Pages

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

June Totals


Books Read:

1. Every Secret Thing:3/5
2. The Kind Diet: 4/5
3. The One That I Want: 4.5/5
4.  Noah's Compass: 4/5
5. The Aloha Quilt: 4/5
6. Glorious: 4.5/5
7. Louisa and the Missing Heiress: 3.5/5
8. Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart: 4/5
9. Watermark: 4.75/5
10. Quaker Summer: 3.75/5
11. Guesthouse: 3.75/5
12. Becoming Jane Eyre: 3.75/5
13. Calamity Jack: 3/5
14. Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English: 5/5
15. Little Giant of Aberdeen County: 3.5/5


Total Pages: 4,295
6 month page count: 32, 917
Favorite Book(s): Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English- Review to be posted tomorrow, please come back!

Challenges:

100+- 108/100 COMPLETED
Reading From My Shelves- 2/20 (this one is so pathetic!! I need to read my own books!!)
2010 States Challenge- 30/50
All About the Brontes- 3/3 COMPLETED
All Things Alcott- 1/4
Cozy Mystery - 1/6
Gilmore Girls Challenge- 0/10
GBLT- 1/4
Graphic Novel- 12/10 COMPLETED
Historical Reading- 9/6 COMPLETED
Jane Austen- 1/6
Japanese Literature- 1/1 COMPLETED
Random Reading- 3/12
Sookie Stackhouse- 1/9 FAILED
Support Your Library- 74/100
Terry Pratchett- 0/4
The Pub 2010 - 11/10 COMPLETED

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

"Guesthouse' by Barbara Richardson

Title: Guesthouse
Author: Barbara K. Richardson
Publication Date: March 20, 10 Bay Tree Publishing
Pages: 218
Genre:  Fiction
Source: The Book Report Network
Synopsis from author's website:
  This contemporary novel moves between Portland, Oregon and Atomic City, Idaho, the absolute center of nowhere. GUEST HOUSE explores the grace that comes from daring to intervene in a stranger’s suffering. It will appeal to those who have forgotten the power that comes from living simply, and to anyone in their middle years whose life has been hijacked by love.


My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book immensely. I loved Melba and found her to be real. She witnesses a horrible accident which changes her perception of life and the world around her. She decides to quit her job, renovate an old house and get back to the simple things in life. While doing so she meets JoLee Garry, her husband Gene, and their neglected son Matt. I understood how Melba was sucked into helping JoLee, Gene, and Matt. The adults are users of people, money, and substances. I've witnessed these types of people myself, and have in fact, had several like these in my own life. Matt is a kid who is unwanted, unloved, and totally ignored. Unfortunately, I too have known kids like Matt...witness it daily in my job at a middle school. Melba finds her life in a whirlwind of chaos, but the one shining point is Matt. This is a story of two unlikely souls who find each other, heal together, and move on to a better life.
Highly Recommended!



Thank you to Anne from the Book Report Network for sending me a review copy.
I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.


Click here to read Chapter One from Guesthouse and here to buy a copy for yourself and to visit the inspiration for the book!.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What are you reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.




All three books from Henry Holt & Company for review



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Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.

Read and reviewed last week:
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart- great read for those Austen fans 4/5
Watermark- excellent historical fiction book- 4.75/5
Six Sentence Saturday:
The Kind Diet- wake up call! 4/5
Quaker Summer- not the best writing ever, but the story itself gave me much to think about!4/5
Calamity Jack (graphic novel)- not as good as Rapunzel's Revenge 3/5

Tentative Reviews for this week:
Guest House
Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English
Six Sentence Saturday:
Becoming Jane Eyre
Still Life
Wedding Cake

Books on deck for next week reviews:

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Six Sentence Saturday

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.
Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Happy that I read it...a good read.

2 of Hearts- Just O.K but nothing to write home about.
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight and Saving the Planet- Alicia Silverstone
I watched Alicia on Oprah a while back and found myself extremely interested in how she changed the way she felt emotionally and physically by living a vegan life. I'm afraid that sometimes I come across as very naive and uninformed, but people let me tell you that I really didn't know how gruesome  life is for food producing chickens, pigs, and cattle!! I watched a video of workers sexing baby chicks and then how the males (no need for them in an egg producing facility) were then thrown into a grinder ALIVE! The following day I was unable to eat meat and I was very emotional about how these animals were treated. I would like to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my life and I've been trying to cut back on the meat consumption. I don't think I could ever give up dairy, so there's no way I could become a vegan, but I did learn a lot of new information and have become a more informed consumer!
My Rating:







