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 Queen of Last Hopes by Susan Higginbotham
Source: Sourcebooks
 I knew absolutely nothing about Margaret of Anjou so that was one of the reasons why I wanted to read this book. I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. The writing came across like a textbook to me and I never felt that the characters were really fleshed out and brought to life. I honestly do not care whether I ever read another book about Margaret again...she bored me to tears. I was a bit intrigued by her "maybe" love interests and actually found the male characters more interesting. I would certainly read this author again, as I know of others who have read her works and raved about them, but this story just didn't appeal to me.
My Rating:

"Blood of My Brother" by James LePore

Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Author: James LePore
About (from Goodreads)
When Jay Cassio's best friend is murdered in a job clearly done by professionals, the walls that he has built to protect himself from the world of others begin to shatter. Dan Del Colliano had been his confidante and protector since the men were children on the savage streets of Newark, New Jersey. When Dan supports and revives Jay after Jay's parents die in a plane crash, their bond deepens to something beyond brotherhood, beyond blood. Now Jay, a successful lawyer, must find out why Dan died and find a way to seek justice for his murder.

1.) Reasons you chose this book

I read 'A World I Never Made,' by the author back in 2009, loved it and when James contacted me about reading this one I immediately said yes.

2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this book

• I liked the characters that James brought to life. I could picture having a friend much like Jay and Dan. I understood their relationship and the bond that they forged.
• I had a hard time getting into the pace of the story. I found myself getting lost and at times not really feeling vested in the story.
• I feel bad that I didn't enjoy it because I loved LePore's earlier work. I think I just had a tough time trying to connect to a character. This may boil down to something as simple as, "just not the right time for this book."

3. Reasons for recommending:

• I would like to advise you to read the following reviews for this book. What might not work for me could possibly be the best book you've read this year!

Rating: 2.75/5


Linus's Blanket- "It’s easy for me to remember how absorbing a read Blood of My Brother, by James LePore turned out to be. It was waiting for me when I returned home after the Thanksgiving holiday, and my intention was to flip through a few pages to get a feel for it, but then I couldn’t put it down because I just had to see what would happen next."

 Confessions of a Real Librarian-"This is a fast paced novel that will catch you right from the beginning. LePore seamlessly moves back and forth from the past (how the young boys met, as well as other important times in the boys' lives), to the present. The plot grows deeper and deeper throughout the novel, involving a host of characters and some scary bad guys in high places."

Musings of a Bookish Kitty- "The novel got off to a slow start for me but soon took off. It is an intense book, right up until the end. I was most drawn to the scenes when the author takes the reader back into the characters' pasts, giving us a taste of why the characters are who they are today."

Published: December 28, 2010

Publisher:  The Story Plant

Pages:313

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

ISBN: 9780981956886

 

Disclaimer:Thank you to the author, James LePore 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 or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel

 

  © 2011, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Rose City Readers (January Host)

We share what books that we found 

in our mailboxes last week.

  

The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman- TLC Tour Book

The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton- book from Author

---------------------------------------------------------------

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:

Drinking Closer to Home- dysfunctional family drama 2.75/5

What Would Jane Austen Do?- fun, sexy romp into the past 3/5

Tentative reviews for this week:

Blood of My Brother by James LePore- Tuesday

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt- Wednesday

On my nightstand:

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?)

What Would Jane Austen Do? - Laurie Brown
Source: Sourcebooks (free download in celebration of Jane Austen's Birthday)
I read this book during my flight to and from San Diego last week and what a great way to spend my time! This was a fun, light book into the time period of Jane Austen but with a twist! The main character Eleanor is visiting a countryhouse for a costume design convention in the current day, when she unexpectedly encounters two ghosts who whisk her back in time to right a wrong. I loved learning more about the dress from that time period and how Eleanor tried to be convincing that she knew the norms and customs of early English 1800s. I also really liked how the author was able to work in appearance of the real Jane Austen and her sister into the story- very believable and Eleanor's reactions were hilarious! If you're looking for a fun and sometimes steamy Austen variation this one will be sure to satisfy.
My Rating:

'Drinking Closer to Home' by Jessica Anya Blau (TLC Book Stop)

Genre: Dysfunctional Family Saga
About (from TLC Book Tours)

There is nothing like ten days with one's family to stir up child hood memories.  When Anna, Portia, and Emery's mother, Louise, suffers a massive heart attack, the three grown children return to Santa Barbara as they wait for Louise to either recover or die. 

Anna can't stop thinking about sex with strangers, though in junior high she was terrifyingly certain that her free-loving parents had syphilis.  Portia's beach-bunny teen years feel far away as she struggles in an unfaithful husband who has left her feeling boneless and unsure.  And though Emery's greatest childhood fear was that The Law would catch up with their parents for any one of their numerous  transgressions, now his only worry is that he won't be able to create his own family, a newer, better version that will trump the chaos that ruled his childhood.

But time together also brings to the surface some painful, often heartbreaking secrets that will shake the foundations of everything the siblings know about themselves and their family- secrets that may, perhaps, change the way they view the past as well as the future.

