanket brings a message of hope as she and her husband make a final attempt at in vitro pregnancy.
And tense-looking Alix Townsend -- that's Alix with an "i" -- is learning to knit her blanket for her court-ordered community service project.
Brought together by an age-old craft, these four women make unexpected discoveries -- about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to love, to friendship and acceptance, to laughter and dreams.
I randomly bought an audiobook at a tag sale like I have done a hundred times but this was different because I accidentally stumbled onto the FIRST book of a series rather than something in the middle - hooray! I really enjoyed this one! It was fairly predictable (actually that should probably say VERY predictable - I think I knew how everyone's story would turn out within moments of beginning!) but for a listen in the car when I am only half paying attention, predictable is not a bad thing. I'm not going to go out and search for the next books in the series...it wasn't THAT good, but I will keep one eye open for them!
Here's the author's website.
This one counts for the following challenges..
The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
From Goodreads: Under the endless skies of Botswana, there is always something Mma Ramotswe can do to help someone and here she finds herself assisting a woman looking for her family. The problem is the woman doesn't know her real name or whether any of her family members are still alive. Meanwhile, Mma Makutsi is the recipient of a beautiful new bed that causes more than a few sleepless nights. And, at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni has come under the influence of a doctor promising a miracle cure for his daughter's medical condition, which Mma Ramotswe finds hard to accept. Nonetheless, Precious Ramotswe handles these things in her usual compassionate and good-natured way, while always finding time for a cup of red bush tea.
This was another good one - had a rainy night here and it was perfect to curl up on the couch and read this cozy mystery. I've exhausted what is on my shelf and now have to go in search of the remaining books. probably best to take a break anyway so this is good timing.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
This was another good one - had a rainy night here and it was perfect to curl up on the couch and read this cozy mystery. I've exhausted what is on my shelf and now have to go in search of the remaining books. probably best to take a break anyway so this is good timing.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard
From Goodreads: They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike.
Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations.
Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness.
Different in nearly every way, Ruth and Dana share a need to make sense of who they are and to find their places in a world in which neither has ever truly felt she belonged. They also share a love for Dana's wild and beautiful older brother, Ray, who will leave an indelible mark on both their hearts.
If the point was to surprise us with the twist then the foreshadowing is much too heavy handed. But if, on the other hand, the point is to "know" and just watch the families twist in the wind and try to manage their lives, then the book is quite successful because it is a fascinating journey. This one sat on my TBR pile for almost a year but once I started it yesterday, I couldn't put it down - such beautiful relationships throughout. Relationships between people but also between people and the land - kind of makes me want to chuck my life and go farm somewhere, except, of course, that I can't even keep houseplants alive!
Author's website if you want to see more.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Dashing Through The Snow by Carol Higgins Clark and Mary Higgins Clark
From Goodreads: In the picturesque village of Branscombe, New Hampshire, the townsfolk are all pitching in to prepare for the first (and many hope annual) Festival of Joy. The night before the festival begins, a group of employees at the local market learn that they have won $160 million in the lottery. One of their co-workers, Duncan, decided at the last minute, on the advice of a pair of crooks masquerading as financial advisers, not to play. Then he goes missing. A second winning lottery ticket was purchased in the next town, but the winner hasn't come forward. Could Duncan have secretly bought it?
This was a win from Teresa's Reading Corner, Teresa is also the hostess of the Audiobook Challenge. The Higgins-Clark mother-daughter team comes out with one of these books every Christmas, Christmas themed cozy mysteries. The characters were familiar faces from other Christmas books by this duo and the plot is nothing strenuous - it's just Christmas fun. But, this one was less fun than the others I have read mainly because it wasn't in print, it was on audio read by Carol Higgins Clark and her voice was a distraction. I've never been a huge fan of authors reading their own work and this is an example of why I don't like it. She has a Jersey girl accent that is fine when she is reading a character from that part of the country but when she is reading narration - descriptions and such - it is distracting to this Southern girl. She probably thinks her voice has is very plain but it just isn't! So I would have enjoyed this one more in print but it was still pleasant enough on audio.