Calamity Jack- Shannon Hale, Dean Hale and Nathan Hale (illustrator)
Having absolutely loved Shannon's first venture into the graphic novel, Rapunzel's Revenge, I was eagerly looking forward to the next installment. I wasn't disappointed with the illustrations, which in my humble opinion, have been some of the best I've viewed. But I did feel that Jack's story was a bit lame. I liked how Hale showed him as a thief who needs to redeem himself  because he wants his mother and Rapunzel to approve of him. I just didn't care for the story of giants and attacking ants, it felt cartoonish to me. While this one wasn't as compelling as Rapunzel, I will read her next graphic novel just because I like Shannon Hale!
My Rating:






Quaker Summer- Lisa Samson
Heather is losing it...she thinks she has to be the perfect wife, perfect mom, have the perfect house, and be the perfect Christian. People come into her world that help her realize that life is about so much more than THINGS and that Jesus really just wants your time, not your money(the church wants this!). I grew up without religion or faith playing a role in my life and as an adult, I've found that I have been searching for something and have been struggling with "what" that exactly may be. This book really gave me a lot of food for thought and instantly brought to mind, Sheila (Book Journey) who is always giving of her time to those less fortunate. I think this is where you find Jesus....helping others help themselves, not by throwing money at the problem. For those that enjoy Christian fiction, read this!
My Rating:

Friday, June 25, 2010

Fitness Friday Update #7


** Remember when you see my weight loss that it is over a 2-week period, not one week!

What I've been doing:
I haven't been walking. What is my problem??? Could it be that I've been spending too much time on my front porch reading?? Guilty as charged. I've been inspired by Jen's (Devourer of Books) week dedicated to Audio Books, and I'm going to check out a classic on a playaway. I so need something to listen to while I'm walking. But I promise you that I will no longer try to find an excuse NOT to walk and will get active again!


Weight Watchers and Me:
Since I've lost enough weight to qualify going from 22 points per day to 21 points, I feel that I've been doing a great job of eating within my point limit. I stopped adding my extra 5 points to my total points for about a month now and I attribute my 4 pound weight loss to that. Surprisingly, I haven't found myself being really hungry. I keep a lot of turkey and WW string cheese around so that when I need a quick filling snack this is what I usually grab. I did purchase some soy noodles to use in a Hungry Girl recipe, but I haven't gathered up enough nerve to make it yet...I'm scared of the texture!! But I did open up my email today to find a very cool recipe for squash...I have some sitting on my counter but was lost as to a great way to prepare it. Well, this sounds yummy so I want to share it with you!


Steamy Creamy Squash Packet

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, about 1 cup): 80 calories, 3g fat, 233mg sodium, 11g carbs, 3g fiber, 5g sugars, 3.5g protein -- POINTS® value 1*

Avoiding heavy starches? Not in the mood for Tofu Shirataki noodles? Check out a new way to squash (har har!) your cream-sauce cravings...

Ingredients:
2 zucchini or yellow summer squash, stem ends removed
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
2 tsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
1/8 tsp. dried oregano
Dash each salt and black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Thinly slice each zucchini/squash lengthwise, forming wide, flat strips. Cut strips in half widthwise and set aside.

Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Place sliced zucchini/squash and onion in the center of the foil. Top veggies with two evenly spaced dollops of butter. Sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper. Top with garlic.

Place another large piece of foil over the veggies. Fold together and seal all four edges of the two foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until veggies are soft and tender.

Let cool slightly. Cut packet to release steam before opening it entirely. (Careful -- steam will be hot.) Empty into a bowl and set aside.

Place cheese wedge in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir until smooth, add to veggies, and toss gently to coat. If you like, season to taste with additional salt and pepper. EAT!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS
 
Starting weight: 171
3/19/10: 168
4/1/10: 166
4/16/10: 164
4/23/10: 162
5/14/10: 161
5/28/10: 159
6/11/10: 155
6/25/10: 153
Goal weight: 140-145

Thursday, June 24, 2010

'Watermark' by Vanitha Sankaran



Title: Watermark
Author: Vanitha Sankaran
Publication Date: April 13, 2010
Pages: 336
Genre:  Fascinating Historical Fiction
Source: Vanitha Sankaran
Synopsis from author:
The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320—mute from birth and forced to shun normal society—young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda's very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda—newly grown to womanhood—is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self . . . and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father's art.

