Review: Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart

Title and Author of book: Nothing But Ghosts by Beth Kephart
Fiction or non-fiction: Fiction
Genre: YA- One of the Best Books Written This Year!
Where did I get the book: My public Library
Challenges that this fulfilled: YA Challenge
Who recommended this book to me?: Lenore and Amy



My Thoughts:

Beth Kephart is easily becoming a must-read author for me. Her newest book was such a pleasure to read. Katie is a girl that any parent would be blessed to have as their daughter. She is dealing with the loss of her mother which has left a huge hole in her life. I loved her dad. His work as someone who restores old art was very fascinating. I loved reading about what he felt was underneath all of the dirt as he worked at removing the layers little by little. Katie and her dad really tried their best to keep the lines of communication open ,but they both were reserved when it came to talking about the death of their parent/spouse. Katie dreams about her mother nightly and her dad has locked up their bedroom and sleeps on the couch. Worked into this storyline is a mystery that was fun to try to figure out with Katie and the oh-so glamorous librarian. The added bonus of a budding romance makes this story complete. Sounds like a very simple storyline, right? But it's not because Kephart has a magical way with words, she touches places deep in the heart. She doesn't do anything fancy, but instead she stays so true to the human condition and it shines throughout these pages. I feel blessed to have read this book and this is one that I stand on top of the rooftops shouting to the masses, "READ THIS BOOK, YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!"


One of my favorite passages from the book:

I lost Mom until the parade moved on, wound itself away from the harbor and up into the crooked streets. I turned and saw her standing on the edge of things--too thin, I realize now, and frail, the wind caught up in her hair. She'd kept her secret the whole trip long. She stood in that strange, chilled mist, alone, alive , but knowing what would come. History is never absolute truth. It isn't just the thing that was. It's the thing that could have been.

p.210

Others who have read and reviewed this beautiful work of art:

Things Mean A Lot
Presenting Lenore
My Friend Amy
Bermuda Onion

Review: Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Title and Author of book: Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Fiction or non-fiction: Fiction
Genre: YA
Where did I get the book: My public Library
Challenges that this fulfilled: YA Challenge

Who recommended this book to me?: I've been reading Dessen forever, so when I heard she had a new book coming out I immediately put a request in for it.

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending!

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

What did you like most about this book? I really liked how Dessen showed that Auden's parents were actually very demanding and hard on Auden. She in return, puts all of that stress and expectance of greatness onto her own shoulders, where she starts to crumble from the sheer weight of it. I liked that the step-mom isn't an evil ogre, but actually a real person with issues and someone Auden feels like she can relate to a bit. I love how Auden grows and experiences more of the outside world. Actually hanging out with GIRLS!! and having fun. That was a great side of her that I really enjoyed.

What did you like least? Is it cliche' to say that I loved it all???? Well, I did!

Have you read any other books by this author? I've read every single Dessen book and enjoyed all of them. I'm always amazed at the stories she creates and how she makes me care about the characters. Nothing about her writing is contrived or far-fetched. She has a great insight to teens and most especially the girl psyche. She's one of my favorite YA authors ever and I highly recommend reading her books to anyone!!


What about the ending? Loved the ending. And I really thought the relationship between Auden and Eli rang true.

Library Loot and Waiting on Wednesday

Hosted by Eva at A Stripped Armchair and Marg at Reading Adventures.
We share what we each picked up at the library during the week.

I'm sincerely trying not to check out so many books, I think I'm getting better???? Plus, everyone else told me that these were books that they loved so it's really their fault, right?



Labor Day by Joyce Maynard
Blame goes to Diane from Bibliophile By The Sea








Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
I'm putting this one on Dar!! from Peeking Between the Pages








Lost & Found by Jacqueline Sheehan
Ha!Ha! Another blame to Diane from Bibliophile By The Sea!!!








The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
Cousin Kate by Georgette Heyer
**Blaming Meg from Write Meg for the Grand Sophy
and blaming all of the other great bloggers for bringing back to life Heyer's books so that I can enjoy them!!!





The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith
**I'm going to say that this book is the author's fault!! If I hadn't fell in love with Precious from his #1 Detective series than I might not have heard of Isabel Dalhousie.









To Read List Total today 8/04/2009: 811
Last Week's To Read List total 7/29/2009: 810
Books Read in 2009 to date: 113
Number of Books Checked out from the library:22
Book Blogger Buddies Recommendations TBR List: 206 last week 211 this week


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Waiting on Wednesday
is hosted by
Jill over at Breaking the Spine
that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

While I'm Falling
**I really loved Rest of Her Life by this author and this one sounds as if it will be really good!! It just came out yesterday so I'll be requesting it soon from my library!

From Goodreads:

In While I'm Falling, Laura Moriarty presents a compelling depiction of how one young woman's life changes when her family breaks up for good.

Ever since her parents announced that they're getting divorced, Veronica has been falling. Hard. A junior in college, she has fallen in love. She has fallen behind in her difficult coursework. She hates her job as counselor at the dorm, and she longs for the home that no longer exists. When an attempt to escape the pressure, combined with bad luck, lands her in a terrifying situation, a shaken Veronica calls her mother for help--only to find her former foundation too preoccupied to offer any assistance at all.