This one counts for the following challenges..
The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
This was a win from Teresa's Reading Corner, Teresa is also the hostess of the Audiobook Challenge. The Higgins-Clark mother-daughter team comes out with one of these books every Christmas, Christmas themed cozy mysteries. The characters were familiar faces from other Christmas books by this duo and the plot is nothing strenuous - it's just Christmas fun. But, this one was less fun than the others I have read mainly because it wasn't in print, it was on audio read by Carol Higgins Clark and her voice was a distraction. I've never been a huge fan of authors reading their own work and this is an example of why I don't like it. She has a Jersey girl accent that is fine when she is reading a character from that part of the country but when she is reading narration - descriptions and such - it is distracting to this Southern girl. She probably thinks her voice has is very plain but it just isn't! So I would have enjoyed this one more in print but it was still pleasant enough on audio.
This one counts for the following challenges..
The audiobook challenge is hosted by Teresa at Teresa's Reading Corner, click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Monday, January 16, 2012
The Things We Do For Love by Kristin Hannah
From Goodreads: Years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child have broken more than Angie DeSaria’s heart. Following a painful divorce, she moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown and takes over management of her family’s restaurant. In West End, where life rises and falls like the tides, Angie’s fortunes will drastically change yet again when she meets and befriends a troubled young woman.
Angie hires Lauren Ribido because she sees something special in the seventeen-year-old. They quickly form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, Angie offers the girl a place to stay. But nothing could have prepared Angie for the far-reaching repercussions of this act of kindness. Together, these two women—one who longs for a child and the other who longs for a mother’s love—will be tested in ways that neither could have imagined.
I read Firefly Lane last year and enjoyed it very much, then I read Winter Garden just last week and was underwhelmed. This one puts Kristin Hannah back on my good list. Some of the reviews I read were vehement in their dislike but I was very moved by the story and the tears poured the final quarter of the book. Maybe I am old enough to have seen women go through the trials of infertility and how alcohol can destroy a family, all the combustible emotions that felt flat with some readers felt pretty real to me - I liked and cared about the characters and thought Hannah did a great job with this one.
This works for the following challenges -
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Angie hires Lauren Ribido because she sees something special in the seventeen-year-old. They quickly form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, Angie offers the girl a place to stay. But nothing could have prepared Angie for the far-reaching repercussions of this act of kindness. Together, these two women—one who longs for a child and the other who longs for a mother’s love—will be tested in ways that neither could have imagined.
I read Firefly Lane last year and enjoyed it very much, then I read Winter Garden just last week and was underwhelmed. This one puts Kristin Hannah back on my good list. Some of the reviews I read were vehement in their dislike but I was very moved by the story and the tears poured the final quarter of the book. Maybe I am old enough to have seen women go through the trials of infertility and how alcohol can destroy a family, all the combustible emotions that felt flat with some readers felt pretty real to me - I liked and cared about the characters and thought Hannah did a great job with this one.
This works for the following challenges -
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Rape: A Love Story by Joyce Carol Oates
From Goodreads: Teena Maguire should not have tried to shortcut her way home that Fourth of July. Not after midnight, not through Rocky Point Park. Not the way she was dressed: tank top, denim cut-offs, high-heeled sandals - like she was asking for it. Not with her twelve-year-old daughter Bethie. Not with packs of local guys running loose on hormones, rage, and alcohol. A victim of gang rape, left for dead in the park boathouse, the once vivacious, down-to-earth, sexy Teena Maguire can now only regret that she has survived. And Bethie can barely remember a childhood uncolored by fear. For they're not even a neighborhood away, out on bail, the men that she identified for the Niagara Falls Police Department, the wide-browed, sandy-haired Pick brothers; the sneering Jimmy DeLucca; Fritz Haaber with his moustache and stubbled jaw. They've got a hotshot lawyer who's got their charges reduced to simple assault. Bethie is scared; they've killed her grandmother's longhaired orange cat. This gripping new novella from Joyce Carol Oates unfolds the story of Teena and Bethie, of their insolent, cocksure assailants and their silent champion - one man who knows the meaning of justice. And love.