My Thoughts: I found this book to be absorbing and amazingly imaginative. The Middle Ages come to life with the street fairs, the smells of the unwashed bodies, and the sights of the monks, self-flagellating priests, beggars, and the ones who don't want to be noticed. Aude had two strikes against her from birth: being mute (by force) and also having albino traits. Being her during this time would have been unnerving to say the least. She spends much of her life just trying to blend in and to not be noticed. But Aude comes to realize that she is a person of worth and she is willing to sacrifice her life to prove it. She may just be the best written character I've had the honor to encounter this year. I was compelled by her story and found myself anxious with fear as to what may become of her. This book was a fascinating look into an industry, paper making, that I have really never given much thought to. I honestly wasn't sure how the author would make me interested in this time period, but her detailed (not overly though) descriptions of France, the town, and the people who inhabit it, awoke my imagination and once I was past chapter one, there was no looking back.

Highly Recommended






Thank you to Vanitha Sankaran for sending me a review copy.
I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Waiting on Wednesday Pick- Graphic Novel!!!!

 this fun meme brought to us by
September 28th 2010 by Del Rey


The Exile retells the original Outlander novel from Jamie Fraser's point of view, revealing events never seen in the original story and giving readers a whole new insight into the Jamie-Claire relationship. Jamie's surreptitious arrival in Scotland at the beginning of the tale, his feelings about Claire, and much more — up to the point where Claire faces trial for witchcraft and must choose whether to return to her own century — are brought to life in brilliant four-colour art.   
When I saw this at B&N I believe I yelled outloud..."Yahoo!!!" I've been waiting for something like this and my dream has come true. The best part of this graphic novel is that it's told from Jamie's POV!!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

'Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart'- Beth Patillo






Title: Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
Author: Beth Pattillo
Pages: 272
Publication Date:  February 1, 2010 by Guideposts
Genre: Austen Fiction
Source: Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists









My Thoughts: I am hopelessly addicted to all things Austen, and while this wasn't the best spin-off that I've ever read, it was still a very good book for me! I loved the idea of attending an Austen seminar for a week at Oxford, no less. For some reason I really understood Claire and her need to take care of everyone but herself. I was also drawn into the idea of there being an unpublished copy of First Impressions. Wouldn't that be beyond belief if you were to hold a copy of that in your very own hands, knowing that Jane Austen's pen graced those very pages???? I noticed that this one only averaged 3.29 on Goodreads, but I'm basing my final number (4/5) solely on how much I enjoyed this story and how I could so easily envision myself as Claire, looking for my Mr. Darcy.

Recommended for Austen fans!!




Thank you to Phenix & Phenix for sending me a review copy.
I was not compensated for my review.
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author.
They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday..What are you reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.






Lumby on the Air- review book from FSB
Note From an Old Acquaintance- review book for Pump Up Your Book Tour July 27th
Bitter is the New Black- from the lovely Rebecca (Lost in Books)

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Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.



Read and reviewed last week:
Glorious- Reading this book was an amazing experience 4.75/5
Six Sentence Saturday:
Aloha Quilt- very enjoyable book in the Elm Creek Quilt Series- 4/5
Louisa May Alcott Cozy Mystery- fun, fast read- 3.5/5

Reviews for this week:
Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart
Watermark
Six Sentence Saturday:
The Kind Diet
Quaker Summer
Calamity Jack (graphic novel)

Books on deck for next week:


Saturday, June 19, 2010

Six Sentence Saturday

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.
Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:

5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Happy that I read it...a good read.

2 of Hearts- Just O.K but nothing to write home about.
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)


The Aloha Quilt (Elm Creek Quilts #16)- Jennifer Chiaverini
I've enjoyed Elm Creek Quilts series since the very first book. There have been a few that didn't leave me very satisfied at the end, but that wasn't the case with The Aloha Quilt. I pretty much loved everything in this story, most especially the location- Hawaii. I enjoy learning about different cultures and how women quilt in other parts of the country. This book centers on Bonnie's impending divorce and what she decides to do with her life after the ending of her marriage. If you're a fan of this series, this one will not disappoint!!
 My Rating:



Louisa and the Missing Heiress (A Louisa May Alcott Mystery #1) -  Anna Maclean
I picked this one up from my library sale for a quarter mostly because I'm interested in Louisa May after reading the fabulous book, The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, and because I can't pass up an interesting looking read for such a cheap price!! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say that I loved Louisa as an amateur sleuth!! It was fun to put the pieces to the puzzle together with Louisa and to see her interaction with polite society. Maclean did a great job of bringing the underbelly of Boston to life and I could really picture the wharves with the fog, beggars, and the ladies of the night. Several times I thought I had solved the mystery of who killed Louisa's dear friend Dot, but alas I was not correct in my assumptions. I enjoyed this one enough to go looking for book #2!!
My Rating:

Thursday, June 17, 2010

'Glorious" by Bernice McFadden + 2 autographed copies giveaway


 From Bernice McFadden's website:
Glorious is set against the backdrops of the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and the civil rights era. Blending the truth of American history with the fruits of Bernice L. McFadden’s rich imagination, this is the story of Easter Venetta Bartlett, a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose tumultuous path to success, ruin, and revival offers a candid portrait of the American experience in all its beauty and cruelty.Glorious is ultimately an audacious exploration into the nature of self-hatred, love, possession, ego, betrayal, and, finally, redemption.






