Six Sentence Saturday- 3 very different books

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?)



Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult (click on title for synopsis)
Source: Shelf Awareness ARC
I have read Picoult for a long time now and for the most part she has delivered good solid reads. This one is no different in that sense. As for me, I think I'm burnt out on the same scenarios she presents in her books- controversial subjects, bad guy, good guy, and a battle in court. I don't know why I wasn't drawn to this story as I expected to be...I found myself not connecting with the characters and I pretty much knew how the story was going to turn out.  Not a terrible read but not one that will stay with me down the road.
My Rating:

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell (click on title for story synopsis)
Source: Kindle free download offered by Sourcebooks
I have become addicted to Jill Mansell!! Her books are fun, fast, and she really spins a great story! I totally enjoyed the complications that her characters experienced in their lives. There were so many fun moments and a few of those "aha" ones to boot. Who can resist characters that pop off the pages and really pull the reader into their tale? Mansell delivers another solid Brit Chic adventure and I can't wait to read another one of her books!
My Rating:

Choosing to See: A Journal of Struggle and Hope by Mary Beth Chapman (click on title for synopsis)
Source: My public library
Read because of these fellow bloggers reviews:
My Friend Amy, & Lynne's Book Reviews
I've been a fan of Steven Curtis Chapman for over 15 years and when I heard about the accident that killed their youngest child my heart hurt for the entire family. This is Mary Beth's (his wife) story about how she and her family have made it through the last two years. This book had me blubbering at the prologue! It's heart wrenching to read but it also left me with a heart that swelled with hope! Mary Beth is honest about the struggles her family encountered and never tries to sugarcoat her anger, despair, and her questioning God's will.  I'm glad that I read this book....it's made me ponder things in my own life.
My rating: 

'Beautiful Disaster' by Laura Spinella

About the book:
Mia Wells is poised to finalize the deal that will make her eco-friendly career goals a reality.  The moment is interrupted when an unexpected phone call ushers in a tremulous past.  The man she’s always loved, the one who abandoned her years before, has mysteriously resurfaced. As the past and present reconcile, Mia’s what ifs are endless.  Filled with sweetness and suspense, Beautiful Disaster is an achingly powerful tale—the kind of love story each of us wishes was ours to tell.

My Thoughts:
Beautiful Disaster was a beautiful debut novel! I was hooked from the first chapter and had a hard time putting the book down. I loved the way the author worked the relationships in the story and I felt pretty connected to Mia. I absolutely understood (from personal experience) of falling in the love with a dangerous person and how intoxicating that love affair can become. I thought the pacing of the story was great..never a dull moment. The characters were fleshed out and the events unfolded in such a manner that kept me reading for hours at a time.

Recommend? Yes...without hesitation
Why? Because at the end of the book I was totally satisfied with my reading experience!

Rating: 8.5/10

Published: January 4, 2011

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Pages: 384

Genre: Page turning women's fiction with fantastic writing!

ISBN: 9780425238608

Visit the author's website
Buy the book here

Disclaimer:Thank you to Laura Spinella and Erin Galloway of Penguin 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.

'The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus' by Sonya Sones (TLC Book Tour Stop)

IS IT A BAD SIGN?


Is it 
a bad sign

if when you hear
the next-door neighbor's daughter
singing "Now I Know My ABC's"

it reduces you 
to tears?

[p.219]



About the book (TLC Website):
Celebrated YA novelist Sonya Sones makes a HUGE splash with her first adult novel, The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus, spinning a funny, fierce, and piercingly honest coming-of-middle-age story about falling apart and putting yourself back together. Written in Sones’s unique creation of seamless narrative written in free verse. The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus is a luminous, brilliantly told story of life, marriage, and parenthood that you will not soon forget.

My Thoughts:

This book is filled with emotions, emotions, emotions!

So many I've experienced
Some still to come.

I found myself laughing,
crying, and after reading certain pages,
coming undone.