My track record with Joyce Carol Oates is spotty, enjoyed We Were the Mulvaneys, didn't like The Gravedigger's Daughter. This one goes in the "WIN" column; I liked it a lot. It's strange to say "liked" about a book that is so disturbing - the gang rape destroys this family and the desire for justice leads to incidents that would be disturbing on their own but in this context are unsettling yet satisfying. My complaint about this would be that she wrote it as a novella so it was short at only 154 pages. It should have been a longer book with more time to get to know the characters better.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
My track record with Joyce Carol Oates is spotty, enjoyed We Were the Mulvaneys, didn't like The Gravedigger's Daughter. This one goes in the "WIN" column; I liked it a lot. It's strange to say "liked" about a book that is so disturbing - the gang rape destroys this family and the desire for justice leads to incidents that would be disturbing on their own but in this context are unsettling yet satisfying. My complaint about this would be that she wrote it as a novella so it was short at only 154 pages. It should have been a longer book with more time to get to know the characters better.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Rumour Has It by Jill Mansell
From Goodreads: Newly single Tilly Cole impulsively moves to a small town, only to find she's arrived in a hotbed of gossip, intrigue, and rampant rivalry for the most desirable man-Jack Lucas, whose reputation is beyond bad. Tilly has no intention of becoming another notch on his bedpost. But she finds the thoughtful, caring guy she comes to value as a friend doesn't seem to fit the town's playboy image. Should she listen to her friends or her heart? Is Tilly being mature and sensible-or running away from the love of her life?
This one ended up being very fun - I think I have said that about most of the Jill Mansell books I have read. It was another bargain on Kindle so I snapped it up. I liked all the chacters in this story and I thought the twists and turns of the romantic comedy plot weren't quite as far fetched as they are in some other chick lit books. It wasn't just the single plot line of the romance driving things along, there were a few sub-plots and each held my interest on it's own.
My memory for what I read overall is poor, but on the Kindle, it's even worse. So this light, easy to read type book is just the kind of thing that is perfect for that electronic medium.
This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
This one ended up being very fun - I think I have said that about most of the Jill Mansell books I have read. It was another bargain on Kindle so I snapped it up. I liked all the chacters in this story and I thought the twists and turns of the romantic comedy plot weren't quite as far fetched as they are in some other chick lit books. It wasn't just the single plot line of the romance driving things along, there were a few sub-plots and each held my interest on it's own.
My memory for what I read overall is poor, but on the Kindle, it's even worse. So this light, easy to read type book is just the kind of thing that is perfect for that electronic medium.
This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith
From Goodreads: There is rarely a dull moment in the life of Precious Ramotswe, and on Zebra Drive and Tlokweng Road many changes are afoot. Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni wants be put in charge of a case involving an errant husband, and Mma Makutsi is considering leaving the agency, taking her near perfect score on the Botswana Secretarial College typing exam with her. Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe has been asked to investigate a series of unexpected deaths at the hospital in Mochudi. Along the way, she encounters other tricky mysteries, and once again displays her undying love for Botswana, a country of which she is justly proud.
Finishing this series is going smooth and quick thus far. This one was good, just like the last few. To keep my enjoyment level high, I figure I will need to take a break before they get stale. Maybe just one more before I go on a self-imposed Ladies Detective Agency sabbatical!
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
Finishing this series is going smooth and quick thus far. This one was good, just like the last few. To keep my enjoyment level high, I figure I will need to take a break before they get stale. Maybe just one more before I go on a self-imposed Ladies Detective Agency sabbatical!
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
From Goodreads: Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard: the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father falls ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time - and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.
I have mixed feelings about this one. It was one of those that has two story lines running - one in the present and another historical. The first half of the book, the contemporary characters were completely unlikeable. As the book progresses and more is revealed, you start to understand them but I never got past my initial distaste in order to appreciate them. The other storyline, the historical one is initially told as a fairy tale; that was inventive, I have never seen that before. I enjoyed this part of the book quite a bit. Set in Russia during the first World War, this story was compelling and heart breaking, I cried for those characters.
