Constantly Reading Momma

New Home for Constantly Reading Momma

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 May 2014 15:07:00 +0000

Hey All--Constantly Reading Momma has a new home at constantlyreadingmomma.com. Come check it out!!!

'Reader's Block' and Some Decent Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 00:21:00 +0000

I've been having trouble getting into my next good book. I've read a few so-so books, but I've had a hard time to start a great book, one on my every growing list of GREAT BOOKS I keep. I blame it on the last great book I read--The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It was such a great book, but I will get back. I'm in the middle of a pretty good one right now.

It's tough, when you read a great book. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao did that for me. It was so original; the story of a New Jersey/Dominican Sci Fi Geek trying to find his place in the world, desperately seeking love. It's a great story, but the words were so original . . . well, I'm not going to go into it, but it Junot Diaz is a wonderful wordsmith.

So, that one was hard to get over. I wanted to read, just not anything so amazing. I needed a few weeks to get my mind around the writing, the words, the beauty . . . so I read okay books. Good books that authors put a lot of thought into, just not the wonder of Oscar Wao. Between that and the business of work, kids and life, I'm just now getting back to my list of GREAT BOOKS. And one of them fits into my Read Across America very well.

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My Reading Across America took a couple of stumbles these last couple of books. Again, I blame it on New Jersey and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

I continued south to Delaware, which holds very few great books (sorry Delaware, but it is true). I searched and searched and finally settled on a gory, zombie-terrorist book,Patient Zero: A Joe Ledger Novel. It was decent and a quick read, and I will probably return to read more about the great Joe Ledger and his fight for Zombie-free America. In the book, Islamist extremists have teamed up with big pharmacology (in the guise of a world humanitarian) to develop a 'zombie' virus. Big pharma plans to release it through the extremists and then swoop in with the antidote, whereas the extremists just want to eliminate Americans. Joe Ledger is a Baltimore wonder-cop headed to the FBI when he is recruited by a shadowy, rapid response government agency--The Department of Medical Sciences. Together they figure out what they are fighting and do their bit to stem the tide . . . for now.

Now, I know Baltimore is Maryland, but there is a great bit of this book that takes place in Delaware. And it does little to teach me about Delaware or even Maryland, although I did learn that there are a lot of warehouses and this would be a great place to set up a secret lab. For that reason, I decided my Maryland book would be more of a book of the region--a book that has been on my list for a long time. James Michener's Chesapeake. I'm about three quarters through, and it's really good. It's a little long winded, but a really interesting look at the area. I kind of feel like I'm making up for the short zombie look at Delaware by looking at the whole area (although Delaware isn't so much discussed in this book). I'm really enjoying it, and feel like maybe I can 'cheat' a little in Virginia because of the depth. Michener does a great job of fictionalizing history. He will show up again on my trip; I'm planning to re-read Centennial for Colorado and read Hawaii for, you guessed it, Hawaii.

So, that's where I am. I have a few other books to review that I've missed, so this is a great time to catch up.

Sunny start to spring break and Oscar Wao

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 31 Mar 2014 14:56:00 +0000

Finally!! It's spring break. We're staying at home this year (we usually do), so it should mean sleeping in and late nights. We try to go to Arizona earlier in the winter, because rates are lower and its usually worth getting out of the cold and snow to spend a week at my moms. This year, we did Christmas there and a week at Disney in February. AND I just got a new car, so we really can't afford electricity or heat any longer, let alone another trip.

And it looks like it is going to be spring, finally. Just to make us appreciate it even more, winter decided to say goodbye loudly with one last snow on Saturday. I grew up in Colorado and lived for a time in the beautiful Vail Valley in the mountains, so snow at the end of March isn't a shocker for me, but it isn't my favorite thing when there isn't the promise of spring skiing. So I'm hoping we get a few sunny days, because I would like to go to the zoo and maybe go for a couple of hikes.

So, we'll spend our week sleeping in and eating pancakes, late(r) night movies and family time. I'll break up fights and find it AWESOME when the girls get along. Maybe we'll bake some cookies and hit the Y (when it does rain, like it's promising to do.) Spring break is the promise of summer to come, and I can't wait.

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After reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, I think my life just changed a bit. There are writers that I have missed in the last few years--spending time trapped in children's books and YA dystopian fantasy has taken this from me. Wow, Junot Diaz is one of those writers.