My Thoughts:

I found myself contemplating Easter's life for hours after finishing this book. I admired her strength and her determination not to give up on life and to try to forgive the evil ways of others, whom she trusted and loved,  that would directly influence the route her life would eventually take. I also found myself becoming angry and feeling very ignorant of American history. In the beginning of the novel, the reader is confronted with a lynching that will turn your stomach. It is so gruesome and revolting that you may find yourself unable to continue on with the story. The images of those words were visible in my mind, and I felt the sheer terror of Mary Turner, the young woman who was lynched.. I couldn't believe that a human would perpetrate such a heinous act on another human. I confirmed with Bernice that this lynching DID occur and this part in her novel is historically accurate. Which brings me to what this book is about....this is a story of America and a time period and people, that is never really given much attention. The Harlem Renaissance??? What was that??? I learned about it on my own by reading! I've heard of Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, but I never really delved into that period of history. McFadden's book takes you there, to New York, to the backroom parlors of rich white people who liked the "idea" of being a benefactor to an aspiring black author. This story is rich in history, rich in characters, and absolutely stunning. Easter became a woman that I cherished and she has rooted herself in my heart. I will hold her there because she touched me on a personal level with her story.

I honestly don't think that I can do justice to this book with my words. I'm an emotional reader and that is how I connect with books. I don't delve into the hidden meanings or the layers within the story. I react to the human responses and gauge books by what type of connection it made with me. In the end, I was emotionally vested in Easter's life and will keep her story alive in my mind for some time to come.

I would absolutely recommend this book as a book club pick. There is much to discuss and O Magazine choose Glorious as a Book to Watch for in May. Please click here to read O Magazine's review and also for a Reading Guide.



I would like to thank Bernice for sending me a review copy of Glorious. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author. They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel. For more about Bernice L. McFadden and her books please take a moment and visit her website.




Bernice has also graciously offered 2 autographed copies of Glorious.
If you would like the opportunity to read this book please leave your email address in the comments. 
Open to U.S. residents only..open until July 1st and then 2 winners will announced. 
Thank you as always for taking the time to visit and to read and comment on my thoughts!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Teaser Tuesdays


TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
Please avoid spoilers!



 And oh, joy to the world-he was a book lover! Who had worn and well-read copies of War of the Worlds, Dracula, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

p.86 ~ Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden

Monday, June 14, 2010

Mailbox Monday and it's Monday...What Are You Reading?


Mailbox Monday
is hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.




Hidden Wives- From publisher for TLC Tour date in July
Lady in the Tower- from the ever-generous Marcia of The Printed Page.

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Hosted by Sheila
One Persons Journey Through a World of Books
Weekly meme where we discuss the books you've read
and those you plan to read in the coming week.


Read and reviewed last week:

The One That I Want- 4.5/5 loved it and highly recommend it
Noah's Company- 4/5 really moving book highly recommended

Reviews for this week:
Glorious
Aloha Quilt
Six Sentence Saturday:
Louisa May Alcott Cozy Mystery

Books on deck for next week:

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Six Sentence Saturday

Welcome to Six Sentence Saturday.
Where I try to express my thoughts on recent reads using only 6 sentences!!!!.
At the end of each review I will post a
rating scale of 1-5 using the cute and original (lol) Playing Cards.
Rating scale will be as follows:
NOTE: I have changed how I feel about a 3 book please note!
5 of Hearts- You must read this book NOW!!
4 of Hearts- A great read, put it on your TBR list.
3 of Hearts- Happy that I read it...a good read.

2 of Hearts- Just O.K but nothing to write home about.
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)

Noah's Compass- Anne Tyler
Liam Pennywell is a character that I was drawn to immediately. I truly was upset by the way his ex-wife and three daughters treated him, almost as if he was an afterthought. The story centers around a lost memory of Liam's and his family trivializes his NEED to know what happened. I could relate to the urgent desire to know the answers and felt Liam was treated with callousness. Liam seems to feel that way about himself too, until he meets a woman that gives him a glimmer of hope that he's not too old to have someone in love with him. Nothing terribly important happens in this book, it's not fast paced or a thriller, but rather a steady beating of the heart and how a person comes to find some satisfaction with themselves and with their life.
My Rating:






Many Thanks to Diane(Bibliophile by the Sea) and Nan (Letters From a Hill Farm) for their beautiful reviews of this one. You inspired me to read this!