This works for the following challenges -
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
I have mixed feelings about this one. It was one of those that has two story lines running - one in the present and another historical. The first half of the book, the contemporary characters were completely unlikeable. As the book progresses and more is revealed, you start to understand them but I never got past my initial distaste in order to appreciate them. The other storyline, the historical one is initially told as a fairy tale; that was inventive, I have never seen that before. I enjoyed this part of the book quite a bit. Set in Russia during the first World War, this story was compelling and heart breaking, I cried for those characters.
This works for the following challenges -
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Click on the logo to see my progress towards the 2012 A to Z Reading Challenge hosted by Strawberry Splash Reviews.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith
From Goodreads:
Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Recently, the Mokolodi Game Preserve manager feels an infectious fear spreading among his workers, and a local doctor may be falsifying blood pressure readings. To further complicate matters, Grace Makutsi may have scared off her own fiancé. Mma Ramotswe, however, is always up to the challenge.
Not much to say about this one, another in the series, I am enjoying them again after a bit of a lull. This one follows the same formula with no new characters.
This counts for the following challenges:
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Recently, the Mokolodi Game Preserve manager feels an infectious fear spreading among his workers, and a local doctor may be falsifying blood pressure readings. To further complicate matters, Grace Makutsi may have scared off her own fiancé. Mma Ramotswe, however, is always up to the challenge.
Not much to say about this one, another in the series, I am enjoying them again after a bit of a lull. This one follows the same formula with no new characters.
This counts for the following challenges:
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
The Finishing the Series Challenge is hosted by Yvonne on a dedicated blog here. Click on the logo to see my progress.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
From Goodreads: In the late 1970s, Larry Ott and Silas "32" Jones were boyhood pals. Their worlds were as different as night and day: Larry, the child of lower-middle-class white parents, and Silas, the son of a poor, single black mother. Yet for a few months the boys stepped outside of their circumstances and shared a special bond. But then tragedy struck: Larry took a girl on a date to a drive-in movie, and she was never heard from again. She was never found and Larry never confessed, but all eyes rested on him as the culprit. The incident shook the county—and perhaps Silas most of all. His friendship with Larry was broken, and then Silas left town. More than twenty years have passed. Larry, a mechanic, lives a solitary existence, never able to rise above the whispers of suspicion. Silas has returned as a constable. He and Larry have no reason to cross paths until another girl disappears and Larry is blamed again. And now the two men who once called each other friend are forced to confront the past they've buried and ignored for decades.
I spied this one on the blogs last summer (Bermudaonion's review here) and it sounded great so, when it went on sale on Kindle not long ago, I snatched it right up. I was not dissapointed. I loved how the characters of Silas and Larry evolved during the story - it's coming of age, it's racial tension, it's alcohol and drugs and murder but from that darkness comes light and I was really sad to see the book come to an end. Loved it.
This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
I spied this one on the blogs last summer (Bermudaonion's review here) and it sounded great so, when it went on sale on Kindle not long ago, I snatched it right up. I was not dissapointed. I loved how the characters of Silas and Larry evolved during the story - it's coming of age, it's racial tension, it's alcohol and drugs and murder but from that darkness comes light and I was really sad to see the book come to an end. Loved it.
This works for these challenges:
The 2012 E-Book Reading Challenge is hosted by Sarah at Workaday Reads. Click on the logo to see my progress.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith
From Goodreads: Precious is busier than usual at the detective agency when she discovers an intruder in her house on Zebra Drive—and perhaps even more baffling--a pumpkin on her porch. Her associate, Mma Makutsi, also has a full plate. She's taken up dance lessons, only to be partnered with a man with two left feet. And at Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors, where Mr J.L.B. Matekoni is already overburdened with work, one of his apprentices has run off with a wealthy older woman. But what finally rattles Mma Ramotswe’s normally unshakable composure is a visitor who forces her to confront a difficult secret from her past.