This is my New Jersey book, and I'm so glad I read it. My husband is a Jersey boy, so I didn't want to read about suburban kids growing up, or even the Jersey Shore. I went for the inner city, the gritty New Jersey. And I stumbled on Diaz.

I've looked at this book a few times and decided against it, I guess because I didn't relate to the culture, the setting or the story. STUPID REASON, I know. You should read out of your comfort zone; that is how you learn!!!

The story is breath-taking and wonderful and loopy and sad, and even a bit predictable because of the title and the opening, but the way Diaz puts words together creates a story that is beautifully rich, even magical. YES, I had (got?) to use the translate button on my Kindle Paperwhite a few times to translate phrases from Spanish to English, but the gist of the sentence came through, I just wanted to use that technology. It was just wonderfully, creatively crafted. And his characters--WOW!! He takes a crazy--Loco--Dominican, combines them with Sci-fi geekiness and fatalistic love and creates a character that you want to shake, want to cheer for, want to read--a character you can't help but falling in love with a bit. Oscar Wao, and his whole crazy family, are well worth meeting.

I'm going to have to find time to read more Junot Diaz. This Is How You Lose Her and Drown are next on my list. I cannot wait.

First Reconciliation and Someone Else's Love Story

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:22:00 +0000

Here was our dilemma, one that I have been worried about for awhile: How do you tell your developmentally disabled daughter that it's time to sit down and confess all the sins she has committed in her nine years? (Well, not maybe not all of them . . .) Confess, not to me or her father, but to the highest moral authority in her life, a priest. Somehow, we got her to do it. My Katy made it through her First Reconciliation (that's confession to you non-Catholics.)

It wasn't easy. For those of you who don't know her, my younger daughter Katy has Down syndrome. SO, explaining the whole tell-them-what-you-did (aka confess your sins) was difficult. Her standard line when she gets caught doing something wrong is, "Libby did it." (Libby is her older sister). We talked (and talked and talked) about how she would be forgiven, she wouldn't get in trouble, that this was a great chance to tell the truth and let God forgive her sins. We went over and over it, and thought we had it figured out--in January. And then SNOW. And her First Reconciliation was postponed.

So, fast forward two months. We continued to talk, and the two months seemed to have done some good. She got it!! She confessed some sins without blaming anything on her sister, the priest was wonderful and patient, and she walked out relieved and happy, asking if she could do it again. Right then.

So, I'm proud. I'm relieved. I'm happy, but I'm sad at the same time. It took a long time to get her to this point, and she did a wonderful job. But it means my baby, my little girl that works so hard for every milestone, is growing up. She's my own miraculous, and I'm not ready for her to grow up.

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"Our genes define our capacity. They set the range, and we have to act within it. But it is a range, which means it can’t be simple. We are limited, all of us, and imperfect. We are broken in specific, quantifiable ways."

I can't really say enough about this book. I first was introduced to the characters when I read Joshilyn Jackson's s prequel short story, My Own Miraculous and I fell in love with them during this too-short interlude. Someone Else's Love Story just added to the infatuation.

Shandi Pierce is a bright, creative seventeen year-old girl living in a small Georgia time when she gets pregnant--but she's still a virgin. My Own Miraculous picks up four years later with Shandi living at home letting her mother parent her son, Natty, letting her father pay all her bills, letting her best friend, Walcott, sweep in and become her white knight when necessary. When she realizes that Natty is an extraordinarily brilliant four year-old, Shandi realizes out that she needs to start taking care of herself and her son and not let others live her life. She discovers that Natty is her own miracle, in more ways than one.

This takes us up to the start of Someone Else's Love Story. Shandi has decided to leave her small town with Natty and move to Atlanta so he can attended a preschool for gifted children. In a quirky turn of events, the two of them are held at gunpoint at a Circle K. It is in that moment that she meets the next miraculous part of her life; the Thor-like savior, William Ashe.

After the hold up, Shandi weaves her way into Ashe's life, fancying herself in love with him. It is during this time that she finds the courage and the strength to face up to her past, and to help William face up to his. And once the past is the past, the two of them can face the future . . . just not in the way you think.

