Kylee's 2009

Hello

2010-01-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

It's been three months since I posted a reminder here. 30 of you are still "Following" this blog, but I have moved. You can now find my new posts @ Kylee's Journal.

I have moved

2009-09-16T12:21:00.001-04:00

If you have not done so already, please be sure to change your links and/or feed subscriptions.
Kylee's Journal

School is starting...

2009-08-22T09:34:00.002-04:00

for my 15yo daughter late this coming week. I have been absent from my blog (and twitter, but that is a separate issue) most of her summer break.

Starting Tuesday September 1 I will resume posting on a regular basis. I owe quite a few reviews and will be working on those in the intervening 10 days. My regular posting will be taking place on my new blog. In the next 10 days I will also be working on fine tuning: Kylee's Journal

You can now find me on Twitter as: KsJournal

Reading Wrap-Up: June

2009-07-01T07:00:00.002-04:00

List of books I finished in June 2009

Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey
Shimmer by Eric Barnes
Testimony by Anita Shreve
Four Wives by Wendy Walker

Review Rewind of: Jaclyn's Ghost

2009-06-11T07:00:00.001-04:00

Last month Dorlana Vann's book Jaclyn's Ghost was published, along with her book Passage to Mesentia, in paperback. To help celebrate I thought I would re-post my review of Jaclyn's Ghost which I read while I was blogging in 2008. What follows is my review and an interview with Dorlana.

Jaclyn's Ghost is a very well written love story about Jaclyn Jade and Logan Smith. At the beginning of the story Jaclyn realizes, with the help of Logan, that she is dead. More specifically, she's a ghost. Logan died in the 1920s when the site of Sunset Apartments was a hotel. Dorlana Vann lends a great twist to the question of "where do we go when we die". "Hell" is really Earth, were we repeat our past mistakes or learn from them with each subsequent life. I really liked this take on it, of course I already think that our souls live more than one life on this planet. I've given Jaclyn's Ghost 'only' 4 stars out of 5 because with the paranormal and mystery elements it's not for everyone.

"Jaclyn stared at the stranger. Nothing made sense. He wore a black jacket over a double-breasted vest and dress pants. Clearly bought off the rack, but still, it was a bit much for a burglar. She wondered why he hadn't left when he had the chance."

Dorlana Vann was kind enough to let me interview her. Here are my (probably silly) questions and her answers. Nothing was cut or edited in any way except (!) where I have things written in [ ]s. That is stuff I have added as I typed this. =)

~Kylee's Book Blog: I read in your interview on Studio 3B Author Spotlight that you get a good chunk of your writing done in the early mornings. Do you have any superstitions or rituals when you are writing? Is there anything in particular that inspires you?
Dorlana Vann: All I need is a cup of strong coffee and complete quiet. My inspirations simply come from the types of stories that I like; I enjoy adventures, fairy tales, love stories, the supernatural, suspense ancient civilizations and treasure hunts.

KBB: If you had to describe your writing to someone in only 3 words, what would they be?
DV: Quirky, Supernatural, Fun

KBB: What does your family think of your writing?
DV: They are my biggest fans and my biggest critics. I can always count on them to tell me exactly what they think – even if it isn’t pretty. They are very supportive and helpful.

KBB: What kinds of TV shows do you watch?
DV: I’m kind of a reality show junkie: American Idol, American’s Next Top Model, Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares and The Apprentice are my favorites. My all time favorite TV show is Angel – vampires and great dialogue, what more could you ask for? I hated to see it go.

KBB: What is the one item that you could not live without? What is your favoite junk/comfort food?
DV: At this point it would have to be my computer. I know it's the obvious anwer, but so true. And I love dark chocolate and cake... any kind of cake.

KBB: Where can my readers buy your books?
DV: http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook66597.htm?cache [to make it easier, I have linked the image of Jaclyn's Ghost, both in this review and in the Featured Selections, to this address]

KBB: What are you working on currently?
DV: I’m working on my next book, Passage to Mesentia. It is another paranormal mystery, but it is a little darker than Jaclyn’s Ghost. It will be released in ebook Jan 2009 and then will be in a 2 volume print book under Tease Publications Dark Tarot Series for the Death Card around March 2009. Here is a blurb:

After Wade and Bella find Bella’s archaeologist parents murdered, they are approached by a mysterious stranger who is searching for an amulet. He claims Bella’s parents smuggled it out of Cairo for him and convinces them to follow her parent’s clues to its whereabouts before its ancient curse is used for evil.

KBB: Any other plug you would like me to give? [I think all new writers deserve a lot of chances to advertise their groups and such]

DV: My writers group, Humble Fiction Café, has just release our first anthology, Split. You can find all the information and read one of my short stories from the book on my website – www.dorlanavann.com

Visit my blog (www.dorlana.blogspot.com ) Supernatural Fairy Tales, to read fairy tale inspired short stories, poems, and articles.

What are you paranormal and mystery fans waiting for? Click and buy!

Buy Death: Passage to Mesentia and Jaclyn's Ghost by Dorlana Vann:
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Musing Mondays {6-8-09}

2009-06-08T10:31:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time…

Do you have a set reading time (before bed, perhaps)? Do you read more at night or during the day? Is there a day of the week, perhaps, that you set aside to catch up on reading?

I always read at least 15 minutes before bed. It helps me clear my head and 'settle'. Since my honey usually takes at least our 3yo to his parents house on Sundays I tend to get quite a bit of reading done then.

Don't forget to visit Just One More Page for more musings.

Review of: Strange Angels

2009-06-05T06:00:00.004-04:00

Author: Lili St. Crow
ISBN: 9781595142511
Pages: 304
Published by: Razorbill (May 2009)
Genre(s): Paranormal, Young Adult
Grade: C+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 -

My first impression of Strange Angels is that it is pretty similar to (one of my favorite shows) Supernatural. In the 1st season of Supernatural we learn that the brothers were raised my their ex-Marine father because their mother was killed when the younger one was just an infant. The boys and their father have gone on to hunt and kill demons, ghosts and other "bump-in-the-night" things. In Strange Angels Dru is an only child and a girl, that was about the extent of the differences.

Over all, I enjoyed the 'meat' of Strange Angels. Given that it is paranormal YA, the plot is believable. There is a second book int the series coming in the Spring of 2010 and I will be on the look out for it; I'm willing to the series and author another shot.

My 'issues' with this book: For a book labeled YA I think there is too much swearing and drinking done. Dru is 16, disdains smoking, but thinks nothing of adding Jim Beam to her Coke? Also certain parts felt formulaic. More than once things 'unreel' before her (stairs and roads).

What follows in my 15yo old daughter's review of Strange Angels. It is all in her own words; I didn't change a thing. We decided not to put her name out here into the wilds of the internet. Since she is often hyper, some of her friends have taken to calling her Candi, so that is the name she will use on the reviews that she writes for me. =)

Strange Angels by Lili St Crow was, in my opinion, a thrilling book. It had me hooked until the very last page and left me wanting more. It had a delicate balance of high heart pounding action and a slight taste of teenage romance. The fight scenes were so elaborately described, they appealed to all of my senses. I could feel the burn of the zombie goo and smell the rotting stench of it's body. It leaves a vivid picture in my head even weeks after reading it. ~Candi

Buy Strange Angels by Lili St Crow:
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Review of: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

2009-06-03T06:00:00.008-04:00

Author: Katherine Howe
ISBN: 9781401340902
Pages: 371
Published by: Hyperion Voice (June 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - 2009 Pub Challenge

Please note: All quotes and page numbers come from the ARC and there fore may vary from the completed, finished version. I waited until the last minute to try to verify them with the publisher and was unable to verify them so close to the date I promised my review would be up.

Part love story, part mystery, part historical fiction... I loved (!!!) The Physick book of Deliverance Dane by new author Katherine Howe.

The Physick book of Deliverance Dane follows graduate student Connie Goodwin and her dog Arlo in the 1990's, Deliverance Dane and a few of her descendants. In the 1690's Deliverance is accused of being a witch.

While Connie is attempting to clean out her deceased grandmother's home in Marblehead Massachusetts she finds a key hidden in an old Bible belonging to the family. It isn't just a plain, old key though.

It was a key. Antique, about three inches long, with an ornate handle and hollow shaft, probably designed for a door or a substantial chest. She turned the key over in the soft light from the lamp, wondering why it had been hidden in the Bible. It seemed too bulky for a bookmark. As she warmed the small metal object in her hands, puzzling about what it could mean, she noticed the tiniest shred of paper protruding from the end of the hollow shaft.

After finding the key with the slip of paper inside (a slip of paper containing nothing except the words "Deliverance Dane") Connie begins investigating what her advisor thinks maybe the name of a person. Connie comes across not a few obstacles on her journey, including meeting Sam the architectural preservationist she can't stop thinking about. Sam becomes more help than hindrance though.

I'd like to share with you one bit from The Physick book of Deliverance Dane that really struck a chord with me:

"Yeah, but it speaks to how alienated we all are from history," Connie grumbled, blue eyes darkening. "For generations the witch trials were such an embarrassment that no one would discuss them. A proper history of them wasn't even written until the end of the nineteenth century. Now look at it -- it's a carnival."

Connie looked around at the relaxed people milling about the esplanade, gazing into the windows of costume shops and card readers. She tried to imagine other violent, oppressive periods of history that had similarly been transformed into a source of amusment and tourism but could not think of any. Did Spain have Inquisition wax museums, showing effigies of people broken on the rack?

This one is going on my "Keeper" shelf and I hope to have the money to buy the finished book once it comes out June 9th!

Buy The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe:
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Teaser Tuesdays {6-2-09}

2009-06-02T13:09:00.002-04:00

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.

This week's Teaser comes from Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey. These sentences come from page 156.

As if I hadn't reason enough to love them, they'd stood by me during my madness, tending to me with care while I ranted and raved. The things I'd said were seared into my memory.

Don't forget to visit MizB's Should Be Reading for more teasing!

Buy Kushiel's Mercy by Jacqueline Carey:
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Reading Wrap-Up: May

2009-06-01T09:00:00.001-04:00

List of books that I finished in May 2009

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See
Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey
Strange Angels by Lili Crow
Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey
Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton
LOST Ate My Life by Jon "DocArzt" Lachonis and Amy "hijinx" Johnston
Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey

Reaghan (my 3yo) and I didn't do a lot of reading in May. We have started Poppy's Perfect Home by we're only about 2/3 through it. She hasn't wanted anyone to read to her. She's 'reading' by herself. She takes down books that have been read to her a bunch of times and tells herself the story while flipping through the pages. (It's pretty cute to watch.)

Review of: Jasmine's Starry Night

2009-05-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

Author: Kay Woodward
ISBN: 9780723259220
Pages: 69
Published by: Warne (March 2008)
Genre(s): Children's, Chapter Book, Fiction
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Read Together 2009 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

Jasmine the Flower Fairy is in charge of a night blooming flower. She sleeps during the day and loves watching the stars at night. Since Jasmine is alone so often, she is incredibly shy.

When she meets Dandelion, he asks what her hobby is. Jasmine thinks she doesn't have one. Not being very adventurous, like some Flower Fairies, she despairs of ever finding a hobby.

When some of the baby fairies cause a ruckus, thinking the stars are trying to fall out of the sky, only Jasmine knows that they are just shooting stars, comets. Will Jasmine be able to over come her shyness long enough to let them all know?

Reaghan liked this Flower Fairy book, too. (The first one we read was Wild Cherry Makes a Wish.) There were no 'nervous' moments for Reaghan in Jasmine's Starry Night, but she did feel bad for poor Jasmine.

Our current 'read together' book is Poppy's Perfect Home which is another from this same series. Be on the look out for that review in the next few weeks.

Buy Jasmine's Starry Night by Kay Woodward:
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Review of: The Unfinished Clue

2009-05-29T11:00:00.002-04:00

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 9781402217968
Pages: 336
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark (March 2009 [first published 1937])
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Cozy
Grade: A-
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

The Unfinished Clue is a wonderful 'English country-house' who-dun-it by Georgette Heyer (like Behold, Here's Posion). The victim in this case is General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith. The General is murdered the Monday after a, shall we say, stressful weekend "house party". There is no shortage of suspects even if you do not consider the fact that someone may have come into his study from the open French-doors.