I liked this one better than the last one I read, not exactly sure why. Perhaps, the return of Precious's ex-husband - an actual element of danger to her beautiful life - gave it more of a sense of urgency than the last one. I also liked the newest character introduced to the shop and agency. My favorite line is when they describe heavier women as women of "traditional build" - such a kind description, I am semi-traditional!
I feel inspired to tackle the rest of the series so I am signing on to the "Finishing the Series" challenge hosted by Yvonne at Socrates Book Reviews on a dedicated blog, sign up here. I'll sign up at Level 2 reading the rest of the Ladies Detective Agency series and also the rest of the Wimpy Kid series.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
I liked this one better than the last one I read, not exactly sure why. Perhaps, the return of Precious's ex-husband - an actual element of danger to her beautiful life - gave it more of a sense of urgency than the last one. I also liked the newest character introduced to the shop and agency. My favorite line is when they describe heavier women as women of "traditional build" - such a kind description, I am semi-traditional!
I feel inspired to tackle the rest of the series so I am signing on to the "Finishing the Series" challenge hosted by Yvonne at Socrates Book Reviews on a dedicated blog, sign up here. I'll sign up at Level 2 reading the rest of the Ladies Detective Agency series and also the rest of the Wimpy Kid series.
I am trying to reach 100 books this year - I've never done it before although I have come very close, click on the logo to see how I am doing for this year!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Finish the Series Challenge 2012
I am signing on to the "Finishing the Series" challenge hosted by Yvonne at Socrates Book Reviews on a dedicated blog, sign up here. I'll sign up at Level 2 reading the rest of the Ladies Detective Agency series and also the rest of the Wimpy Kid series.
Ladie's Detective Agency
1. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency
2. Tears of the Giraffe
3. Morality for Beautiful Girls
4. The Kahlahari Typing School for Men
5. The Full Cupboard of Life
6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
7. Blue Shoes and Happiness
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club
12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
Ladie's Detective Agency
1. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency
2. Tears of the Giraffe
3. Morality for Beautiful Girls
4. The Kahlahari Typing School for Men
5. The Full Cupboard of Life
6. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
7. Blue Shoes and Happiness
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club
12. The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party
13. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection
A-Z Reading Challenge
I'm in but the challenge I have done for the last two years appears to be gone! So I checked out A Novel Challenge and found this one over at Strawberry Splash Reviews. She sounds very excited to host the challenge so maybe I can try to be a little more particpatory than I have in years past, maybe.
Here's where I will keep track of my books...game on!
(Italics is "I' have this in my TBR pile, maybe this will work", a link is "I actually read this!")
A- After the Leaves Fall
B- Blue Shoes and Happiness
C- Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
D- Dashing Through the Snow
E- Evidence
F- Food Rules
G- The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
H- Heavenly
I- In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
J- Just a Guy
K- Ketchup is a Vegetable
L- The Lonely Mile
M- Madame Tussaud
N- Night Swim
O- The Other Boleyn Girl
P- The Paris Wife
Q- Quiver of Arrows
R- Rumour Has It
S- The Shop on Blossom Street
T- The Things We Do For Love
U- Uglies
V- The Virgin Blue
W- Winter Garden
X- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Y- Your Two Year Old
Z- A Girl Named Zippy
Here's where I will keep track of my books...game on!
(Italics is "I' have this in my TBR pile, maybe this will work", a link is "I actually read this!")
A- After the Leaves Fall
B- Blue Shoes and Happiness
C- Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
D- Dashing Through the Snow
E- Evidence
F- Food Rules
G- The Good Husband of Zebra Drive
H- Heavenly
I- In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
J- Just a Guy
K- Ketchup is a Vegetable
L- The Lonely Mile
M- Madame Tussaud
N- Night Swim
O- The Other Boleyn Girl
P- The Paris Wife
Q- Quiver of Arrows
R- Rumour Has It
S- The Shop on Blossom Street
T- The Things We Do For Love
U- Uglies
V- The Virgin Blue
W- Winter Garden
X- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Y- Your Two Year Old
Z- A Girl Named Zippy
Audiobook Challenge
This is a challenge I have completed the past few years. That feat remains largely undocumented since I am really bad at the whole "linking up your posts" thing. But I am good at the actual listening to the book part so I am signing up for the Lover level - 25 audio books!