Someone Else's Love Story is filled with rich, wonderful characters that leap off the page. The story is quirky and unpredictable, coming to a wonderful conclusion after some interesting, winding roads.

An Ideal Family For a Week, Slogging Back To Life and a Few Book Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 02:43:00 +0000

We got back from the most perfect vacation EVER a couple of weeks ago. For a week, I felt like we were a television perfect family, with the funny dad, the grounded mom, the sometimes sullen pre-teen and the cute younger child--with a bonus tv perfect, she has a visible developmental delay (Katy has Down syndrome). We smiled, laughed, walked, rode, and bonded. We had a few grumpy moments (mostly when we waited too long to eat), but all and all we had THE BEST TIME!!!

Yes, we went to Disney World.

I swear the happy smile didn't leave my face for a week. I told my husband to forget the Caribbean, let's go to Disney for EVERY vacation. Everyone there works so hard to make your vacation wondrous and unforgettable. I love Aruba, have had a spectacular time in many places, but Disney takes their job seriously. Yes, everyone there has had their fill of the Disney koolaid, but if that's what it takes to make family memories, then I'll take it!

And the back to real life . . . .

Back to school, where older daughter's grades slipped a bit because of vacation. That's okay, she went from all A's to a couple of B+s. Back to swimming, and to REALLY COLD Ohio. Back to play practices and dance. Back to work and cleaning (I loved that they came and cleaned our cabin every day--and did our dishes. The Cabins at Fort Wilderness rock!) and laundry. Back to the real world. UGH.

So, I will cherish our memories of the perfect vacation and of being the ideal family. I know it is just one week of glossy, unrealistic expectations--but it was a week that was real. And it was sublime.

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"I’ve always known that there’s more going on inside me than finds its way into the world, but this is probably true of everyone. Who doesn’t regret that he isn’t more fully understood?" Bridge of Sighs

I haven't been very good at doing my reviews: February was crazy busy. But I have been reading, so there are reviews to be done. I'm going to cover the three books I read as part of my Reading Across America--Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.

For Rhode Island I traveled back to the mid-eighties and read a book about witches in the early seventies. Yes, I read The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike. It was well written, the characters were vivid and real, the town was described perfectly. BUT I didn't love it. It was okay, but it wasn't great.

The story is of three divorced women living in Eastwick. Before they meet the elusive Darryl Van Horne the three of them get together and 'magic.' They seduce married men and dabble in artistic endeavours and generally scare most of the small town of Eastwick. None of them are good mothers, but somehow their kids are fine.

Along comes Darryl Van Horne, causing their artistic talents to explode and their sexual adventures to expand. And life gets much darker, and that's when I really stopped liking the women. The middle of the book muddles, and it then it ends.

There are some beautifully written moments, my favorite being Jane's Cello Scene. These well written expositories made the book worthwhile. But, after all is read and done, I can find better books.

My Connecticut read was A Season in Purgatory by Dominick Dunne. This one I loved. Written in 1993, it is a fictionalized story mirroring the Martha Moxley murder and The Kennedy involvement.

The story is told by Harrison Burns, a school friend of the young, charismatic Constant Bradley. Harrison becomes a reluctant after-the-fact accomplice of the murder of Winifred Utley by Constant, who enlists Harrison to help him move the body. Constant's larger than life Irish father and his older brothers help cover up the murder, and Harrison's college is covered as payment for his keeping his mouth shut. Years later, he is drawn back into their world, and the guilt gets to be too much. Harrison does and turns in Constant, which leads to a trial and more Bradley stories.

Dunne does a wonderful job of making the reader feel like Dunne knows the truth, that he is Harrison Burns and this is what really happened. Of course, the Moxley murder was not a Kennedy but a cousin, Michael Skakel, who was later convicted of killing Martha Moxley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's not high literature, but Dunne does a good job.

And finally, for New York I went back to Richard Russo. After loving Empire Falls so much in Maine, and knowing that Russo grew up in upstate New York, I went back to him and read Bridge of Sighs, and it was the worth the trip back. This book was wonderful, nostalgic and poignant, and contains surprises in the most unexpected moments.