Possible suspects include:

Captain Francis Billington-Smith, the General's nephew who is at the house party hoping to find the General in a good enough mood to pay off his most recent gambling debt
Basil Halliday, the General was obviously flirting with Basil's beautiful wife Camilla, who did nothing to discourage this attention
Stephen Guest, he has been in love with the General's wife Lady Fay Billington-Smith (from afar) for 2 years

Given the General's bullying disposition these are just 3 possible murderers on a very long list of suspects. There is an added element to The Unfinished Clue. Lady Fay's younger sister, Dinah Fawcett, is also visiting on the fateful weekend. Cool, calm Dinah is thrown a bit off center by the Inspector from Scotland Yard who is called in by the local police to help solve the murder of General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith.

At first glance, it should have been a lovely English country-house weekend party. But it's the guestlist from hell, and the host, Sir Arthur Billington-Smith, is an abusive wretch who everyone at the party Turns out to have a reason to hate. When he's found in his study, stabbed to death and clutching a torn check in his hand, the unhappy guests and estranged family find themselves under the scrutiny of Scotland Yard's cool-headed Inspector Harding.

Buy TITLE by Author:
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Review of: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

2009-05-28T11:00:00.001-04:00

Author: Lauren Lipton
ISBN: 9780446197977
Pages: 368
Published by: 5 Spot, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing (May 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Chick-lit
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - 2009 Pub Challenge

If not for my demanding 3yo, I could have easily finished Mating Rituals of the North American WASP in a day. Even still, I finished it in a day and a half; I stayed up late reading. =)

For me chick-lit and romance are a welcome break now and then. Mating Rituals of the North American WASP, a perfect gem of a book, is just such a book. Deep down I knew Peggy and Luke were meant to be and would end up together; man did they take their time realizing it! Luke and Peggy accidentally (and drunkenly) get married within hours of meeting in Las Vegas. This is just the beginning of their roller coaster relationship.

I hadn't heard of 5 Spot before Mating Rituals of the North American WASP, but I will definitely be on the look out for more of their titles.

Buy Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton:
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Blog Tour: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

2009-05-27T11:00:00.002-04:00

About the book: After arguing with her live-in boyfriend about his inability to commit, Peggy Adams flies to a friend's bachelorette party in Las Vegas, and wakes up next to a man she can't remember. Hung-over and miserable, she sneaks out of the sleeping man's hotel room and returns home to New York, where her boyfriend apologizes for the fight and gives her a Tiffany box containing a pre-engagement ring. Not what she expected, but close enough! The next day she receives a phone call from the Las Vegas one-night stand, Luke, claiming she's already married to him¬-and he faxes her the license for proof! Both are ready for an annulment, until Peggy arrives in quaint New Nineveh, CT, where Luke cares for his Great Aunt, and the old woman makes Peggy an offer she can't refuse.

Author Bio: Lauren Lipton is the author of two novels, It's About Your Husband (2006) and Mating Rituals of the North American WASP (2009). She is also a freelance journalist who specializes in style, business and trend stories.

She is currently fashion, beauty and lifestyle editor at ForbesWoman magazine. She has also contributed features on society and media to the New York Times Sunday Styles section. A former Wall Street Journal staff writer, she reported on copycat brides who steal their friends' wedding ideas, pajama parties for grown women, and luxury homes with his-and-hers garages.

Her work also has appeared in Conde Nast Portfolio, In Style Weddings, Martha Stewart Weddings, Best Life, Glamour, Marie Claire, Fit Pregnancy and Working Mother, and on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. She began her career at the Los Angeles Times.

Born in Providence, R.I., Lauren grew up in the North County of San Diego and in Los Gatos, Calif., before moving to Los Angeles. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and anthropology from Occidental College and a master's degree in print journalism from the University of Southern California.

She lives with her family in New York City and in Litchfield County, Conn.

Check back here tomorrow (May 28, 2009) after 11AM eastern to see my review. To read an excerpt of Mating Rituals visit Lauren Lipton's website.

Buy Mating Rituals of the North American WASP by Lauren Lipton:
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Giveaway Winners: Testimony

2009-05-25T17:00:00.002-04:00

Random Sequence Generator

Here is your sequence:

 9  1  3 12  8 10 11  2  6  4  7  5

Timestamp: 2009-05-25 20:20:05 UTC

And the winners are:

The other 7 comments are alternates. If I do not hear back from some of the winners, or any have won copies elsewhere, I will go down the list in the order that random.org produced. The original post can be found here.

Buy Testimony by Anita Shreve:
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Review of: Behold, Here's Poison

2009-05-25T14:30:00.005-04:00

Author: Georgette Heyer
ISBN: 9781402217982
Pages: 336
Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark (February 2009 [first published 1969])
Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Cozy
Grade: B+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

I love these kinds of mysteries, English country cottage style. I even took notes this time, I jotted down bits that I thought might be important. I recorded who I thought was the guilty party; I changed my mind a few different times. I was wrong each time. It made sense in the end, but I never suspected this particular person.

Mr Matthews was not very well liked by many, repected but not liked. Practically everyone in the house had reason to want him dead. Later Mr Matthews' spinster sister, Harriette, dies as well. That really throws a wrench into the works; even for Scotland Yard!

It's no ordinary morning at the Poplars - the master is found dead in his bed and it turns out that his high blood pressure was not the cause of death. Heyer uses her attention to detail and brilliant characterizations to concoct a baffling crime for which every single member of the quarrelsome family has a motive, and none, of course, has an alibi. Heyer's sparkling dialogue is a master class in British wit, sarcasm and the intricacies of life above and below stairs.

Buy Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer:

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It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-19-09}

2009-05-19T08:07:00.003-04:00

I am back in the City of Elua in the country of Terre d'Ange. I'm a 17 year old young woman. This is a strange land for me, having grown up in the wilds of Alba with my mother.

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.

This week's Teaser comes from Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey (it is her 7th book set in this sort of alternate reality, but the 1st of a new trilogy). These sentences come from page 136.

The oak tree remembered centuries. It was only a blink of time ago that Prince Imriel had scrambled into it's branches, digging out a hidden gem stone.

I'm really enjoying this book so far. The main character, Moirin, is actually the great great grandniece of Prince Imriel of the previous trilogy.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's Should be Reading.

An extra note for my mom!

Buy Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey:
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Musing Mondays {5-18-09}

2009-05-18T09:12:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about early reading…

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child? (question courtesy of Diane)"

I don't have any specific memories of my mom or dad reading to me when I was little (though I'm pretty sure my mom did). What I DO remember is reading Lucky Puppy. I also have a vivid memory of having one of those Read Along books of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. I actually still have that same copy of Lucky Puppy.

Don't forget to visit Just One More Page for more!

Buy Lucky Puppy by Walt Disney Book Club:
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Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (Read Along Book)

Review of: Wild Cherry Makes a Wish

2009-05-16T09:22:00.006-04:00

Author: Pippa le Quesne
ISBN: 9780723258261
Pages: 80
Published by: Warne (October 2006)
Genre(s): Fiction, Chapter Book
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Read Together 2009 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

Wild Cherry Makes a Wish is one of several Flower Fairies Friends books. I picked up six of them when hubs and I went to an overstock book store (all books are 75% off!).

From the back: Wild Cherry is feeling very sad. She wishes that she could dance but is too shy to ask for help. Then she has a misunderstanding with Pansy, the on fairy who could teach her.

So, when Pansy is in danger and it is up to Wild Cherry to help, will she be brave enough to save her? And will her wish ever be granted?

Each book appears to have 6 chapters. Reaghan and I are on our 3rd book of the 6 that we bought and she really likes them. They each have a life lesson (I wouldn't call it a moral) that a particular fairie learns. Reaghan is only 3, so I doubt she's learning any life lesson's from the books, but I expect that over the next few years, as she learns to read on her own and rereads these book, she will learn those life lessons.

Reaghan got a little nervous when Pansy was in danger of being seen by *gasp* human children, but with some quick thinking by Wild Cherry, the children are distracted and chase some fairy dust and Cherry blossoms swirling and dancing in the opposite direction. When Pansy learns of this brave act, she asks Wild Cherry what if anything she can do to repay her. Will Wild Cherry overcome her shyness enough to tell Pansy the ONE thing that she really wants from Pansy?

Buy Wild Cherry Makes a Wish by Pippa le Quesne:
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Review of: Shanghai Girls

2009-05-13T06:00:00.005-04:00

Author: Lisa See
ISBN: 9781400067114
Pages: 315
Published by: Random House (May 26, 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction, Historical Fiction
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - World Citizen Challenge - 2009 Pub Challenge

Pearl and May Chin grew up in Shanghai, China in the 1920s and '30s. When they are 21 and 19, respectively, they are 'sold' into arranged marriages with a pair of brother, to pay off their father's gambling debts. Pearl is already in love with an artist called ZG. May and Pearl are models, their faces sell everything from baby formula to tobacco. In the process of leaving China for America, after the bombing of Shanghai, many terrible tings happen to and around this pair of sisters.

I learned quite a bit reading Shanghai Girls. I'm not sure what it says about our education system that I'd never heard about Angel Island before. More tid-bits I found interesting:

In Chinese culture, white is the funeral color, the death color. (Imagine what it was like for immigrants from China that went to a hospital or to see a doctor!)
There were segments at least that were prejudiced toward the Japanese; calling them things like "monkey people" and "dwarf bandits".

I really found myself pulled in by Lisa See's words. I felt like I was right there with the sisters through their many struggles, fights, joys. I haven't read any of Lisa See's previous novels, but I am looking forward to reading more than Shanghai Girls.

From GoodReads: May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)—where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months—they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See.

(Full disclosure: I won this ARC of Shanghai Girls in a drawing on Random House's website. If you have any questions/concerns about how this may have affected how I feel about the book, please go here and read the last paragraph.)

Buy Shanghai Girls by Lisa See:
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It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-12-09}

2009-05-12T06:59:00.004-04:00

I am in far eastern Vralia, I've almost reached my current destination of the city of Miroslas. I'm hunting for Berlik, the bear-man who killed my wife.

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.

This week's Teaser comes from KUSHIEL'S JUSTICE by Jacqueline Carey. These sentences come from page 551.

I'd been two days and the better part of three nights on the road, with naught to eat but a quarter-loaf of bread. If I chanced to waiting for another, farther village and it proved to be more than a day's ride, I'd starve.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

Buy Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey:
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Blog Tour: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

2009-05-09T06:00:00.004-04:00

I've only just started The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M .Mayo. As I write this (Tuesday, May 5th) I'm on page 6, but already getting swept away.

Author: C.M. Mayo

Published by: Unbridled Books (May 2009)
Pages: 448

ISBN: 978193296164

About the book: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a sweeping historical novel of Mexico during the short, tragic, at times surreal, reign of Emperor Maximilian and his court. Even as the American Civil War raged north of the border, a clique of Mexican conservative exiles and clergy convinced Louis Napoleon to invade Mexico and install the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Habsburg, as Emperor. A year later, the childless Maximilian took custody of the two year old, half-American, Prince Agustín de Iturbide y Green, making the toddler the Heir Presumptive. Maximilian’s reluctance to return the child to his distraught parents, even as his empire began to fall, and the Empress Carlota descended into madness, ignited an international scandal. This lush, grand read is based on the true story and illuminates both the cultural roots of Mexico and the political development of the Americas. But it is made all the more captivating by the depth of Mayo’s writing and her understanding of the pressures and influences on these all too human players. Her prose makes the reader taste the foods, smell the spices and flowers and feel the heat of Mexico. Mayo writes for the senses. And for the ages. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a story both sweeping and intimate, of geopolitics, the glamour of royalty, and the grit of military command, of the arrogance of power, the dark labyrinths of ambition, and, above all, of a child who was not, in the end, a prince, but a little boy who belonged to his parents.

About the Author: C.M. Mayo has been living in and writing about Mexico for many years. Her books include the widely-lauded travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico, and Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O’Connor Award. An avid translator of contemporary Mexican literature, Mayo is founding editor of Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos, and has also edited the anthology Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion, a portrait of Mexico in the fiction and literary prose of 24 Mexican writers. She conducted extensive original research to write this novel, her debut. Mayo divides her time between Washington D.C. and Mexico City.

To see who else is touring The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire visit Book Blogs on Ning.com. You can see the list even if you aren't a member. The author herself is touring, you can find that list on Unbridled.