Sones has taken her life
and laid it bare for all to see
but honestly I feel that
She's talking about ME!

Our lives play out in stages
that fly by way too fast.
After reading this book
I wish some stages would stay a bit longer,
while others I'm glad are past.

This book was a joy and I'm
glad that I experienced it
because I felt like I was listening to a friend.
When I turned the last page I was sad
because the story had come to an end.

Recommend? Absolutely...especially for those 40+!  So many things that Sonya Sones writes about will hit home with you. Being a child, teen, falling in love for the first time, having children, empty nest, losing the spark within your marriage, divorce, finding love again, infidelity, aging parents, sagging body parts (very true!) and just about getting older.....read this book and I guarantee that you will find yourself laughing one minute, sighing the next, and maybe shedding a few tears!

Rating: 10/10
P.S. I've read all of Sones work and loved each one..she delivers!

Published: 2011

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 421

Genre: A Woman's life told in verse

ISBN: 9780061458590

 

About Sonya Sones

Sonya Sones is the author of four acclaimed novels for teens—Stop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy; What My Mother Doesn’t Know; One of Those Hideous Books Where The Mother Dies; and What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know. She lives in California with her family.
Visit Sonya at her website, and friend her on Facebook.

 

Disclaimer:Thank you to TLC Book Tours 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.

'The Peach Keeper' by Sarah Addison Allen (TLC Review + Book Giveaway)

 
I would put the synopsis of the book here for you to read, but honestly I think it gives away too much of the story. I liked this blurb on TLC's webpage and thought it fit what you can expect from this book perfectly!

                   Allen juggles smalltown history and mystical thriller, character development and

eerie  magical realism in a fine Southern gothic drama. 

The underlying tension will please and unnerve readers,

as well as leave them eager for Allen’s next.
-Publisher’s Weekly

 

My Thoughts: I have been anxiously waiting for this book to come out! I fell under Sarah's spell when I happened upon "Garden Spells" on my library shelves way back in 2007. After that I have literally gobbled up everything this author has offered and I happy to say that I really enjoyed this one. I actually felt like I was watching a version of "Practical Magic" while I was reading this book. I enjoyed the southern location. What's not to love about the quaint and charming town of Water Falls, North Carolina? Allen once again serves up a great cast of characters along with food (click here for Rachel's coffee snacks) that had my mouth watering. What I truly enjoyed the most was the underlying message of true friendship...you don't find that every day and when you do, you need to value it and take care of it.

Recommend? Absolutely..if this is your first time reading Allen you will not be disappointed and I'm sure it will cause you to search out her other magical creations! Be warned though...once you start you will become addicted. But I'm sure that is what Sarah intended all along....she's magical that way!!! Read an excerpt from The Peach Keeper right now....

Rating: 8.5/10

Published: March 22, 2011

Publisher: Bantam

Pages:273

Genre: Another delicious and magical southern story

ISBN: 9780553807226

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah's website: 

Book Club discussion questions

Like Sarah on Facebook

Sarah on Twitter 

Visit the other blogs on her TLC Tour




Fill out the form below for a chance to
win a copy of "The Peach Keeper."

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

Mailbox Monday

is a gathering place for readers to

share the books that came into their house last week 

and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Hosted this month by

Passages to the Past 

 

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay (TLC Tour Book)

Faith : a Novel by Jennifer Haigh- Vine Voice Program from Amazon
Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens- review copy from St. Martin's Press (I'm VERY excited about this one)

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

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and reviewed last week:

The Trouble with Mr. Darcy- not the best but not the worst I've read...7/10

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown- funny and witty....great southern author! 7.5/10

Reviews for this week:

The Peach Keeper (TLC Tour Stop)- Tuesday

Beautiful Disaster- Wednesday

The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus (TLC Tour Stop)-Thursday

Miranda's Big Mistake- Six Sentence Saturday

Choosing to See- Six Sentence Saturday

On my nightstand:

'Miss Hildreth Wore Brown: Andecdotes of a Southern Belle' by Olivia deBelle Byrd

 

  Short synopsis from Goodreads:
With storytelling written in the finest Southern tradition from the soap operas of Chandler Street in the quaint town of Gainesville, Georgia, to a country store on the Alabama state line, Olivia deBelle Byrd delves with wit and amusement into the world of the Deep South with all its unique idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms.