Lou 'Lucy' Lynch remembers his life in small Thomaston, New York with his normal, glass-half full kind of way. His small world revolves around his family's corner store, which becomes successful despite itself. In this world there is first Lou and his parents, and Lou's friend Bobby. Later, a big space is filled by Lou's girlfriend and later wife, Sarah Berg. As we start to realize that Lou may not be remembering everything quite right (leaning toward the good and ignoring some of the dark), in step Bobby and Sarah as narrators, the forces that keep the story honest.

Lou's memories, and Thomaston in general, are filled with wonderful characters that Russo does a great job of introducing and fleshing out. I can picture Thomaston and the people in it, imagining the streets and houses, the river and the tannery. Russo leaves the reader with some questions, which will haunt me forever. Questions like:

What really happened to Lou in the truck? What are his spells? Was it his mother and uncle he saw while in the trunk? Did Nan leave Thomaston pregnant? What happened to Bobby's mom, brothers, dad? Were they his brothers or half brothers? Did he die at Penn Station or was he at dinner? What happened to Sarah's dad?

The beauty of the early morning and The Heretic's Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 30 Jan 2014 12:13:00 +0000

I got up this morning early. Or early for me. 5:00 am. I'm not a late sleeper, but I do not have to get up and head for work, so I don't rush out of bed usually. But I woke up and couldn't sleep. So I got up. I got things done that I usually get done a little later. So now I have time to write.

One of my goals this year was to get up early and head to the gym. But January, 2014 in Ohio happened. That meant very few days of temps above 10°. And snow. And late starts for school. And days off from school. Needless to say, I did not get up and go to the gym very many days this month. But February starts soon, and hopefully higher temps.

Today is Thursday, the second to the last day in January. And it is cold. BUT the temperature isn't in the negatives (or not too much, if you count windchill), so the girls will go to school for the first day this week. A full day. Last week they only had two full days. There are moms all over central Ohio doing the happy dance. I got up early and danced (figuratively, not literally), so now I will spend an hour drinking my coffee and cleansing my soul by putting these words on virtual paper.

And now, onto Massachusetts and The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

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As I approached Massachusetts and had to choose a book, I was faced with an issue that hadn't come up in my first three states. A large city. Now, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire all have cities, don't get me wrong. But when I talk about big cities I'm thinking of those cities that stand alone. New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles--and Boston.

Facing this, I made a decision. I am going to attempt to skip the large cities and focus on the rest of the state. I've read many good books centered in Boston (and other large cities) and I really want to learn a little more about the state. Maybe some history.

For Massachusetts I went with some witch trial historical fiction. I've read some, but not tons. The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent is the story of Sarah Carrier, the 10 year-old daughter of Martha Carrier, one of the first women executed during the witch trials. This is a work of fiction, but the Carriers were real, and Kent is an actual descendant of the Carriers.

Through Sarah we learn about the hard, puritanical life of a New Englander in the 17th century. Their existence is bleak, and any bad luck that happens in the area is quickly blamed on witchcraft. We watch as hysteria sweeps a town, and a family is torn apart by accusations made in a time of desperation.

Sarah is tough and hard. She slowly learns that her parents love her and will do anything to protect her and her siblings, although they do not show much outward affection and emotion. The lesson learned is that real love is proven in the hard choices made in life.

A well written, well told story that flows well and quickly and seems based in historical fact. I would recommend for high school age up, as there are some rougher scenes.

Lovely snow days a little Vermont and a visit to New Hampshire via Peyton Place

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 03:51:00 +0000

We have been a little cold this January of 2014. Wait, I'll take that back. We've been REALLY cold. We gotten to the point where when the temperature hits 25° we're putting on shorts, grilling, and drinking iced drinks on the back deck. Of course, that only works when the wind isn't blowing, because that knocks down the temperature at least 15°. Now, I grew up in Colorado, and spent a few years in the mountains as a ski instructor (best job EVER), and I felt cold and wind chill. But I was prepared, and it is much drier in Colorado, so it doesn't seem so bone-splitting cold. And it is quite often sunny in Colorado.

We've had two full days off from school as well as four late starts. And it looks like we will have at least two late starts next week, and maybe more days off.