Tour Stops that have already posted:
We Be Reading
caribousmom

Buy The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo:
IndieBound {} Powell's {} Amazon

GIVEAWAY: Testimony

2009-05-08T06:00:00.001-04:00

Author: Anita Shreve
ISBN: 9780316067348
Pages: 352
Published by: Back Bay Books (May, 2009 this ISBN)
Genre: Fiction

About the Book: At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

This would be a great book for Book Clubs. It contains a Reading Group Guide. You can also download this guide.

About the author: Anita Shreve is the critically acclaimed author of fourteen novels, including Body Surfing, The Pilot's Wife, which was a selection of Oprah's Book Club, and The Weight of Water, which was a finalist for England's Orange Prize. She lives in Massachusetts.

Five (5) lucky blog readers will get a copy of Testimony courtesy of Valerie Russo! Just leave a comment here. If you do not have an e-mail link on your blogger profile, please leave an email address in your comment. I will close this post to comments on the morning of Friday May 22nd. I will use random.org to select the winners. Per publisher's rules this giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. No PO Boxes.

GOOD LUCK!

Buy Testimony by Anita Shreve:
IndieBound {} Powell's {} Amazon

Thursday Tea {5-7-09}

2009-05-07T09:48:00.003-04:00

The Tea- My tea this week is Tazo Passion. "A magical blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango & passion fruit flavors."

The Book- I'm reading Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey. It's part of a series that I started reading in 2001. I really like these trilogies.

From GoodReads: Imriel de la Courcel's blood parents are history's most reviled traitors, while his adoptive parents, Phèdre and Joscelin, are Terre d'Ange's greatest champions. Stolen, tortured, and enslaved as a young boy, Imriel is now a Prince of the Blood, third in line for the throne in a land that revels in beauty, art, and desire.

After a year abroad to study at university, Imriel returns from his adventures a little older and somewhat wiser. But perhaps not wise enough. What was once a mere spark of interest between himself and his cousin Sidonie now ignites into a white-hot blaze. But from commoner to peer, the whole realm would recoil from any alliance between Sidonie, heir to the throne, and Imriel, who bears the stigma of his mother's misdeeds and betrayals. Praying that their passion will peak and fade, Imriel and Sidonie embark on an intense, secret affair.

Blessed Elua founded Terre d'Ange and bestowed one simple precept to guide his people, love as thou wilt. When duty calls, Imriel honors his role as a member of the royal family by leaving to marry a lovely, if merely sweet, Alban princess. By choosing duty over love, Imriel and Sidonie may have unwittingly trespassed against Elua's law. But when dark powers in Alba, who fear an invasion by Terre d'Ange, seek to use the lovers' passion to bind Imriel, the gods themselves take notice.

Before the end, Kushiel's justice will be felt in heaven and on earth.

Do They Go Together- I'd say they do. There are some pretty intense moments of erotica in this series of books. A lot of romance and adventure, too. I think a tea described as "magical" and that contains passion fruit flower most definitely goes with all of Jacquline Carey's Kushiel books.

Buy Kushiel's Justice by Jacqueline Carey:
IndieBound {} Powell's {} Amazon

Review of: Girls in Trucks

2009-05-06T06:00:00.004-04:00

Author: Katie Crouch
ISBN: 9780316002127
Pages: 272
Published by: Back Bay Books (April 2009, paperback)
Genre(s): Fiction, ChickLit, Southern Fiction
Grade: B
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

My First thought when I reached the end of Girls in Trucks was that it needed to be longer. Not in the way you might think. Not in the "I was so in love with the characters that I wanted it to go in forever" way. I wanted it to be longer because I didn't like way it ended. I tend to think of 'chick-lit' as all having an 'And they lived happily ever after' ending. After sitting with my thoughts for a couple of days I realized something. Books don't all have happy endings. Neither does life.

Girls in Trucks does not present us with an ending all wrapped up and decorated with a bow. But it's not a bad ending. Sarah and her man do not ride off into the sunset, but there is a happiness there. Is it a somewhat mindless, Scarlett O'Hara (I'm paraphrasing here.) "I'll think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day ending? Maybe.

Girls in Trucks is in no way a bad book. I enjoyed the time I spent with Sarah, her sister Eloise and Sarah's friend Charlotte. Even if I did want to slap Sarah at times and tell her to get a clue.

Buy GIRLS IN TRUCKS by Katie Crouch:
IndieBound {} Powell's {} Amazon

Review Rewind of: The Wednesday Sisters

2009-05-04T07:08:00.005-04:00

Below is my original review of The Wednesday Sisters, posted May 30, 2008.

Title: The Wednesday Sisters
Author: Meg Waite Clayton
ISBN: 978-0-345-50282-7
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Ballantine Books (division of Random House)
Price: $23.00
Release Date: June 17, 2008

Friendship, loyalty, and love lie at the heart of Meg Waite Clayton’s beautifully written, poignant, and sweeping novel of five women who, over the course of four decades, come to redefine what it means to be family.

For thirty-five years, Frankie, Linda, Kath, Brett, and Ally have met every Wednesday at the park near their homes in Palo Alto, California. Defined when they first meet by what their husbands do, the young homemakers and mothers are far removed from the Summer of Love that has enveloped most of the Bay Area in 1967. These “Wednesday Sisters” seem to have little in common: Frankie is a timid transplant from Chicago, brutally blunt Linda is a remarkable athlete, Kath is a Kentucky debutante, quiet Ally has a secret, and quirky, ultra-intelligent Brett wears little white gloves with her miniskirts. But they are bonded by a shared love of both literature–Fitzgerald, Eliot, Austen, du Maurier, Plath, and Dickens–and the Miss America Pageant, which they watch together every year.

As the years roll on and their children grow, the quintet forms a writers circle to express their hopes and dreams through poems, stories, and, eventually, books. Along the way, they experience history in the making: Vietnam, the race for the moon, and a women’s movement that challenges everything they have ever thought about themselves, while at the same time supporting one another through changes in their personal lives brought on by infidelity, longing, illness, failure, and success.

Humorous and moving, The Wednesday Sisters is a literary feast for book lovers that earns a place among those popular works that honor the joyful, mysterious, unbreakable bonds between friends.
I loved this book from the second paragraph. The book is mostly told from Frankie's point of view, but each of the other 'sisters' gets their turn. For reasons I will keep to myself for now (wouldn't want to spoil anything) I most identified with Ally. Though there was a connection with Frankie as well. I finished The Wednesday Sisters 4 days ago and those women are still with me and I think they will remain for quite awhile.

This isn't only a book about the relationships these women have with each other, but also about their relationships with BOOKS! Each of these women's favorite book has an influence on the way that they see life; the color of the glasses that color their world view.

Being that I was born in 1976, I was born after the main part of The Wednesday Sisters is finished. However, Meg Waite Clayton did a great job of giving the reader enough information to understand our culture at that time (1968 to 1974).

There are so many things that I want to say about The Wednesday Sisters, but I don't want to give away all of the best/juicy parts. This is a must read!

As you can see I really loved this books. Now, almost a year later, Frankie, Ally, Kath, Linda and Brett are still with me. I still think about them.

Now for something NEW!

Meg Waite Clayton, author of The Wednesday Sisters, is hosting a "Tea and Talk" on GoodReads tomorrow, Tuesday May 5th, to celebrate the release of The Wednesday Sisters in paperback! Come join Meg, me and 30+ others that have said "yes" to attending this virtual event.

Those of you in a book club with either mostly women or all women will want to check this book out as a possible group read. With Mother's Day just around the corner, I'd like to suggest picking up a copy of The Wednesday Sisters for your mom, sister, favorite aunt, etc.

Buy The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Reading Wrap-Up

2009-05-02T15:00:00.002-04:00

(I'm actually backdating this post because I totally flaked!)

This Wrap-Up post covers March 18 - April 30. (Why does this cover 6weeks?)

These are the books that Reaghan (my 3yo) and I finished during March 18 - April 30

Friday Finds {5-1-09}

2009-05-01T09:58:00.006-04:00

Friday Finds is another meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. Visit this week's post to see what others have found or to add your own finds for this past week.

Here some of the books that have been added to my wishlist in the past month (I have had a FF post in awhile).

This is the second in Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness series. I read the first, Alanna and really want to read the rest in the series. If you are curious, you can read my review of Alanna.

Book 3 in the Song of the Lioness series.

Book 4 (the final book) in the Song of the Lioness series.

I feel I can justify these picks: There wasn't a lot of great YA when I was one! I now have a 15 year old daughter who loves to read and I'm actually getting some recommendations from her and her friends. =)

Now for some "grown up people" picks.

Thursday Tea {4-30-09}

2009-04-30T12:50:00.002-04:00

Thursday Tea is hosted by Anastasia at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog. Here's how it works: Tell us what tea you are drinking (and if you like it). And then tell us what book are you reading (and if you like it). Finally, tell us if they go together.

The Tea- My tea this week is a White Tea with Blueberry made by Carrington Tea. I couldn't find it on their site; I'm guessing either it is seasonal or they just aren't making it anymore.

From the box: "Carrington white tea is picked from the delicate flowers grown in the tea gardens of the Fujian Province in China."

I initially picked it up because my paternal grandmother's maiden name was Carrington and I was looking for a white tea (not a fan of the green). It's very slightly sweet on it's own (better with a teaspoon of sugar or honey), but with a tart aftertaste. I like it!

The Book- I started reading SHANGHAI GIRLS by Lisa See yesterday. I'm only on page 22, but I'm in love with Lisa See's writing style. Descriptive without getting bogged down (I'm looking at you Stephen King. I love you, but you can be very wordy.) I haven't read any of Lisa See's previous books, but I think I be looking for them in the near future.

From GoodReads: "May and Pearl, two sisters living in Shanghai in the mid-1930s, are beautiful, sophisticated, and well-educated, but their family is on the verge of bankruptcy. Hoping to improve their social standing, May and Pearl’s parents arrange for their daughters to marry “Gold Mountain men” who have come from Los Angeles to find brides.

But when the sisters leave China and arrive at Angel’s Island (the Ellis Island of the West)—where they are detained, interrogated, and humiliated for months—they feel the harsh reality of leaving home. And when May discovers she’s pregnant the situation becomes even more desperate. The sisters make a pact that no one can ever know.

A novel about two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in America while bound to the old, Shanghai Girls is a fresh, fascinating adventure from beloved and bestselling author Lisa See."

Do they go together- As I said, I'm not that far into the book. I'm noticing a bit of a 'tart aftertaste' to one of the sisters so I'm going to say yes!

There you have it! My very first Thursday Tea post. I like it, bringing two of my very favorite things together. You will definitely see me joining in on this one more often. =)

Giveaway Winners - GIRLS IN TRUCKS

2009-04-30T10:40:00.002-04:00

I used random.org's Random Sequence Generator to select the winners for THE GIRLS IN TRUCKS giveaway . There were 8 comments but only 7 were entries. I put "1" as the smallest value and "8" as the largest value. I then chose the first five numbers as the winners. Since comment #6 was not an entry I am skipped it and am declaring comments 5, 8, 7, 4, 2 as winners going by the list the the generator spit out.

5 -- Cheryl S. Winner
8 -- Melsy626 Winner 
7 -- katiepea Winner
6 -- Beth F non-entry
4 -- stateofdenmark2 Winner
2 -- quelleheure4 Winner
3 -- rubymoon alternate
1 -- Jess alternate

I am now going to send e-mails to the winners!

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-29-09}

2009-04-29T13:44:00.002-04:00

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

My words for this week come from two different books. The first comes from page 377 of Follow Me by Joanna Scott. The rest come from The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe; they come from the ARC version and therefore the sentences may differ from the published version which is due to be released Friday May 22.

1) ameliorate- "Well, here she was, too late to ameliorate her brother's contempt for her."
verb -- to make (something) better

2) maleficium- "Interestingly, research into the kinds of maleficium ... which witches were usually accused of reveals how narrow the colonial world really was for average people."
(could not find a definition for this one...)

3) antediluvian- "Grace had mentioned that the house was old, but she had never suggested how old: it was practically antediluvian, handmade cy craftsman using the same techniques carried over from late medieval England."
adjective -- Extremely old and antiquated.