My Thoughts: This book was a fun way to spend a few hours. I loved the author's voice and I could almost imagine it inside my head. The story behind the title of the book was very funny! Miss Hildreth was buried in a brown suit and the horror of it all was that the color just didn't do her dead body justice! Could you imagine talking about that at someone's funeral??? This book had me laughing off and on, and smiling most of the time I was reading it. I'm not sure if the author will like this or not but my favorite "character" in her book was her HUSBAND!! He's a riot and I loved his sense of humor.

Recommend? Yes, I do. This is just a fun way to experience the customs and rituals of Southern women. I believe we really do have a lot in common, probably more than we think!

Rating: 7.5/10

Please visit Olivia deBelle Byrd's website.
Visit other blogs on her tour!

Disclaimer:Thank you to Olivia deBelle Byrd 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

Published: May 1, 2010

Publisher: Morgan James Publishing

Pages: 176

Genre: Southern Humor

ISBN: 9781600377488

 

© 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.

"TheTrouble with Mr. Darcy' by Sharon Lathan

What is this book about?
In the fifth in Sharon Lathan's bestselling series, George Wickham returns to Hertfordshire bent on creating trouble, and Elizabeth and her newborn son are thrown into danger. Knowing that Wickham has nothing left to lose, Darcy and Fitzwilliam rush to the rescue in a race against time. This lushly romantic story takes a turn for the swashbuckling when Mr. Darcy has to confront the villainous Wickham and his own demons at the same time... devoted as he is, what battles within will Mr. Darcy have to face?

What I liked:

• an interesting plot that kept me turning the pages to see how it would all turn out.
• stayed fairly true to Austen's voice in regards to the time period and setting.
• loved the introduction of new characters. Could lead to other books featuring Georgiana, whom I've really enjoyed getting to know in this book and would be interested to continue her story.

What I wasn't that crazy about:

• Darcy was too perfect. Don't get me wrong I love my Darcy but the man has to have some flaws or else he's plastic (fake). I wanted more conflict between Darcy and Elizabeth so that I could remember why I liked Lizzy Bennett in the first place. Talk about submissive! Elizabeth was just a tad too weak for me.
• The excessive fawning between Darcy and Elizabeth and too much sex! Egads...did I just say that? Too much hot sex with Darcy??? Yep, I did. Why? Because it just didn't ring true with me. Yes, they're newlyweds (sort of..3 years married) but every time you turn the page they're ripping each others clothes off. I just didn't buy into it even though I really wanted to.
• Too many details about "stuff" that really didn't add to the story but rather felt like a distraction.

Recommend?
Yes, I would recommend this one to those Austen fans that want to read anything that brings us closer to Darcy and Lizzy. I myself would read this author again and in fact I will be reading her first book, Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Two Shall Become One, soon as I was able to download this free to my Kindle a few months ago.

Rating: 7/10
Disclaimer:Thank you to Beth Pehlke @ 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

Published: April 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Pages: 368

Genre: Darcy Saga

ISBN: 9781402237546

*Uncorrected Advance Copy

 

© 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 a gathering place for readers to

share the books that came into their house last week 

and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Hosted this month by

Passages to the Past 

The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation #5) by Lauren Willig

The Masque of the Black Tulip (Pink Carnation #2) by Lauren Willig 

** I bought both of these books in the used section of Shuler Books & Music in East Lansing. I could've walked out with a ton more but common sense prevailed!!! 