My thoughts:
Well, this will be a short and sweet (maybe not) review...reason being...I just did not care for this book. I found the parents to be narcissistic, neglectful, and frankly, they pissed me off with their behavior. I tried to lighten up and just enjoy this read, but I couldn't. My favorite character and the one that I felt a lot of sympathy for was Emery. He was basically raised by his sisters and really just went about his life. I loved watching him grow into a responsible and loving adult. I will admit to laughing a few times throughout the story, but I guess because I work in a school and see neglect firsthand, I just couldn't accept the almost blatant disregard the parents had for their children and enjoy myself. Others absolutely LOVED this book and found it funny and readable. I found it funny at times, but a painful funny. With all of that being said, I respect the work that the author put into her story and just because it wasn't my cup of tea doesn't mean that you wouldn't enjoy it! 


Rating: 2.75/5


** Please do yourself a favor and visit the other blogs that are hosting this book. I'm sure you will find many different responses to Drinking Closer to Home.

Jessica’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS

Tuesday, January 18th: Teresa’s Reading Corner 

Thursday, January 20th: Scraps of Life

Monday, January 24th: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books

Tuesday, January 25th: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Wednesday, January 26th: Chefdruck Musings

Thursday, January 27th: Book Club Classics!

Tuesday, February 1st: Rundpinne

Wednesday, February 2nd: Write Meg

Thursday, February 3rd: After ‘I Do’

Wednesday, February 9th: Clever Girl Goes Blog

Thursday, February 10th: Alison’s Book Marks

About Jessica Anya Blau

Jessica Anya Blau is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and The Writing Seminars at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her Masters in fiction. Currently, she is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Goucher College in Maryland. She has been awarded scholarships from Bread Loaf and The Sewanee Writer’s Conference, and fellowships from Johns Hopkins University and Sewanee. Her stories have won numerous awards and have appeared in notable magazines and anthologies, as well as the textbook The Prose Reader, Essays for Thinking. Jessica’s first novel, The Summer of Naked Swim Parties, was selected as a Best Summer Reading Book by the Today Show, the New York Post and New York Magazine. The San Francisco Chronicle, along with other major newspapers, chose The Summer of Naked Swim Parties as a Best Book of 2008.

Find out more about Jessica at her website, and follow her on Facebook!

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for sending me an uncorrected ARC review copy. I was not compensated for my review. 
My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.
Source: TLC Book Tour 




Author: Jessica Anya Blau
Published: January 18, 2011

Publisher:  Harper Perennial

Pages: 368

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

© 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

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

Mailbox Monday

is hosted by Rose City Readers (January Host)
We share what books that we found 
in our mailboxes last week.

We All Fall Down: Living with Addiction- win from Jan @ Eating YA

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakthrough-TLC Tour book

--------------------------------------------------------

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 this past week:

The Lotus Eaters- perfection..don't miss out on reading this book 5/5

The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy- a fun P&P variation 3.75/5 

Tentative reviews for this week:

What Would Jane Austen Do?- Tuesday

Blood of My Brother- Thursday

On my nightstand:

'The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy' by Mary Lydon Simonsen

Genre: Jane Austen Variation
About the book (from Goodreads) :
Convinced that the lovely Elizabeth Bennet is her brother's soul mate, Georgiana Darcy enlists her clever and not at all snobbish cousin Anne de Bourgh in ensuring that pride and prejudice aren't able to keep these two hearts apart. All is going according to plan until Lydia Bennet brings scandal on the family by eloping with George Wickham, and Darcy is called away from Elizabeth's side before he has a chance to propose. It will take all Georgiana and Anne's considerable matchmaking talents to ensure that Elizabeth and Darcy are reunited in time to claim their happily ever after.

Why I wanted to read this book: I'm addicted to all things Jane Austen and I'm often fantasize of being Mrs. Darcy!
 
What worked for me:

• I loved getting to know Anne de Bourgh and Georgiana better with this retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I often thought that if just given the chance Anne would stand up and speak her voice. They were both very clever in their manipulation of Darcy and making sure that he and Elizabeth would be in close proximity to one another.
• My dislike for Caroline Bingley grew with each page...it's almost fun to hate her!! And I thought the author did a great job of making Wickham, a very bad boy!!
• There were a few moments where I did find the retelling a bit slow. I think this may be because I'm so familiar with the story and at times the author didn't stray far from the original. But I feel that she did change it up a bit and really made the story fun and fresh.
• Oh, I almost forgot about the great twist the author added to Jane's story...I really thought this was very, very clever and it totally worked for me! I'm being cryptic because I don't want to ruin your read!!

Recommend?  For those that love all things Austen, then this is a book that I wouldn't hesitate to tell you to read. It's charming and cute...nothing earth-shattering, but a good read that explores two characters that some of us would like to get to know in more depth. I think Mary Lydon Simonsen is a writer that will continue to deliver with her retellings of Austen's characters!

My Rating: 3.75/5

Author: Mary Lydon Simonsen

Pages: 384 (uncorrected ARC)

Genre: Austen Variation

ISBN: 9781402240256

 

Disclaimer:Thank you to Danielle of Sourcebooks 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 or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel

  © 2010, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.