4) obfuscations- "She was taken aback; Liz, as always, had a way of clearing aside her obfuscations to articulate what Connie herself was not able to say."
as a verb -- To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand

5) Sisyphean "The library had begun a campaign to place the most delicate volumes on microfilm, locking the original objects away from the oily fingers of prying students, but the task was Sisyphean."
adjective -- 1. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Sisyphus.
2. Endlessly laborious or futile

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by Bermudaonion. Here is the link to today's post. "What new words have you discovered lately?"

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {4-28-09}

2009-04-28T10:09:00.002-04:00

I'm a grad student bouncing between Marblehead, Salem and Boston, MA. Trying to find a book from the 17th century, but strange things keep happening and my advisor at Harvard is acting not himself.

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.

This week's Teaser comes from THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE by Katherine Howe. They are from the ARC version and may differ from the final published version which is being released Tuesday June 9. These sentences come from page 288.

She assumed Chilton had gone back to the history building but could not be sure. The threat that he had uttered when he left her in the library now hovered in her mind, ominous yet imprecise.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

PreOrder/Buy THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE @ a bookstore near you!

PreOrder/Buy THE PHYSICK BOOK OF DELIVERANCE DANE @Amazon

Musing Mondays {4-27-09}

2009-04-27T08:40:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading non-fiction…

Do you read non-fiction regularly? Do you read it in a different way or place than you read fiction? (question courtesy of Diane)

I don't read non-fiction regularly. When I do read non-fiction it is generally a biography or memoir. I recently read The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. A non-fiction book that tells about when the Mona Lisa was stolen out of the Louvre (they also tell about other crimes in Paris as well a history of criminology). As I stated in my review of The crimes of Paris, there were times I forgot that I was reading non-fiction; it was so juicy.

Don't forget to visit Just One More Page for more!

Review of: Follow Me {and Blog Tour}

2009-04-27T05:59:00.008-04:00

Author: Joanna Scott
ISBN: 9780316051651
Pages: 432
Published by: Little, Brown and Company (April, 2009)
Genre(s): Fiction
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - 2009 Pub Challenge - Spring Reading Thing 2009

My thoughts are at the very bottom of this post as they contain mild spoilers. They are under the purple dots.

From the publisher: On a summer day in 1946 Sally Werner, the precocious young daughter of hardscrabble Pennsylvania farmers, secretly accepts her cousin's invitation to ride his new motorcycle. Like so much of what follows in Sally's life, it's an impulsive decision with dramatic and far-reaching consequences. Soon she abandons her home to begin a daring journey of self-creation, the truth of which she entrusts only with her granddaughter and namesake, six decades later. But when young Sally's father--a man she has never known--enters her life and offers another story altogether, she must uncover the truth of her grandmother's secret history.

Boldly rendered and beautifully told, in FOLLOW ME Joanna Scott has crafted a paean to the American tradition of re-invention and a sweeping saga of timeless and tender storytelling.

Author Info: Joanna Scott is the author of nine books, including The Manikin, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize; Various Antidotes and Arrogance, which were both finalists for the PEN/Faulkner Award; and the critically acclaimed Make Believe, Tourmaline, and Liberation. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a Lannan Award, she lives with her family in upstate New York.

I'd like to thank Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending me this book to review. Okay, this tour is pretty big. I'm going to link to the five blogs listed before me and the five listed after me. If you'd like to see a list of all of the participants, visit this post @ Drey's Library.

Buy Follow Me by Joanna Scott:
IndieBound {} Amazon

My thoughts: Follow Me had me engaged right from the start. I felt a strong connection to Sally Werner. Something I don't share to often is that I had my oldest daughter at 17. When she was still new and wrinkly I had a similar gut reaction/desire as Sally. I didn't do what Sally did. I had great support from my mother and in time I learned to adapt to being a 17 year old single mom.

However, Sally doesn't have such a support system in 1946, at age 16, when she becomes pregnant. Sally Werner ran. Sally Werner ran to Fishkill Notch and became Sally Angel.

GIVEAWAY: Girls in Trucks

2009-04-22T09:18:00.004-04:00

Author: Katie Crouch
ISBN: 9780316002127
Pages: 272
Published by: Back Bay Books (April, 2009 this ISBN)
Genre(s): Fiction

From GoodReads: Sarah Walters is a less-than-perfect debutante. She tries hard to follow the time-honored customs of the Charleston Camellia Society, as her mother and grandmother did, standing up straight in cotillion class and attending lectures about all the things that Camellias don't do. (Like ride with boys in pickup trucks.)

But Sarah can't quite ignore the barbarism just beneath all that propriety, and as soon as she can she decamps South Carolina for a life in New York City. There, she and her fellow displaced Southern friends try to make sense of city sophistication, to understand how much of their training applies to real life, and how much to the strange and rarefied world they've left behind.

When life's complications become overwhelming, Sarah returns home to confront with matured eyes the motto "Once a Camellia, always a Camellia"- and to see how much fuller life can be, for good and for ill, among those who know you best.

I apologize for not also posting my review as well as the giveaway. I hadn't finished writing my review before waking up this morning with a migraine. I will tell you that I am giving it a "C " and that I will have my review posted as soon as I can.

Five (5) lucky blog readers will get a copy of Girls in Trucks courtesy of Valerie Russo! Just leave a comment here. If you do not have an e-mail link to your profile, please leave an email address in your comment. I will close this post to comments on the morning of Thursday April 30th. I will use random.org to select the winners. Per publisher's rules this giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. No PO Boxes.

GOOD LUCK!

Musing Mondays {4-20-09}

2009-04-20T07:40:00.002-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about 2009 favorites…

Coming towards the end of April, we’re a third of the way through the way through the year. What’s the favorite book you’ve read so far in 2009? What about your least favorite? (question courtesy of MizB

I've finished 15 books so far this year (going to have to step it up if I want to make 100!) and my least favorite was definitely Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners by Laura Claridge; this book was a struggle to get through.

My favorite was King's Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes; definitely a pleasure to read this one.

Visit Just One More Page for more Musing Mondays posts.

Review of: A Day with My Dad at the Beach

2009-04-18T06:59:00.001-04:00

Author: Lance Waite
ISBN: 9781601310163
Pages: 32
Published by: Parents Publishing Group, LLC (June, 2008)
Genre(s): Children's
Grade: B-
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009

Matt and Reaghan have read this book together a couple of times, but not for lack of love for the book! They both enjoy it (and time spent together). It's one of those wonderful hardcover books whose cover matches the dust jacket (which always seem to get torn or lost).

The story part of it is very sweet and heartwarming. Dad makes a special effort to be home when his daughter comes home from school to take her to the beach, then the boardwalk for dinner and rides. The story of their day spent together is told from the daughter's point-of-view. The illustrations are very interesting. They remind me of a collage.

The beach is the perfect place to have fun with your kids. "A Day with My Dad at the Beach" is full of adventures and fantastic illustrations that evoke memories of an exciting day at the beach that a father and daughter will never forget. The story will touch the hearts of parents and inspire them to engage in similar activities with their children within a larger day of interpersonal experiences. It encourages children to vividly imagine the fun things they can do with their parents on an outing. Set on a sunny beach after a long day of school and work, the father and daughter escape to the outside world and enjoy a fun, relaxing day of swimming and exploration.

This is the second book by author, and father, Lance Waite. The first is A Day with My Dad and described as "A father and daughter spend a day together, hiking in the hills around there town. With no distractions, a bond can be built between them that can last a lifetime."

Lance wrote his books to encourage fathers to be more involved with their daughters and to show his girls that even an ordinary day can be exciting when you share it with someone special. Both of Lance Waite's books are illustrated by Manuela Pentangelo.

Buy A Day with My Dad at the Beach by Lance Waite:
IndieBound {} Amazon

A note to all!

2009-04-16T15:00:00.001-04:00

I am going to be moving blogs. I will still be on Blogger, but I will be shifting my focus to include products that I use in my home/with my kids. I have been a member of Bzz Agent for about 2 years, but never thought about sharing my thoughts and opinions of the items I get from them with my blog readers. I will be blogging about the books I read, products I get from Bzz Agent, products I get through gifts or buy myself (only the interesting ones, promise).

For a few months I have been bugging my mother, demanding, she give me feedback. I have branched out into some of my other contacts. I'm kidding about the "demanding" part. =)

It is an active blog right now and I have been copying my last few posts to my new blog (after importing all of the old ones) I just have been keeping the URL between myself and the handful of people I have asked for input. If you think you (REALLY) want to see a work in progress, e-mail me or comment and leave a way for me to contact you. I plan on officially launching it and 'rebranding' myself some point before September 2009.

4-15-09 Wondrous Words Wednesday

2009-04-15T08:07:00.000-04:00

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

My words for this week come from pages 31 and 50 of Behold, Here's Poison by Georgette Heyer.

1) gaff- "''Particularly if it comes out that uncle, in his well-known playful way, threatened to blow the gaff if Fielding didn't lay-off you.'"

verb (used with object) -- British Slang to cheat; fleece.

2) fatuous- "'Your cousins have been trying to silence me for years, but you have done it with one utterly fatuous remark.'"

adjective -- foolish or inane, esp. in an unconscious, complacent manner; silly.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by Bermudaonion. Here is the link to today's post. "What new words have you discovered lately?"

Teaser Tuesdays {4-14-09}

2009-04-14T09:23:00.002-04:00

I'm somewhere in the countryside of England. I'm at the home of Gregory Matthews. He is unmarried, but his house is not empty. His unmarried sister Harriet, his widowed sister-in-law Zoe and her 2 (grown) children also live in the house, called The Poplars. After Mr. Matthews is found dead by Beecher, the butler, chaos ensues.

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.

This week's Teaser comes from BEHOLD, HERE'S POISON by Georgette Heyer. These sentences come from page 39.

In consequence to the gloom reigning over the library and the dining-room the family had been forced to sit in the drawing-room, a large and cheerless apartment at the back of the house, elegantly but uncomfortably furnished in the style of Louis XV. Mrs Lupton was discussing with her sister what had best be done with Gregory Matthews' clothing, and Janet, a pale, earnest-looking young woman of five-and-twenty, was trying to be bright and intelligent over her cousin Guy's sketch of the overmantel for the house in Dorking.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

Buy BEHOLD, HERE'S POISON @ a bookstore near you!

Booking Through Thursday {4-9-09}

2009-04-09T08:48:00.003-04:00

For something different, I’m borrowing a question from … here! One of the very first questions ever at Booking Through Thursday. Back from 2005 when Laura owned the blog but, because it was so new, it didn’t get as many responses as it does now … so, why not revisit?

Here’s the question:

Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…

Are you currently reading more than one book?
If so, how many books are you currently reading?
Is this normal for you?
Where do you keep your current reads?

At the moment I am not reading more than one book.
n/a
It depends on what my main read is at any given time. For example if I'm reading something scary (I love Stephen King!) I will generally only read it during the day and read something else at night. =)
I tend to carry them with me around the house and in my bag when we're going out somewhere (Matt's parents, mine)

Don't forget to check out more BTT Number answers!

Giveaway Winners - THE CRIMES OF PARIS

2009-04-09T07:50:00.005-04:00

I used random.org's Random Sequence Generator to select the winners for THE CRIMES OF PARIS giveaway. There were 21 comments so I put "1" as the smallest value and "21" as the largest value; I then chose the first five numbers as the winners. I am displaying the first seven numbers so that you can see the first two alternates; I have copied all of the numbers for myself so that I can go down the list in case I don't hear back from the winners.

18 - Angela C
10 - Paris-Insider
7 - bridget3420
11 - scottsgal
2 - Bookfool

First two alternates

1 - BethF
9 - Christina

I'm off to notify the winners and I hope to hear from them soon!

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-8-09}

2009-04-08T09:59:00.002-04:00

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

My words for this week come from pages 65 - 295 of The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer. There are lots of them this time.

1) delphically- "'Let him come poking his bad-tempered nose into my kitchen, that's all, Mr Finch!' she said delphically"

delphic (the lowercase version; NOT Delphic) adjective -- oracular; obscure; ambiguous

2) sepulchral- "Your name was spoken in a sepulcgral voice, and out you went, feeling a little sick at the pit of your stomach."

an adjective -- of, pertaining to, or serving as a tomb

3) laconic- "Dinah sighed, wishing that he would be a little less laconic."

an adjective -- using few words; expressing much in few words; concise

4) catarrh- "He was a worried-looking man of about fifty, with a quick, fussy way of talking, and what appeared to be a chronic catarrh."

noun -- inflammation of a mucous membrane, esp. of the respiratory tract, accompanied by excessive secretions (yum!)