Total spent: $14.50 

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

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and reviewed last week:

My Jane Austen Summer- loved it! very original and a contemporary setting! 8.5/10

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do- one of my absolute favorite P&P Variations!! 9.5/10

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet- good cozy mystery and fun way to spend a few hours 3/5

Reviews this week:

The Trouble with Mr. Darcy- Tuesday

Miss Hildreth Wore Brown- Wednesday

Miranda's Big Mistake-Thursday

On my nightstand: still working on the same ones posted last week

Six Sentence Saturday- Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet

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?)

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet (Agatha Raisin #2)
by M.C. Beaton
Source: Library Sale- 25 cents!
I really love this crotchety middle aged woman named Agatha. She makes me smile and laugh because she just says it like it is. She recently retired from public relations and is finding that she's quite bored. After her first successful attempt at solving a murder she gets a bit of an over-inflated ego and believes she's the only one who can find out the answer as to who wanted the local veterinarian dead. The plus side for her (she has a mad wild crush on James) is that her neighbor, retired military man, James Lacey is also bored and so he accompanies her on sleuthing excursions. This makes for a fun, fast, and satisfying read and is a cozy mystery series I will continue to pick up from time to time!
Rating:

Published: 1994

Publisher: Fawcett Books

Pages: 192

Genre: British Cozy Mystery

ISBN:   0804111626

© 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.

'Only Mr. Darcy Will Do' by Kara Louise

1. Title of book:  
Only Mr. Darcy Will Do 
by Kara Louise
short synopsis: After her father's death, Elizabeth Bennet goes to work as a governess. Little does she know, the Willstones are social acquaintances of the Bingley's and the Darcy's, and Elizabeth finds herself once again drawn into Mr. Darcy's orbit. With Elizabeth's social status even lower than it was before, she knows she must abandon all hope of Darcy renewing his proposals, even as she begins to see him in a completely different light....

2. Words to describe the book: charming, original, nerve-wracking, satisfying....

3. Location or characters you met:

• Elizabeth Bennett: I honestly can not get enough of Elizabeth Bennett. She's one character that I truly adore and have often wanted to just be her! I thought the situation that the author put Elizabeth in was pure genius and so very believable!!
• Mr. Darcy : once again I found myself falling in love with Darcy. Oh, if I could only get my husband to read one of these books and then to embrace me and turn my face to him and tell me "how ardently I love you!"
• The Willstones, their daughter Emily, and the overzealous Miss Matthews: even though they played minor roles within the story, they were crucial to how Elizabeth and Darcy meet up after over a years absence.

4. Things you liked/disliked:

• I thought that this was one of the best ORIGINAL variations of Pride & Prejudice that I have read to-date! I really enjoyed the storyline and felt that the author stayed very true to the themes of Austen.
• Loved the ending....
• I think this would actually make a great movie...hello BBC are you listening?!
• It was absolutely satisfying from the beginning to the end. I want to delve into Kara Louise's other books!

5. Rating:  9.5/10


Thank you to Beth 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.

Review Style patterned after Show Me 5 

Published: March, 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Pages: 354

Genre: Pride and Prejudice Variation

ISBN: 9781402241031

*Uncorrected Advance Copy

 

© 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.

'My Jane Austen Summer: A Season in Mansfield Park' by Cindy Jones- TLC Book Tour

Synopsis from TLC Book Tours:
Lily is a dreamer. In fact, her dreams of Jane Austen have gotten a little out of control. Not only has she just been let go of her job for reading Northanger Abbey when she should be doing work, she's taken to having an imaginary friend give her advice-Jane herself! So when she gets the amazing opportunity to travel to London to re-enact Austen's  Mansfield Park, she leaps at the chance. But though it seems like Lily will be escaping her troubles, the truth is she'll begin facing-and dealing-with them....with a little help from Jane, of course!