Many of these miserably cold days have not included snow, which makes it so much worse. Oh, we've had snow, and it hasn't gone away, making it turn dirty and icy and and sharp-edged from all the wind. That's what makes days like today so magical. Yes, it's cold (although it got into the 20's today!!!!) and windy. BUT we once again had a magical day without an activity. AND it SNOWED. Pretty much all day. I left my sleeping jammies on until noon. Then I took a hot bath. Then I put on my warm, polar fleece owl jammies. The girls are still in their sleeping jammies. And Ted had to go do a little work, but he is back in his fleece man-jammie pants. (We obviously have many classifications of jammies.) I even ran out to the store for wine (yes, wine) in my warm owl jammies.

So it was the perfect day for doing very little. I read, I puttered, I attempted to make healthy muffins (that tasted like doody, so I gave up that thought). I watched broke into the wine at 5:00 and I'm okay with that. Tonight we will do Family Movie Night and relax.

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“There is such a thing as love not meeting a test, but that does not mean that it was not a kind of love to begin with. Love is not static. It changes and fluctuates, sometimes growing stronger, sometimes weaker and sometimes disappearing altogether. But still, I think it is difficult not to be grateful for the love one gets.”

In my literary trip across the U.S., I am now in Massachusetts, reading a book set in the Salem region during the witch craziness. So far, so good. That means I've traveled through Vermont and New Hampshire and I've learned a few things. First, there are not too many great books that are set in Vermont. Well, I guess there aren't many that I haven't read. I am really sorry that I read Donna Tartt's The Secret History in December, because it would have been the perfect Vermont book. It was really good. But a lot of the books are written by Jodi Picoult, and I don't like her that much, or Chris Bohjalian. I chose two Bohjalian books, but neither was actually set in Vermont, so I gave up on that vein. So, I decided to go for an unknown author. Usually a good idea. Not so much this time.

Now, Every Last Cuckoo by Kate Maloy isn't a bad book. When Sarah Lucas's husband of fifty years dies, she is inconsolable. But her large Vermont home becomes a waystation for a bunch of lost souls, and Sarah suddenly finds herself becoming not one half of a couple. I think what bothered me is the 'perfectness' of it all. I know her husband died, and that would be sad, but they had such a charmed life. They did have rocky periods in their marriage when their children were young, and each had an icy relationship with a child, but that was about it. Everyone around her has a hard time, but Sarah is such a good person that she roles with the punches. Her big house on lots of land, her oh-so-liberal Vermont friends, her children . . . all seem perfect. I would have rather read a book about her soon-to-be daughter in law, who had quite a bit of loss and hardship. Or her granddaughter, even, going through some hard teen years. Sarah just seems a little one-dimensional to me. But it was a nice look at Vermont, with quite a bit of Vermont outdoorsy going on. I really enjoyed that part of it.

New Hampshire was better. I went with a book that has always intrigued me, Peyton Place by Grace Metalious. It was said to be oh-so scandalous, the 50 Shade of Grey of its time (which was the 1950's). And I can see that. It is the story of Peyton Place, New Hampshire, and its ups and downs from 1939-1945. Mostly the story of Allison McKenzie, her mother Constance, and her friend (at the beginning of the book) Selena Cross, but it does delve into the other characters in town. It had to have been shocking in the 50's, opening the curtains and revealing the town secrets: unwed motherhood, incest, teenage sex, even abortion. It was banned in many towns but still managed to be a bestseller, setting records for sales for the time. I enjoyed this book, although I cannot say it was great literature. It was fun, knowing I was reading something 'scandalous' for its day. It wasn't particularly shocking, just normal scandal in today's novels. But that's okay. I can cross it off my list.

So far Massachusetts is going well. The Heretic's Daughter is interesting, and Kathleen Kent tells a great story. I'm glad I had this snowy day to really get into it.

The magic of ordinary days and Empire Falls

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 02:40:00 +0000

There are days that seem endless with activities and events. Weeks that go by without a minute to stop and sit down with my family all at once, or even one at a time. Dance classes, swim practices, play practices, meetings, meets, games . . . they all take a toll on the family and on each individual. Especially at this time of the year, when things all start to pile up, I start to think about how beautiful it would be to leave it all behind. Get out of everything, go live in the middle of nowhere, forget the world and the activities. The probability of that is minimal, at best, but a girl can dream. Until that dream comes true, I relish in the extraordinary of ordinary days.