But Veronica only gets to feel hurt for so long. Her mother shows up at the dorm with a surprising request--and with the elderly family dog in tow. Boyfriend complications ensue, along with her father's sudden interest in dating. Veronica soon finds herself with a new set of problems, and new questions about love and independence.

Darkly humorous, beautifully written, and filled with crystalline observations about how families fall apart, While I'm Falling takes a deep look at the relationship between a daughter and a mother when one is trying to grow up and the other is trying to stay afloat.

What book are you waiting for?

Teaser Tuesday and It's Tuesday....Where Are You?

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!

As I lie in bed, attempting to mold my pillows into a more comfortable shape, I once again thank heaven that Jane Austen's world has no phones, PDA's, or computers. This is the one time in my life that my happiness won't depend on the leavings of my voicemail and email.

p.135- Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

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It's Tuesday...Where Are You?

I was nursing a broken heart, went to bed and woke up the next morning to find myself in Regency, England!!! Somehow I'm stuck in another woman's life...do I want to go home? Will I find that I would rather be here?
~ Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict

Mailbox Monday and Musing Mondays

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

Best Friends Forever by JenniferWeiner
**I have enjoyed Weiner's books in the past and this one sounds promising!!
From Goodreads:Best Friends Forever is a grand, hilarious, edge-of-your-seat adventure; a story about betrayal and loyalty, family history and small-town secrets. It's about living through tragedy, finding love where you least expect it, and the ties that keep best friends together.




The Day THE FALLS Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan
** I thought the story sounded very interesting so I requested this ARC.
From Goodreads: Set against the tumultuous backdrop of Niagara Falls, at a time when daredevils shot the river rapids in barrels and great industrial fortunes were made and lost as quickly as lives disappeared, The Day the Falls Stood Still is an intoxicating debut novel.

What came for you?

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Library Habits meme:

1. If you don’t frequent your local library, why not?

My problem is that I frequent my library too much!!!!!

2. If you do visit the library, how often do you go?

1-2 times per week, depending on where I am at the time. I have several branches all around me so that is always nice for convenience.

3. Do you have a favorite section that you always head to first, or do you just randomly peruse the shelves?

I always go straight to the new books!!!

4. How many books are you allowed to check out at one time? Do you take advantage of this?

The maximum number of books is 50.

5. How long are you allowed to have the books checked out?

30 days on most ,but new books 14 days.

6. How many times are you allowed to renew your check-outs, if at all?

Once!! which sometimes isn't enough for me!!

7. What do you love best about your particular library?

The people who work there know me by name and always make me feel welcome. Sometimes they direct to a new book because when they received it they thought of me immediately!!

8. What is one thing you wish your library did differently?

I think my library does a great job especially in these tough economic times.

9. Do you request your books via an online catalogue, or through the librarian at your branch?

I do everything online!

10. Have you ever chosen a book on impulse (from the online catalogue OR the shelves) and had it turn out to be totally amazing? If so, what book was it, and why did you love it?

I've done it so many times that it's hard to come up with just one book!!!

Let's Discuss: Review Link Etiquette

I was reading a blog yesterday that clearly stated that if you wanted to link to a review to please ask permission first. OOOPS!! I have quoted several people's reviews on my blog. I have sometimes emailed them and sometimes not. But never once have I not given them credit nor put a link to their review in my quote. Have I breached some form of etiquette here? If these sites had that disclaimer then I most certainly would have contacted them first, but most don't. I'm not out to steal anyone's work.......EVER!!! I like to insert what other people thought about a book that I have just recently read because I feel like it adds a bit of flavor to my reviews. So I guess what I'm getting at is this:

• Should we ask permission BEFORE we ever use anything from someone else's blog ?
• Is it deemed permissable to use quotes from another's review as long as we give them the credit for their words, without asking permission?
• How many people have licensed their blog content with Creative Commons. Org?
• How many people have experienced someone else stealing their blog content and claiming it as their own?

What are your thoughts on this?

Six Sentence Saturday

6 Sentence Saturday Reviews

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- Glad I read but no big deal
2 of Hearts- Why did I finish this?
Joker Card - Don't bother (why did I?)



Mighty Queens of Freeville: A Mother, a Daughter, and the People Who Raised Them
by Amy Dickinson
Reading this book made me feel like I had sat down with an old friend and she was catching me up with what had been happening in her life. Her writing is very captivating. As I was reading this it made me think of Front Porch Tales by Phillip Gulley, a Quaker writer. Both of them have that easy, down-home way about them and it translates into their writing. If you're into memoirs that ring true, then I would suggest reading this one. You'll love her hometown, family, and her memories.








A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen
by Molly Wizenburg
You know how sometimes you see a cover of a book and you're just drawn to it? This is one of those books for me. In between the covers is a heartwarming tale of growing up surrounded by food, family, and love. The recipes made my stomach growl and I am thinking of trying my hand at some of them. Molly's voice is unique, funny, and so real. She made her life experience pop out of the pages and into my mind.....an excellent memoir that just happens to revolve around food!!