My Jane Austen lurked in the fringes, but it would come to nothing. In an effort to explain my bad behavior with Sixby, I'd told My Jane Austen, I don't know how to have a relationship with a man. With my father never home, and my mother unhappy most of her life, my entire knowledge of happy relationships came from books. You raised me, Jane. So forgive me this mistake. I know what I did was wrong.
*[p. 256]

My Thoughts:
From the excerpt above we glean from the story that Lily, the protagonist, loses herself in Jane Austen's stories because her family life leaves her sad. I think many of us have found ourselves getting lost in a book, especially to escape from the everyday average life. I have often wanted to live inside a story and it won't come as a surprise to many who read my blog that I would love to live out Pride and Prejudice just once!! For me, I thought this book was simply delightful. I connected with Lily and could really understand her neediness and that all too consuming desire to be loved by anyone. I was especially blown away by the fact that this is Cindy Jones' debut novel! She crafted a story that flowed and kept my interest. The descriptions were detailed enough to make the scenes come to life inside my head.

Recommend? Absolutely! It does help if you have a bit of prior knowledge of Mansfield Park before reading this one, but I wouldn't say that it is a must. I've watched the movie version and that was enough for me to get the parallels between Fannie and Lily. If you're totally obsessed with all things Austen then this is a MUST read for you!!

Rating: 8.5/10

Published: April 2011

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages:352

Genre: Absolutely satisfying Austenesque story!

ISBN: 9780062003973

 

 

About Cindy Jones

Cindy Jones was born in Ohio and grew up in small midwestern towns, reading for escape. She is a winner of the Writers’ League of Texas Manuscript Contest, and she lives with her family in Dallas.
You can find Cindy at her blog, First Draft, and on Facebook.

 Stop by these blogs to read their thoughts!

Disclaimer:Thank you to TLC Book Tours 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 a gathering place for readers to

share the books that came into their house last week 

and explore great book blogs. 

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Hosted this month by

Passages to the Past 

The Truth about Mr. Darcy by Susan Adriani- review copy from Sourcebooks

Mr. Darcy and the Secret of Becoming a Gentleman by Maria Hamilton- review copy from Sourcebooks

** I'm sorry about all of the Austen variation overloads...I'm slightly addicted!! 

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

Hosted by Sheila @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books

We discuss the books that we've read and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and reviewed last week:

Wickham's Diary- 4/10 could've been better

Lost & Found by Shaun Tan- visually powerful 8.5/10

What Would Mr. Darcy Do by Abigail Reynolds- great P&P variation 8/10

Reviews for this week:

My Jane Austen Summer- Tuesday TLC Book Stop

Only Mr. Darcy Will Do- Wednesday

Agatha Raisin and the Vicious Vet- Six Sentence Saturday

On my nightstand:

24 RAT- Have fun everyone!

Hi Everyone!!

I'm not sure that I will be reading all 24 hours today but I will be cheering each of you on in my own way! My son is coming home from Spring Break and chaos will reign in the house. Plus...the sun is shining (FINALLY!) here in Michigan and I may take a walk with the dogs later today. When and if I read more than one book I will update on this post so that for the day I only have one post going!
So with all of that being said here's what my plans are for today:


1)Where are you reading from today?
I'm going to read from my cozy mystery stash today!

2)Three random facts about me…
I'm very OCD about things, I love M&M's in my popcorn, and I like to get up in the wee hours of morning for the solitude!!

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
3

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?
No goals...no nothing! I will try to visit blogs as the day allows.

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Just enjoy the day and don't put any pressure on yourself!!

'What Would Mr. Darcy Do?' by Abigail Reynolds

About the book (from the author's website):
(Previously published as From Lambton to Longbourn)
But what if Darcy hadn’t immediately left the inn? What if Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy had chosen to speak their feelings rather than to assume the worst about the other? Jane Austen’s beloved characters are given the opportunity to reach out one last time before they part. While their path forward is still filled with misadventures and misunderstandings it is rich with humor, romance, and sensuality as they learn about each other and the meaning of love.