5) evinced- "Lola, unlike Camilla, evinced not the slightest desire to leave the Grange."

verb -- to show clearly; make evident or manifest; prove

6) matutinal- "She even forebore to complain any more of the matutinal habits of cocks [roosters], though she did once announce that once she was married to Geoffrey the matter would have to be arranged."

adjective -- pertaining to or occurring in the morning; early in the day

7) pecuniary- "'Did Miss deSilva, then, break the engagment for pecuniary reasons?'"

adjective -- of or pertaining to money

8) expatiate- "His tone implied that he was prepared to expatiate on the subject, but the telephone suddenly buzzed at his elbow, and he was obliged to answer it."

verb -- to enlarge in discourse or writing; be copious in description or discussion

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by Bermudaonion. Here is the link to today's post. "What new words have you discovered lately?"

Review of: Alanna

2009-04-08T06:59:00.005-04:00

Author: Tamora Pierce
ISBN: 9780689878558
Pages: 240
Published by: Simon Pulse (January, 2005 - first published 1983)
Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy
Grade: B-
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge

Alanna: The First Adventure is the first book in a 4 book series by Tamora Pierce. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the rest of them. Alanna goes from 10 to 13 years old in Alanna: The First Adventure. I bonded to her almost immediately. She's really committed to her plan of getting training in being a knight and then telling them all that she is a woman. I feel like I NEED to find out how/if she accomplishes this.

Call it fate, call it intuition, or just call it common sense, but somehow young Alanna knows she isn't meant to become some proper lady cloistered in a convent. Instead, she wants to be a great warrior maiden--a female knight. But in the land of Tortall, women aren't allowed to train as warriors. So Alanna finds a way to switch places with her twin, Thom, and take his place as a knight in training at the palace of King Roald. Disguising herself as a boy, Alanna begins her training as a page in the royal court. Soon, she is garnering the admiration of all around her, including the crown prince, with her strong work ethic and her thirst for knowledge. But all the while, she is haunted by the recurring vision of a black stone city that emanates evil... somehow she knows it is her fate to purge that place of its wickedness. But how will she find it? And can she fulfill her destiny while keeping her gender a secret?

Buy Alanna by Tamora Pierce:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Monday Musings {4-6-09}

2009-04-06T08:22:00.003-04:00

As a follow up to last week's question, Joseph asked how you keep track of your tbr list. Do you have a paper list or on your computer? Do you take it with you when you go shopping? How do you decide what gets added to it?

My TBR list is all of the books that I currently have. I either have not read them yet or want to re-read them. I keep track of these on my Goodreads profile.

I also have a Wishlist. I add books to my Wishlist that I read reviews for (or blurbs about) that sound interesting to me. I keep track of this list in a few places. I have a list on Kaboodle and Amazon. I also keep track on GoodReads, but that list isn't as up-to-date as my Kaboodle list.

Visit Rebecca @ Just One More Page for more Musing Mondays posts.

Review of: Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too!

2009-04-04T06:59:00.003-04:00

Author: Laurie Dean
Illustrator: KevinCollier
ISBN: 9781601310354
Pages: 24
Published by: Big Tent Books (November 2008)
Genre(s): Children's
Grade: A
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

My 3 year old, Reaghan, was hooked from the cover! Bold colors, a dog, what more could a preschooler ask for? The illustrations inside the book are just as exciting and vibrant as the cover.

Reaghan has asked to 'read' Baron at least 4 times a week for the last month; not just once either, we have to read it 3 or 4 times before she's ready to move onto another book or activity. She laughs, pouts, cheers. I love the first page of the book: "Baron was a young dog who loved people. Squished between two people, like jam in a sandwich was Baron's favorite place to sleep." That's one of Reaghan's favorite places to be, too!

Baron is an excited, young puppy who like to run, jump and get dirty. After a dangerous situation, Baron is sent to doggie school to learn manners and the proper way to behave. Once he's home though he still has one problem, no best friend. I'll leave you in suspense as to whether or not he gets a best friend by the end of the book.

From the author's site:
Baron Thinks Dogs Are People Too! is an illustrated children's story about a family dog who wants nothing more than to have a best friend. When Baron's frisky antics get him sent to obedience school, he learns how to behave himself. Read along to find out if he can find a best friend with his new good behavior!

Purchase BARON THINKS... @ Big Tent Books (publisher).

(Full disclosure: Author Laurie Dean sent me this book as a free review copy. If you have any questions/concerns about how this may have affected how I feel about the book, please go here and read the last paragraph.)

Friday Fill-Ins {4-2-09}

2009-04-03T08:41:00.001-04:00

And...here we go!

1. Angel or not, I will not stand for certain things.

2. _____ any way you want me.

3. As my mother used to say, you're full of prunes.

4. I want to nap after I'm done working out or doing something strenuous.

5. Even in the most crowded of rooms I can find my kids and hubs.

6. Christmas is a day fraught with peril.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to kids, daddy and I all having dinner together, tomorrow my plans include grocery shopping and Sunday, I want to do lots of reading!

Friday Fill-Ins is hosted here.

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-1-09}

2009-04-01T09:59:00.000-04:00

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where we share new (to us) words that we’ve encountered in our reading. Feel free to join in the fun.

My words for this week come from The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer.

1 ) averring - "With the exception of an incident in his youth, there had been no other woman in his life; he knew beyond need of averring it that there would never be another."

aver is a verb meaning: to assert or affirm with confidence; declare in a positive or peremptory manner.

2) puling - "Just like this damned puling generation, always grumbling at fate; no guts to 'em; he'd like to have a few of 'em in his old regiment."

puling is an adjective meaning: whining; whimpering

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by Bermudaonion. Here is the link to today's post. "What new words have you discovered lately?"

Review of: The Crimes of Paris

2009-04-01T06:59:00.039-04:00

Author: Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler
ISBN: 9780316017909
Pages: 368
Published by: Little, Brown and Company (April, 2009)
Genre(s): Non-Fiction, Art History
Grade: A-
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - 2009 Pub Challenge - Spring Reading Thing 2009 - Well-Seasoned Reader Challenge

Let me start off by saying this: Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler have written a lot of books. Seriously, check out this list.

If you read my Tuesday posts then you have been teased not once, but twice. And I'll let you know now, the reason that the man (or men) were hiding in the storage closet in the Louvre was to steal the Mona Lisa. According to the authors, there were many small rooms and hidden alcoves like this in the 700 year old building; museum officials don't even know just how many there are.

One of the earlier suspects of the theft was Pablo Picasso, yes THAT Picasso. Nineteen year old Pablo Ruiz had arrived in Paris in 1900 to see (and exhibit a painting) at the Paris Exposition Universelle. Though he left Paris after this, he would return as Pablo Picasso (his mother's family name).

There are many other crimes discussed and dissected in THE CRIMES OF PARIS; burglaries, bank robberies, murders, even the first use of a getaway car (one of the bank robberies). There is explanations of the system known as bertillonage, which was widely used in France before the discovery that fingerprints were a much better system of identification.

I do not normally read non-fiction (with the exception of biographies and memoirs), but over-ruled my initial instinct about THE CRIMES OF PARIS and requested a copy. I'm really glad I did. There were times while reading THE CRIMES OF PARIS that I actually forgot that I was reading a non-fiction book. There writing is easy to understand and the authors do not bog you down with long, dry explanations.

I'm definitely going to keep this ARC and reread it at a later time; it's that good! I'm also going to check my library for some of their other books, specifically THE IRISH AMERICAN FAMILY ALBUM and THE GERMAN AMERICAN FAMILY ALBUM.

Buy The Crimes of Paris by Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Giveaway Closed!

Five (5) lucky blog readers will get a copy courtesy of Valerie Russo! Just leave a comment here. If you do not have an e-mail link to your profile, please leave one in your comment. I will close this post to comments on the morning of Wednesday April 8th. I will use random.org to select the winners. Per publisher's rules this giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only. No PO Boxes.

GOOD LUCK!

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-31-09}

2009-03-31T09:26:00.000-04:00

I'm somewhere in the countryside of England. I'm at the home of the Billington-Smith's. General Sir Arthur Billington-Smith is very rude to most everyone in the house, including the invited guests!

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.

This week's Teaser comes from THE UNFINISHED CLUE by Georgette Heyer. These sentences come from page 33.

Every annoyance of this disastrous week-end was Fay's fault, from the unwelcome arrival of Dinah to the ill-assorted party assembled for dinner in half an hour's time. Anyone but a fool would have had the wit to wire regrets both to Dinah and (Stephen) Guest.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

Buy THE UNFINISHED CLUE @ a bookstore near you!

Buy THE UNFINISHED CLUE on Amazon.

Review of: Madame Bovary

2009-03-31T06:59:00.003-04:00

Author: Gustave Flaubert
ISBN: 9781593080525
Pages: 368
Published by: Barnes & Noble Classics (March, 2005; first published 1857)
Genre(s): Fiction, Classics, 19th Century, French Lit
Grade: B
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 -

Not really a review, more like my thoughts. After reading some of the things written on SparkNotes about Madame Bovary, I realize that I miss some of the deeper meanings and themes of the book. I did really enjoy it though. I found myself empathizing with Emma. I can't really pinpoint what it was I was feeling connected to, but there was definitely something. This is one classic that I will read again.

Buy Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Musing Mondays {3-30-09}

2009-03-30T09:52:00.000-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about recording your reading…

Do you keep track of what and/or how many books you read? How long have you been doing this? What's your favorite tracking method, and why?If you don't keep track, why not? (question courtesy of MizB)

Like our hostess, I keep track of what I'm reading in more than one way. I am currently keeping track of my 2009 reads in my post for the 100+ Reading Challenge. (You can find this list in my upper sidebar under Kylee's Links - Books I've finished in 2009.) I also have account with GoodReads and Shelfari. I don't use Shelfari anymore (too much spam). On GoodReads though I have list and lists and lists.

Visit Rebecca for more musings.

Review of: King's Fool

2009-03-28T11:11:00.008-04:00

Author: Margaret Campbell Barnes
ISBN: 9780356017556
Pages: 304
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Grade: A+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review 09 - since this book has been published in the US before it DOES NOT qualify for 2009 Pub Challenge
Release Date: April 1, 2009

I’ve wanted to learn more about Will Somers since reading Philippa Gregory’s books about the women in Henry VIII’s life. How interesting it would have been to be within Henry VIII’s inner circle, but not to be considered a threat by such a powerful man.

Will Somers was in just such a position. Born in Shropshire, England Will Somers was the only son, only child actually, of a churchman father and a Welsh mother, she died of the plague when Will was only four. Will had pretty happy life until his beautiful singing voice broke at 14; his father taught the choiristers and this seemed to be their big connection. Soon after, Will moves in with his Uncle Tobias, a farmer. On his uncles' farm is where Will Somers meets Richard Fermor, a wool merchant. Meeting and becoming part of the household of Master Fermor is only the first of some very big events in the life of Will Somers.

From the back of the ARC I received:

When country lad Will Somers lands himself the plum position of jester to the mercurial King Henry VIII, he has no idea that he's just been handed a front-row seat to history.

With a seat near the throne and an ear to the floor, Somers witnesses firsthand the dizzying power struggles and sly scheming that marked the reign of the fiery Tudor King. Somers watches the rise and fall of some of the most enigmatic women in history, including the tragic Katherine of Aragon, the doomed Anne Boleyn, and Mary Tudor, who confided in the jester as she made the best of the fragile life of a princess whom everyone wished was a prince...

Based on the life of the real Will Somers, King's Fool is infused with Margaret Campbell Barnes's trademark rich detail and historical accuracy. This intimate peek into the royal chambers gives readers a unique view into one of the most tumultuous periods in English history.

As you can most likely guess from the grade I gave King's Fool, this book did not disappoint! I want to thank Danielle Jackson of Sourcebooks for sending me the ARC to read and review.

For more information about my Hyacinth Award.

Here are other reviews of King's Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes

Buy King's Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes:
IndieBound {} Amazon

YAY

2009-03-27T06:53:00.000-04:00

... just yay!