Hosted by Teresa of Teresa's Reading Corner, there are four levels to the challenge:
■Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
■Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
■Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
■Married-Listen to +++ Audio Books
Does it interest you? Click on the logo above to go to the sign up post.
Here's how I am doing...
1. Dashing Through the Snow
2. Getting Personal With God
3. The Shop on Blossom Street
4. Duma Key
5. Hold Tight
6. Skeletons at the Feast
7. The Dry Grass of August
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Hosted by Teresa of Teresa's Reading Corner, there are four levels to the challenge:
■Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
■Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
■Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
■Married-Listen to +++ Audio Books
Does it interest you? Click on the logo above to go to the sign up post.
Here's how I am doing...
1. Dashing Through the Snow
2. Getting Personal With God
3. The Shop on Blossom Street
4. Duma Key
5. Hold Tight
6. Skeletons at the Feast
7. The Dry Grass of August
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
E-Book Reading Challenge 2012
Hosted by Sarah over at Workaday Reads, this challenge has the following levels:
1.Floppy disk - 5 ebooks
2.CD - 10 ebooks
3.DVD - 25 ebooks
4.Memory stick - 50 ebooks
5.Hard drive - 75 ebooks
6.Server - 100 ebooks
7.Human brain - 150 ebooks
I'm signing up at the DVD level - 25 books. I haven't gone back and counted from last year but I feel like about a quarter of my reading is now done electronically so that should be close to 25.
Interested? Click on the button to see the sign-up post.
Here's what I've done so far...
1. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
2. Rumour Has It
3. After the Leaves Fall
4. Heavenly
5. The Lonely Mile
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
1.Floppy disk - 5 ebooks
2.CD - 10 ebooks
3.DVD - 25 ebooks
4.Memory stick - 50 ebooks
5.Hard drive - 75 ebooks
6.Server - 100 ebooks
7.Human brain - 150 ebooks
I'm signing up at the DVD level - 25 books. I haven't gone back and counted from last year but I feel like about a quarter of my reading is now done electronically so that should be close to 25.
Interested? Click on the button to see the sign-up post.
Here's what I've done so far...
1. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter
2. Rumour Has It
3. After the Leaves Fall
4. Heavenly
5. The Lonely Mile
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
What's In a Name Challenge
I always think this one looks fun. I never actually sign up and do it but I always think it looks fun! I checked last year (2010, last last year) and almost made it, but didn't. Checked again for last year (2011)..almost made it, but didn't - this is 2011:
1. A book with a number in the title: 1984
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: fail
3. A book with a size in the title: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress 4. A book with travel or movement in the title: The Art of Racing in the Rain5. A book with evil in the title: Hell’s Corner 6. A book with a life stage in the title: Diary of A Wimpy Kid
This years challenge has categories for topographical feature (land formation), sky, creepy crawly, house, pocket, purse, or backpack, and something on a calendar. If it catches your fancy, click on the logo and you can go sign up over at Beth Fish Reads.
Just for fun, I'll try to keep track...
1. Topographical feature
2. Sky
3. Creepy, crawly
4. House
5. Pocket, purse, or backpack
6. Something on a calendar - Winter Garden
1. A book with a number in the title: 1984
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: fail
3. A book with a size in the title: Mennonite in a Little Black Dress 4. A book with travel or movement in the title: The Art of Racing in the Rain5. A book with evil in the title: Hell’s Corner 6. A book with a life stage in the title: Diary of A Wimpy Kid
This years challenge has categories for topographical feature (land formation), sky, creepy crawly, house, pocket, purse, or backpack, and something on a calendar. If it catches your fancy, click on the logo and you can go sign up over at Beth Fish Reads.
Just for fun, I'll try to keep track...
1. Topographical feature
2. Sky
3. Creepy, crawly
4. House
5. Pocket, purse, or backpack
6. Something on a calendar - Winter Garden
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