My Thoughts:
Ahhhhh...what bliss this book was! I loved the little twists that Reynolds put to her Pride & Prejudice variation. It made for an interesting read and she changed the story up just enough to keep my attention. This was certainly a fun way to spend a few hours!! I absolutely loved 'To Conquer Mr. Darcy' that I read last year and one of my favorite aspects of that book was the way the author added some steaminess to Darcy and Elizabeth's relationship. Well, she didn't let me down with this one either!! I really like how she portrays Darcy as a man who worships the woman that he loves...makes my heart swoon a bit!! Now if I could just convince my husband to wear that Mr. Darcy shirt maybe we could re-enact some of those steamy scenes!!!!

Recommend? Absolutely! This one was just fun and original. It took me about two hours to read it and not once did my attention waver. This is one P&P variation that you should add to your list!!

Rating: 8/10

Disclaimer:Thank you to Beena @ 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

Published: March, 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Pages: 230

Genre: Pride and Prejudice Variation

ISBN: 9781402240935

*Uncorrected Advance Copy

 

© 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.

'Lost & Found' by Shaun Tan

About (from back of book): This book contains 3 stories : A girl finds a bright spot in a dark world. A boy leads a strange, lost creature home. And a group of peaceful creatures cedes their home to cruel invaders.

My Thoughts:

Shaun Tan has created a world that speaks differently to each person who opens up this book. I'm drawn by his quirky and strange images. I have a copy of "The Arrival" on my middle school library shelves and students often like to tell me what they thought the images were about. I love hearing their interpretations and comparing them to mine. I'm just a bit afraid that the first story, The Red Tree, may be one that younger readers may not connect with, but the The Lost Thing and The Rabbits are both stories that are universal. I will certainly be adding this title to my school collection because I can see people, young and old alike, getting lost in his artwork and letting the story take over their imagination.

Recommend? Yes, especially if you've never had the opportunity to see Tan's artwork. Each page is a new adventure and what I love the most is that no two person's experience will be the same!!

The Lost Thing, The Red Tree, and The Rabbits

Disclaimer:Thank you to Amazon Vine Program 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

Published: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic

Pages:unnumbered

Genre: Graphic Novel/Picture Book

ISBN: 9780545229241

*Uncorrected Advance Copy

 

© 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.

'Wickham's Diary' by Amanda Grange

About the book: (From Goodreads):
This prequel to Pride and Prejudice begins with George Wickham at age 12, handsome and charming but also acutely aware that his friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, is rich, whilst he is poor. His mother encourages him to exercise his charm on the young Georgiana Darcy and Anne de Bourgh in the hopes of establishing a stable of wealthy social connections. At university, Darcy and Wickham grow apart. Wickham is always drinking and wenching, whilst Darcy, who apparently has everything, is looking for something he cannot find. Wickham runs through the money Darcy gives him and then takes up with the scandalous Belle, a woman after Wickham's own greedy, black heart.

My Thoughts:
I have to admit that I was disappointed in this one. No two ways about it. I thought and hoped that the author would develop Wickham's character and really give us (her idea why) the reason why he turned out to be such an abuser of women! Alas, I was wrong. He seems to have just been a bad egg, which he came by honestly enough from his manipulative mother. I'm glad that this one was short ,so I didn't feel too terrible about the time I spent reading it.

Recommend? Only to the die-hard Austen fans out there that feel they must read all of the variations available. I would, however, recommend Mr. Darcy's Diary, which Grange wrote and that I totally loved!!

Rating: 4/10

Please visit Austenesque Reviews for her thoughts on this one!

Disclaimer:Thank you to Beena @ 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

Published: March, 2011

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Pages: 198

Genre: Pride and Prejudice Variation

ISBN: 9781402251863

*Uncorrected Advance Copy

 

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