Review of: Specials

2009-03-25T06:59:00.005-04:00

Author: Scott Westerfeld
ISBN: 9780689865404
Pages: 384
Published by: Simon Pulse (April, 2006)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Grade: B
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge - 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge

Specials is book #3 in a 4 book series (#1 Uglies, #2 Pretties & #4 Extras). In Specials Tally, Shay, Fausto and others from the Crims clique have been made into Specials. But not just any Special, this group is called Cutters. All Specials have what is described as 'cruel beauty'. Tally is described this way in the first chapter "...all those operations had filled her with icy new muscles and reflexes tweaked to snakelike speed." Some of the things those operations gave to Tally, Shay and the other Cutters: bones made of aircraft ceramics and muscles sheathed with self-repairing monofiliments, flash tattoos and razor-sharp teeth and finger nails. They particular group are called Cutters because they do just that. In order to feel anything, they cut themselves.

Tally (especially) seems to only feel comfortable 'in her own skin' when she is a position to feel superior to someone or a group of people. Anyone who is Ugly or just not Special seems to make her almost physically sick, especially her sometime boyfriend Zane whose brain was damaged due to taking meds he wasn't supposed to take.

Well, I don't want to give away the whole book! I worried about issue of cutting in the book, but the way that Tally relates to cutting changes throughout the book and I like that. I hope the young people that read this realize that cutting is a wrong and dangerous way to deal with their feelings. Tally has a lot to deal with in Specials. A lot goes right and very wrong for her. She has to learn to deal with it all in the right ways; she accomplishes this in my opinion.

I've become a little ambivalent to the characters in this series. I think I will read Extras at some point; just not anytime soon.

Special Circumstances

The words have sent chills down Tally's spine since her days as a repellent, rebellious ugly. Back then Specials were a sinister rumor -- frighteningly beautiful, dangerously strong, breathtakingly fast. Ordinary pretties might live their whole lives without meeting a Special. But Tally's never been ordinary.

And now she's been turned into one of them: a super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.

The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can remember. Most of the time. One tiny corner of her heart still remembers something more.

Still, it's easy to tune that out -- until Tally's offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she's programmed to complete. Either way, Tally's world will never be the same.

Buy Specials by Scott Westerfeld:
IndieBound {} Amazon

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-24-09}

2009-03-24T11:57:00.000-04:00

I'm still in Paris, just like last week. I'm not anyone in particular, but I interested in finding out more of what the Bonnot Gang is up 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.

This week's Teaser comes from THE CRIMES OF PARIS by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. These sentences come from the ARC so they may vary slightly from the finished version (out April 3, 2009).

He was sent back to a cell at La Santé Prison to think things over. He would remain there for fifteen months before a trial began.

For more travels visit raidergirl's blog an adventure in reading. For more teasing visit MizB's blog Should Be Reading.

Pre-Order/Buy THE CRIMES OF PARIS @ a bookstore near you!

Pre-Order/Buy THE CRIMES OF PARIS @ Amazon

Musing Mondays {3-23-09}

2009-03-23T07:21:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about bookstores…

How many bookstores do you frequent? Do you have a favorite? If so, which one and what makes it so?

There is a Borders in the mall here. The mall is about a 5 minute drive from our apartment. That is the book store we go to most often for new books. We also go to a (huge) B&N about 20 minutes from here. The nearest indie store is about 40 minutes from where we live. We haven't been to this store yet, but we do plan on it.

The store we shop most often recently is our local Goodwill store. We've made some pretty great finds there!

Review of: Pretties

2009-03-21T06:59:00.009-04:00

Author: Scott Westerfeld
ISBN: 9780689865398
Pages: 384
Published by: Simon Pulse (November, 2005)
Genre(s): Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Young Adult
Grade: B
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09 - Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge - 2009 Young Adult Book Challenge

Pretties is the second in a four books series (#1 Uglies, #3 Specials, #4 Extras) by author Scott Westerfeld. As I stated in my review of Uglies, I became aware of this series through my oldest daughter. Pretties picks up a few months after Uglies ends. Tally is now pretty and living/partying in New Pretty Town. Other than that it almost felt like I was reading Uglies again. However, I found myself zipping right through this one (and the next) in just a few days. Again, I had to know what happened to Tally, Shay and the rest. Not sure what that says about me...

My review of Specials will be more in-depth. Quite frankly, I am writing this about 3 months after I read Pretties. I'm going to skip through Specials and re-read some of the chapters to refresh my memory.

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

Buy Pretties by Scott Westerfeld:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Booking Through Thursday {3-19-09}

2009-03-19T08:01:00.003-04:00

How about, “What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?”

The Safety of Secrets. I found the two women in this book annoying. I saw lots of people saying that they enjoyed it. I'm sure there are books that I loved that other's didn't like. There are plenty of book around; there's something for everyone's tastes. If you're interested, here is my review.

For more BTT!

Challenge Update #1 -- Reading Wrap-Up

2009-03-18T12:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't done a Reading Wrap-Up since I wrapped up December's reads. I thought I'd combine a wrap-up for January, February and the first half of March with an update on where I stand with my Reading Challenges.

In January I finished:

Emily Post by Laura Claridge
The Smart One by Ellen Meister
Pretties by Scott Westerfeld
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

In February I finished:

A Day with My Dad at the Beach by Lance Waite
King's Fool by Margaret Campbell Barnes

In March I have finished (so far):

Baron Thinks Dog are People Too! by Laurie Dean
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert

Now for Challenge Updates!

100+ Reading Challenge -- 8/100
18th & 19th Century Woman Writer's Challenge -- 0/4
2009 Pub Challenge -- 0/9 {I am currently reading THE CRIMES OF PARIS which qualifies for this challenge.}
2009 Support Your Local Library Challenge -- 0/12
2009 Young Adult Book Challenge -- 2/12
American Civil War Reading Challenge -- 0/12
Genre Challenge -- 2/12
John Steinbeck Mini-Challenge -- 0/2
Pulizter Prize Challenge -- 0/5
Scott Westerfeld Mini-Challenge -- 2/2
Well-Seasoned Reader Challenge -- 0/3 {In all honesty, I forgot about this challenge. It ends in 2 weeks...}
What's in a Name? 2 -- 1/6
Winter Holiday Reading Challenge -- There was no set # to read; I read an anthology of 4 stories and a book.
The World Citizen Challenge -- 0/1

I will skip the Reading/Challenge Wrap-Up for March, but on May 2nd I will post a wrap-up that covers March 18 - April 30. After that I will resume regular monthly wrap-ups!

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-17-09}

2009-03-17T07:41:00.003-04:00

I am presently in Paris, France. Time is a bit fluid at the moment, but is staying mostly between 1880 and the 1910's.

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.

This week's Teaser comes from THE CRIMES OF PARIS by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. These sentences come from the ARC so they may vary slightly from the finished version (out April 3, 2009).

Shortly after Picquet passed through the Salon Carre, a door to a storage closet opened and a man (or men, for it was never proved whether the thief worked alone) emerged. He had been in there since the previous day -- Sunday, the museum's busiest, as that was the only day most Parisians had off from work.

Musing Mondays {3-16-09}

2009-03-16T17:33:00.003-04:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about talking to strangers…

We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you? (question courtesy of Dena)

If I'm just "out and about", I'll look to see what the title is, but won't start a conversation. If it's in a bookstore or library, yes! I don't know why the setting makes the difference to me. I wouldn't mind if someone started a conversation with me about whatever I happened to be reading at the time. No one does around here though. I think that's what lead me to blogging and the book related online communities to begin with. I'd love it if someone sat down next to me and started a conversation about a book!

Visit Just One More Page for more!

Make Kylee Read Me - winner

2009-03-11T10:53:00.002-04:00

Here's how it broke down!

The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton	IIIII (5)
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx	I (1)
Middlemarch - George Elliot	II (2)
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith	IIII (4)
Three Junes - Julia Glass	II (2)

The winner of "Make Kylee Read Me" is The House of Mirth, by one vote! I picked up a used copy at my local Goodwill store this weekend. No more excuses. =)

This post is inspired by the most recent Booking Through Thursday question. Also, I will still be reading a book with my 15yo daughter this summer; most likely To Kill a Mockingbird.

Review of: The Smart One

2009-03-11T10:31:00.005-04:00

Author: Ellen Meister
ISBN: 9780061129629
Pages: 384
Published by: Avon A (August 2008)
Genre(s): Mystery, ChickLit, Humor
Grade: B+
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge - Read 'n Review '09

When I first got this book I was excepting your typical chick-lit, which I enjoy now and then. I personally need to read something light and fluffy after something heavy and dragging just to get my head back on straight. The Smart One was perfect for that. Up until the industrial drum was discovered in the neighbors basement. It is a great read! Bev, Clare and Joey are really funny (though I don't think Clare realizes how funny she is).

There are elements of quite a few genres in The Smart One. Definitely chick-lit, but also, mystery, romance, family strife, humor, and suspense. In my opinion, any fan of chick-lit or romance will really enjoy The Smart One by Ellen Meister. Below is the blurb from the back of the book.

Bev is the Smart One, who finally leaves her artistic ambitions in chalk dust (and her humor-impaired husband in the arms—and legs—of his nubile protégée) to become a schoolteacher. Clare is the Pretty One, who married well and seems to be living a designer version of the suburban dream. Joey is the Wild One, struggling to stay clean and sober now that she's used up her fifteen minutes of fame as a one-hit-wonder rock star.
They love each other but mix like oil, water, and hundred-proof gin . . . a combination that threatens to combust over family tensions, suspected infidelities, a devastating accident, a stunning confession, and the sudden reappearance of their handsome, now all-grown-up former neighbor, Kenny Waxman, who's back in town making his mark as a TV comedy writer.
It seems they'll never understand where their differences begin and their own destructive tendencies end. Then it happens: the sisters discover a decades-old body stuffed inside an industrial drum and begin a bold, heartbreaking, and sometimes hilarious journey that will either bring them together . . . or tear them apart for good.

Renee Giroux at IJustFinished sent me a copy of The Smart One for review. Thank you, Renee.

Buy The Smart One by Ellen Meister:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Musing Mondays {3-9-09}

2009-03-09T17:06:00.000-04:00

What is your policy when it comes to new authors? Do you feel comfortable purchasing a book or do you prefer to borrow new authors from the library? How often do you 'try out' a new author?

In general I don't buy books my new (and new to me) authors. I will however, borrow and on rare occasions buy, a book by a new (or new to me) author. If the author or a specific book is highly recommended to me by someone with very similar tastes I may take the chance and buy it.

More March Musings

Kylee's 2009 Blog by Kylee's 2009 is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Friday Fill-In {3-6-09} #114

2009-03-06T13:59:00.002-05:00

And...here we go!

1. Getting up this morning was my last random act of kindness.
2. Another place to live would be nice.
3. Keep yourself open in matters of the heart.
4. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
5. Join your separate paths.
6. Our daughters reminds me that there is always a reason to laugh.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to visiting my mom and step-dad, tomorrow my plans include visiting the RISD campus and Sunday, I want to write!

For more Friday Fill-Ins.

Booking Through Thursday {3-5-09}

2009-03-05T09:44:00.003-05:00

We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?

I'm going to choose my top five from Jezebel's 75 Books Every Woman Should Read. I read this list (and copy/pasted it into my files) back in Sept with the intention of "Someday I'll look it over and pick some to read... someday"; today is the perfect day!

Here is my top 5 list- in no particular oder:

The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
Middlemarch - George Elliot
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
Three Junes - Julia Glass

There are many more on the list that I intend to read 'someday' and some that I have already read (stay tuned for that list!). Simlar to BethF I'd like you to challenge me to read ONE book from this list before the end of 2009. Depending on the book with the most votes I may read it over the summer with my 15 year old daughter. We plan on reading a book this summer as a mother-daughter bonding thing. =) Especially since she may be going to a program at RISD the summer of 2010 or 2011.

So leave a comment below and I will read the most voted for book!

Updated 9:58am: Forgot to link to BTT!!! Here is the link to this week's post.

Teaser Tuesdays {3-3-09}

2009-03-03T13:06:00.000-05:00

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.

Léon at once envied the calm of the tomb, and one evening he had even made his will, asking to be buried in that beautiful rug with velvet stripes he had received from her. For this was how they would have wished to be, each setting up an ideal to which they were now adapting their past life.

This week's Teasers come from Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel/react to this book, but I'm finding myself relating to portions of Emma. Don't forget to go to MizB's blog for more tempting Teasers!

Review of: Emily Post

2009-02-19T10:00:00.008-05:00

Author: Laura Claridge
ISBN: 9780375509216
Pages: 592
Genre(s): Non-Fiction - Biography
Grade: C
Challenge(s): 100+ Reading Challenge, 2009 Read & Review Challenge

I have to admit. I had a really hard time getting through this book. It took me 6 or 8 weeks to finish it. (I read Kusheils's Scion which has 200 more pages in 3 weeks, so it was more the lack of interest in the material's presentation than the length of the book.) When Shana asked for some one to take over the responsibility of this book I thought, "How interesting. She must have lead an exciting life." Well, she did lead a fairly exciting life, but the presentation was so dry.

Emily Post was related to the Roosevelt's (she thought Eleanor was too involved in politics and causes), she wrote more than Etiquette and played in the concrete base of the Statue of Liberty! I know I would have enjoyed Emily Post much more if I could have taken my time and read it in pieces over a few months rather than with a deadline. If you have more than a passing interest in Emily Post herself or in the periods that this book covers (1920's to 1950's) I'd recommend this book.

Buy Emily Post by Laura Claridge:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Reviews coming soon!

2009-02-10T10:21:00.002-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays {1-13-09}

2009-01-13T08:46:00.003-05:00

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.

Teddy pulled a tapered candle from a holder on the shelf and handed it to her, standing on his tiptoes. Grasping it upside down, she used the candle like a mike and launched into the song from the beginning, gyrating her hips and swinging her head like she did in the video.

This week's Teasers DO NOT come from Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners. I finished Emily Post yesterday afternoon (hoping to post my review late today or early tomorrow). This week's Teasers come from The Smart One by Ellen Meister, which was sent to me by Renee @ IJustFinished.com. Don't forget to read more Teasers on MizB's ShouldBeReading.

Shop Indie Bookstores

Booking Through Thursday {1-8-09}

2009-01-08T08:14:00.001-05:00

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?
(It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?)

Now, I'm not sure if this questions means my favorite books that I read in 2008 or my favorite books that I read that came out in 2008. I'll answer it both ways.

My favorite books that came out in 2008:

Little Miss Smarty-Pants by Suzanne Kopoulos -- my thoughts on my old blog
The Wednesday Sisters: A Novel by Meg Waite Clayton -- my thoughts on my old blog

My favorite books that I read in (but were released prior to) 2008:

Vampire Apocalypse: A World Torn Asunder by Derek Gunn -- my thoughts on my old blog
Hearts Never Lie by Patricia Pickett -- my thoughts on my old blog
Jaclyn's Ghost by Dorlana Vann -- my thoughts on my old blog [Jaclyn's Ghost is currently available as an e-book, but will be being released with Dorlana Vann's Passage to Mesentia in print this year. You can keep up with the news on Dorlana's blog]
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill -- my thoughts on my old blog
The Prometheus Project: Trapped & The Prometheus Project: Captured by Douglas E. Richards -- my thoughts on my old blog
What Your Mother Never Told You by Richard M. Dudum -- my thoughts on my old blog
Dancing Above the Waves by Susan Walerstein -- my thoughts on my old blog
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld -- my thoughts on THIS blog =)

Jump over to Book Through Thursday to read more Bests!

Teaser Tuesdays {1-6-09}

2009-01-06T07:10:00.000-05:00

In case you are wondering: Yes, I did have to backspace and delete "08" and replace it with "09" in the post title. =)

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.

I'm still reading Emily Post by Laura Claridge so my teaser this week will be from the same book as last week's, just farther along in the book.

Satisfied that her younger son finally seemed well situated, Emily turned to her other challenge. Determined to finish a novel started years earlier, she found her days at home distracting and concluded that she should make this years trip to France longer than usual to escape the daily disruptions.

Since last week's teaser Emily has written and published her very famous Etiquette. Just like last week these sentences are from the Uncorrected Proof and may vary from the final, published version.

For more teasing fun, visit MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Shop Indie Bookstores

Reading Wrap-Up for December

2009-01-02T15:00:00.003-05:00

Books I finished in the month of December. Follow the links to my reviews.

A Homespun Regency Christmas (anthology) - Carla Kelly, Emma Jensen, Sandra Heath & Amanda McCabe [review]
A Different Kind of Christmas - Alex Haley [review]
The Family Bones - Kimberly Raiser [review]

Teaser Tuesdays {12-30-08}

2008-12-30T08:00:00.010-05:00

I missed Musing Mondays yesterday. When my fiance/husband (we've been engaged for 4 years and often refer to each other as husband and mrs) is on second shift or off (like yesterday) my routine gets thrown off.

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.

She sailed to Europe in January, the solace of travel abroad meant to clear her mind of the tragic farce she'd been part of at home. But innovations in communications meant that distance no longer protected the rich: she had barely debarked when she heard that a colleague of her father's, the architect Stanford White had been killed in a lover's triangle.

These teasers come from Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners. They are from the Uncorrected Proof and may vary from the final, published version.

For more teasing fun, visit MizB @ Should Be Reading.

Shop Indie Bookstores

I'm Back

2008-12-28T20:23:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit MIA with holiday events this past week. I just spent the last couple of hours arranging my books (on GoodReads), trying to narrow down which books qualify for which challenges. Making headway.

Hope everyone had a happy holiday(s).

Friday Finds {12-26-08}

2008-12-26T15:00:00.004-05:00

Here are the books that have made their way on to my Wish List since last weeks installment.

One Red Paperclip by Kyle MacDonald - found @ she is too fond of books - it was on her FF last week - I heard about Kyle while he was on his adventure
The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman - found @ GoodReads - Lisa at the Tattered Cover recommends it

Friday Finds {12-19-08}

2008-12-19T09:47:00.000-05:00

Here are the books that have made their way on to my Wish List since last weeks installment.

The House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler - found @ Beth Fish Reads [her review]
Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron - found @ GoodReads through a GR pal who works for Tattered Cover
The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty - found @ BermudaOnion [her review]

For more Friday Finds, don't forget to visit MizB.

I've Been Tagged: Some Christmas Fun

2008-12-18T15:47:00.010-05:00

Wendi @ Wendi's Book Corner tagged me for "Some Christmas Fun".

Some Christmas Fun

Answer these questions and then tag a person or two. Post these questions on your blog and link back to me.

This is a short quiz since we are all so busy this time of year.

1. What is your very first Christmas memory? My first vivid memory that I know for sure is from Christmas is when I was 7 and I got a snow globe from my paternal grandparents. I remember thinking I was SO cool. The globe part of it was glass and I thought I was so grown up to be given something so breakable. I still have it. I passed it my oldest (she'll be 15 in... 10 days!) when she was 10.

2. Do you have a favorite Christmas gift? Probably that same snow globe.

3. Have you ever celebrated Christmas outside of your country? no

4. What is your favorite Christmas decoration? We're not big with the decorations at our home. (read: we don't even have a tree.) But my mom keeps several ornaments and other decorations that, when we (Matt, Sarah-Ellen, Reaghan & myself) have a house, she'll give to me for our house. I think the stocking are my favorite.

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Making cookies, setting them out for "Santa".

6. Have you ever had a white Christmas? We live in Connecticut, I'm sure we have, but all I can recall at the moment are dustings at most.

7. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling? not that I can remember. Mom?

8. What is your favorite Christmas movie or story? Movie: It's a Wonderful Life and those CBS movies - Story: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

9. Do you have a Christmas link you would like to share? nope, sorry

If you would like to participate, consider yourself tagged! Follow the instructions and leave me a comment here. I'll add your link and come read your answers.

Oh, yeah! That picture is of Matt and I. I was pregnant with Reaghan at the time. Christmas 2005. She came along about 6 1/2 weeks later. 5 weeks early, exactly 1 week before my baby shower! Just thought I'd share.

Review of: The Family Bones

2008-12-17T12:50:00.009-05:00

Author: Kimberly Raiser
ISBN: 9780615246253
Pages: 192
Genre(s): Paranormal, Thriller, Fiction
Grade: B-
Challenge(s): none

From the back of the book:

Will they stay? Will they survive? The Weavers have inherited family property in Astral, Pennsylvania, a town so small that Mrs. Weaver can find no mention of it on the Internet, save for a tiny spot on Google Earth. Hoping for a simpler, small-town existence for their young family, Steven and Tara eagerly head to Astral to see what they hope will be their dream house. As they explore their potential new home, the Weavers begin to discover secret passageways, secret rooms, and long buried family truths; some difficult truths are revealed and no longer kept in the far reaches of the closet. There are reasons for everything, and sometimes the explanations are so simple. But sometimes, simple can also be horrifying.

I think the best way to describe this book is 'spooky'. I'm not a squeamish reader, but I had to read this book during the day. I started it early this month, during the afternoon. I'm the type of person who HAS to read in bed before going to sleep. I could not read The Family Bones before going to sleep.

There are some really great elements to The Family Bones: children in danger, disappearing/reappearing tunnels, a well. Not to mention all of the mystery and suspense. It didn't take me long to get swept up in this book. From page 1 Kimberly Raiser had me with:

The well on the back of the property always scared me as a child. It was so deep, and so completely absent of any light. The neighborhood kids used to tell me horrible stories about the old man who used to live there before my grandparents did. How he used to drown cats deep in the well and how their bones would rise during the full moon to look for the old man that drowned them.

And that's just the first 4 sentences of The Family Bones! It only gets better, scarier, spookier from there. If you would also like to read this. I'll send my copy (only read once, by yours truly) to the first person (with a legit e-mail address) to comment below.

(Full disclosure: Kimberly Raiser sent me this book as a free review copy. If you have any questions/concerns about how this may have affected how I feel about the book, please go here and read the PLEASE NOTE part.)

Buy The Family Bones by Kimberly Raiser:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Teaser Tuesdays {12-16-08}

2008-12-16T10:02:00.002-05:00

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.

"I knew about Julia's reluctance to get psychological help, but the rest was news to me, and I felt dreadful. All Margaret had shared with me was her frustration with the police."

My teaser for this week comes from Debbie Macomber's Back on Blossom Street, which has been hanging out on my shelves for much too long. You can read more about the book on the authors' site, including an excerpt.

Don't forget to visit MizB for more teasing goodness.

Musing Mondays {12-15-08}

2008-12-15T10:52:00.001-05:00

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading on the go…

I always like to have a book with me at all times – call it a nerdy grown-up security blanket – and rarely do I leave the house without slipping one into my bag (even if I KNOW I’m not going to have a chance to read it). Do you take a book with you? Do you take whatever book you’re currently reading, or do you have a special on-the-go book? And do you have a preference for a these types of book (paperback, hardback; short stories; poetry etc)?

I'm pretty much the same way. I almost always (95% of the time) bring a book with me. Even if I'm sure I won't get a chance to do any reading, I bring a book; just on the extreme off chance I get 2 minutes to crack it open. Unless my current book is a large hardcover, I bring my current read. I prefer to bring Mass Market Paperbacks, but I've been known to carry around a printed out e-book.

Review of: A Different Kind of Christmas

2008-12-13T08:02:00.002-05:00

Author: Alex Haley
ISBN: 9780385260435
Pages: 101
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Grade: A+
Start date: 12-6-08
End date: 12-10-08
Challenge(s): Winter Holiday Reading Challenge

Alex Haley's Roots is one of the world's most beloved and important books. In A Different Kind of Christmas, the intense drama of a white Southerner and a black slave who work toward a mutual goal, Haley once again gives us a moving story of physical and moral courage, and an unforgettable tale of spiritual regeneration. Rendered with a matchless sense of time and place, a poetic humanness, and a rich, robust humor; A Different Kind of Christmas will delight and inspire reader of all ages and faith for generations to come.

So says the inside of the dust jacket. Here I am reading this for the first time, 20 years after it's first printing, a white, non-Christian. I cried when it was over. Not a lot, but it definitely affected me.

Fletcher Randall, son of the owner of "North Carolina's 4th largest plantation", is a sophomore at Princeton when we meet him. After meeting and spending some time with 3 Quaker brothers, Fletcher becomes disillusioned with what he was brought up considering 'normal'; that people can be your property. Fletcher eventually becomes involved with the Underground Railroad (UGRR). Fletcher spends part of one of his Christmas breaks helping the UGRR in a surprising way. I'm trying not to give away too much. It's a 101 pages, pick it up, read it and I think you'll find that it picks you up in return.

As you might expect, this book is receiving my Hyacinth Award.

Buy A Different Kind of Christmas by Alex Haley:
IndieBound {} A Different Kind of Christmas

Friday Finds {12-12-08}

2008-12-12T08:17:00.002-05:00

Here are the books that have made their way onto my Wish List this week.

Chaplin: A Life in Film by Stephen Weissman - found @ Book Critiques
A Song in Stone by Walter H Hunt - found @ MizB's Should be Reading's Teaser Tuesdays post
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosney - found @ gautami tripathy's Reading Room
Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia by Jessica James - found @ Shana of Literarily
The Yoga Teacher by Alexandra Gray - found @ S. Krishna's Books - review

Visit MizB's blog Should be Reading for more Friday Finds.

Review of: A Homespun Regency Christmas

2008-12-11T14:14:00.001-05:00

Author: Carla Kelly, Emma Jensen, Sandra Heath & Amanda McCabe
ISBN: 9780451227096
Pages: 288 (327 if you include the four excerpts at the end)
Genre(s): Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Anthology
Grade: B
Start date: 11-24-08
End date: 12-3-08
Challenge(s): Winter Holiday Reading Challenge

A Homespun Regency Christmas is an anthology. I was hesitant to pick it up since I was burned* by the last anthology that I read. I really wanted to get in the Christmas spirit and hadn't been disappointed by a Signet Regency yet, so I bit the bullet. I STILL haven't been disappointed. =) Each story is around 70 pages. I'll review them in the order they appear in the book.

An Object of Charity by Carla Kelly - "A lonely naval hero assumes the responsibility if an orphaned brother and sister -- and discovers unexpected salvation in the young girl's giving heart." Captain Michael Lynch has lost this first mate, David Partlow, in a terrible accident at sea. Sally Partlow and her younger brother, Thomas (niece and nephew to David) have lost their father and have traveled from the Highlands of Scotland to Portsmouth, England to enter their Uncle David's care.

The Wexford Carol by Emma Jensen - "An enterprising woman throws a party to save her family home from being razed -- only to fall for the seemingly coldhearted man behind the demolition." Set in Ireland, this is the story of Elizabeth Fitzhollis, her family home and Captain Lord Rhys Edward-Jones. The premise is a bit convoluted, but it all comes together at the end. At the end there is a letter that was written before the actual story starts that explains the confusing bits.

Mistletoe and Folly by Sandra Heath - "A nobleman crosses paths with the young woman who years before broke his heart when she married a wealthier man." Another set in England. The story of Sir Richard Curzon and his past love Mrs Robert Beaumont (formerly Miss Diana Laverick). There is an element of intruige added to the mix in this story. This is the only one without a (current or former) captain of a ship. Still really interesting.

Upon a Midnight Clear by Amanda McCabe - "A moonlight encounter unexpectedly changes the lives of an emotionally scarred sea captain and the daughter of a freed slave." I'm not sure why, but this one was by far my favorite of the 4 (they are all good though). Maybe it's how much these people are so sad, so desperate for comfort. Both Antoinette Duvall and Mark Payne think they are settled and 'happy' in their lives, but really each needs something more. Something to, for lack of a better phrase, complete them.

*(see the book I read Jan6 - 9)

Buy this anthology:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Booking Through Thursday {12-11-08}

2008-12-11T09:08:00.001-05:00

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?
2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

There are days (few and far between) that I get to read more than expected, but on the whole I don't get to read as much as I want. I have a little girl who will be 3 in February and she is H-E-double hockey sticks on wheels. As evidenced by yesterday's antics. She slathered her hands in hand sanitizer and cut her bangs (All my fault though. I was wrapping presents Tuesday night and left the scissors low enough for her to reach). Then after her nap and covered herself in Balmex. Less than an hour later she got into some craft varnish (water soluble and not as thick as standard varnish) and covered her hands in it.

If I had more time to read I would want to read one book in particular (which has been hanging around for over a year) as well as some other 'educational' books. Mostly, if I had more time, I'd love to learn Spanish!

Don't forget to go HERE for more Booking Through Thursday posts.

Dewey’s Books Reading Challenge

2008-12-09T16:38:00.002-05:00

I'm probably pushing the limit on the number of challenges that I'm joining, but I can't NOT join this one. Dewey was an inspiration and an example for me in my early blogging days. I have not decided which other the 2 options I'll choose and which books I'll read (I'll update this post when I do). The challenge runs (officially) January 1 to December 31, 2009.

Teaser Tuesdays {12-9-08}

2008-12-09T09:36:00.000-05:00

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.

I'm reading 4 books at the moment. I'm picking my teaser from The Family Bones since it is closest to me. ;)

I looked up to see how high the actual opening was. It was very very high. I could see the top, the top of the well.

Can you get a sense of why I'm only reading this one during the day? **spoo-oo-ooky** Jump on over to MizB's blog, Should be Reading for more teasing.

Review of: A Wrinkle in Time (sort of)

2008-12-09T09:07:00.001-05:00

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
ISBN: 9780440498056
Pages: 256
Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction
Grade: A
Start date: 11-20-08
End date: 11-24-08
Challenge(s): (Genre Challenge) Fantasy

I don't feel like I need to review A Wrinkle in Time. So many have already read it, so many will read (and reread) it. I will say that I enjoyed it more now than when I was 9 or 10 when I first read it. I have the next 3 in the series and will read them at some point. =) I will also continue to look for An Acceptable Time, which is the 5th book.

Buy A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle:
IndieBound {} Amazon

Booking Through Thursday {12-4-08}

2008-12-04T09:16:00.001-05:00

Here is today Booking Through Thursday! My answers are in bold after the question.

1. Do you have a favorite author? I have two. Stephen King and Agatha Christie.

2. Have you read everything he or she has written? I haven't read everything by either of them. I have read a lot by Stephen King and Agatha Christie, but both are/were (respectively) very prolific.

3. Did you LIKE everything? Stephen King - yes. Agatha Christie - no. I find her Poirot novels to be a little hard to read. Poirot is my favorite Christie detective to watch though...

4. How about a least favorite author? hmm None that spring to mind.

5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t? Milan Kundera

Delurking December

2008-12-03T10:21:00.003-05:00

Shauna @ Shaunarumbling has declared this month "Delurking Decmeber".

Shauna says: "I'm designating this month as Delurking December! Consider giving the gift of your comments to bloggers whose blogs you read regularly or happen upon."

So keep this in mind while traveling the blogosphere and at least say hi. Let those bloggers that you read KNOW that you are reading. Even if you've just clicked through from somewhere else. =)

Funny side note: FireFox wants me to change "bloggers" to "floggers"....

Volunteers for Dewey - repost

2008-12-03T07:43:00.004-05:00

I have re-posted this The 3R's post in it's entirety.

I don't usually post twice a day, but these are special circumstances:

I mentioned in my post on Tuesday morning that one of the things we'd miss most about Dewey is her community-building activity, and that it would be wonderful if we could keep things like the Bookworms Carnival, the 24-Hour Read-a-Thon, and Weekly Geeks going as a legacy to her. But expecting one person to do all of those - or even all of ONE of those - is expecting a LOT, so I wondered if book bloggers might be interested in forming small groups or teams that would each take on one of the projects.

In throwing out that call for volunteers, it seems like I may have volunteered myself to coordinate this effort! My thinking is that once we have several people lined up for each project, those groups will spin off and work out the details among themselves, but I'd be glad to serve as the clearinghouse until we get to that point - or until it's coordinated with someone else's efforts (looking at Natasha at Maw Books Blog right now...).

Before I even put that post up, I had already exchanged e-mails with another book blogger concerning the Bookworms Carnival - that's the one I'd be willing to work on. Since the post went up, I've heard from several book bloggers who are also interested in continuing Dewey's projects, so I've started a list.

If you'd be open to working with one of Dewey's community projects as part of a group, please leave a comment on this post or e-mail me at 3.rsblog AT Gmail DOT com. If you're interested in a particular project, please let me know that too - one person has specifically mentioned interest in working on the Read-a-Thon.

Book bloggers: please re-post this on your blogs to help get the word out, and join the discussion Natasha has started in the Book Blogs Group on Ning! We are going to try to centralize our efforts there.

In related news, Becky at Becky's Book Reviews is taking the lead on a proposed Weekly Geeks #27:
I was thinking that it might be nice for those bloggers who are Weekly Geeks to pay tribute to Dewey in the next week or so. To take the time to post to their blogs a "Weekly Geek" post about Dewey...
Go read the rest of her post!

Also - I got an e-mail from Lisa Roe mentioning that she has Dewey's mailing address and would be glad to forward condolence cards to her family:

I think it would be wonderful for her family to see how loved and highly regarded Dew was to us all. I know it's a busy time for us all, but if the bulk of condolences could be sent to me within the next two weeks, I will send one large package to the family.
Please contact Lisa through her website (link above) to obtain her mailing address.

If you can/want to help, please visit Florinda's (The 3R's) blog and let her know.

Kylee's 2009

Hello

I have moved

School is starting...

Reading Wrap-Up: June

Review Rewind of: Jaclyn's Ghost

Musing Mondays {6-8-09}

Review of: Strange Angels

Review of: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Teaser Tuesdays {6-2-09}

Reading Wrap-Up: May

Review of: Jasmine's Starry Night

Review of: The Unfinished Clue

Review of: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

Blog Tour: Mating Rituals of the North American WASP

Giveaway Winners: Testimony

Random Sequence GeneratorHere is your sequence: 9 1 3 12 8 10 11 2 6 4 7 5 Timestamp: 2009-05-25 20:20:05 UTC

Random Sequence Generator

Review of: Behold, Here's Poison

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-19-09}

Musing Mondays {5-18-09}

Review of: Wild Cherry Makes a Wish

Review of: Shanghai Girls

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {5-12-09}

Blog Tour: The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire

GIVEAWAY: Testimony

Thursday Tea {5-7-09}

Review of: Girls in Trucks

Review Rewind of: The Wednesday Sisters

Reading Wrap-Up

Friday Finds {5-1-09}

Thursday Tea {4-30-09}

Giveaway Winners - GIRLS IN TRUCKS

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-29-09}

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {4-28-09}

Musing Mondays {4-27-09}

Review of: Follow Me {and Blog Tour}

GIVEAWAY: Girls in Trucks

Musing Mondays {4-20-09}

Review of: A Day with My Dad at the Beach

A note to all!

4-15-09 Wondrous Words Wednesday

Teaser Tuesdays {4-14-09}

Booking Through Thursday {4-9-09}

Giveaway Winners - THE CRIMES OF PARIS

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-8-09}

Review of: Alanna

Monday Musings {4-6-09}

Review of: Baron Thinks Dogs are People Too!

Friday Fill-Ins {4-2-09}

Wondrous Words Wednesday {4-1-09}

Review of: The Crimes of Paris

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-31-09}

Review of: Madame Bovary

Musing Mondays {3-30-09}

Review of: King's Fool

YAY

Review of: Specials

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-24-09}

Musing Mondays {3-23-09}

Review of: Pretties

Booking Through Thursday {3-19-09}

Challenge Update #1 -- Reading Wrap-Up

It's Tuesday, Where Are You? | Teaser Tuesdays {3-17-09}

Musing Mondays {3-16-09}

Make Kylee Read Me - winner

Review of: The Smart One

Musing Mondays {3-9-09}

Friday Fill-In {3-6-09} #114

Booking Through Thursday {3-5-09}

Teaser Tuesdays {3-3-09}

Review of: Emily Post

Reviews coming soon!

Teaser Tuesdays {1-13-09}

Booking Through Thursday {1-8-09}

Teaser Tuesdays {1-6-09}

Reading Wrap-Up for December

Teaser Tuesdays {12-30-08}

I'm Back

Friday Finds {12-26-08}

Random Sequence Generator
Here is your sequence:
9 1 3 12 8 10 11 2 6 4 7 5
Timestamp: 2009-05-25 20:20:05 UTC