Actually, what I think of as ordinary are the exception. The days when we can hang out at home, having nothing to do at all. This weekend we actually had a couple of those days. A swim meet that was supposed to happen was cancelled, and then we had MLK day. Two days to do very little. I listen to the girls play, knowing that I should take them to the movie, or sledding, or to the library. But they are enjoying doing nothing at home; building with Legos, playing with Barbies and American Girl dolls, drawing, painting, writing. I love listening to the girls do all the things that don't get done on other days.

Of course, along with that comes the arguing. I mean, the girls are only 15 months apart. And Katy, my beautiful daughter with Down syndrome, is really good at playing the victim. She is cute and little and VERY good at manipulation, and she uses that power for personal gain. So I play referee and judge, remembering that Libby, my beautiful older daughter, has to deal with The Manipulator on a regular basis.

Even the arguing, though, is beautiful, considering that there are many days the girls don't see each other for more than half-an-hour. Ordinary days are splendid, even with the fights and the mess, the yelling and the tattling. Because that means we also get giggles and hugs, talking and secrets, artwork and heart-to-hearts. So I will relish in the magic of ordinary days. These are the days I will remember when life goes off the rails, like it always does. These days are what make up a happy life.

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"One of the odd things about middle age, he concluded, was the strange decisions a man discovers he's made by not really making them, like allowing friends to drift away through simple neglect."

After reading Empire Falls by Richard Russo I cried. I was so sad it was over, so sad to leave Empire Falls, Maine, that I actually wept. The characters are so real, flaws and all, that I miss them. It took me a few days to pick up another book, and that NEVER happens to me.

On my Read Across The U.S. Quest, this was my first book. My novel for Maine. And it was a wonderful book with which to begin. Russo sets a perfect stage, and fills it with wonderfully rich characters. To him I say THANK YOU!!!! And, I'm so sorry I haven't discovered you sooner!

-----Some Spoilers!!!-----------------
Empire Falls, Maine has seen better days. The town, once prosperous under a successful textile mill owned by the Whiting family, has been closed for a couple of decades and the few businesses still open are hanging on by a thread. This includes The Empire Diner, a restaurant run by Miles Roby and owned by the last of the Whiting family, Francine. She promised the diner to Miles upon her death as long as he ran it for her, forcing him to leave college, when his mother was ill. In this, he feels his fate was sealed.

Miles is the protagonist of this story, a man in the middle of his life. He runs the diner and his life without passion, although I loved Miles. He is in the middle of a divorce, one that he doesn't want but isn't willing to fight, mainly because of his daughter, Tick, who is dealing with high school and those rocky waters. We even get to watch as Miles' father, Max, runs off to Key West with a senile priest and the offering money, something that is met with very little surprise by Miles and his brother, David.

Readers are privy to flashbacks, from both the Whiting clan and Miles himself. Miles own memories help him deal with old wounds, making him also confront his current barriers. Tick also has to deal with the upsets of small town life and adolescence drama. In the end, it is a need to heal Tick that forces him to leave town.

This was a wonderful book with which to begin my journey. It was a perfect look at a small Maine town, written by a writer who uses his pen to paint a wonderful picture. Unfortunately, Vermont wasn't such a treat. But that's a story for another day.

Why shedding Christmas is so hard and JoJo Moyes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 03:56:00 +0000

I hate taking down the Christmas tree, putting away the decorations. I hate that the village goes back in the storage space under the stairs. I hate the nativity scene going back in its storage container, looping the lights just right so that they are easy to put out next year. I loathe taking the wreaths off the door and the windows. Everything looks so barren and empty, so cold.

In an attempt to stave of the emptiness of a Christmas-less house, I decorate for other seasons, other holidays. I really wish that in January you could leave up the 'winter' decorations: the pinecones, the snowmen, the snowflakes. They aren't really Christmas-y, ya know? But no, we have to say bye-bye to them all. So, in my house, we decorate for the next holiday. And that would be Valentine's Day. And I HATE Valentine's Day.

Why do I hate Valentine's Day? I guess because it's so friggin' cheesy. I mean, red, pink, glitter, sparkles, roses, chocolate . . I mean, all these things I love one at a time. But on Valentine's Day they all collide. It's just so FORCED. Women are supposed to make men buy them things, to get crazy frisky, and find 'romance' because it is the middle of February. It's pretty much a holiday picked by retailers because they were between seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I like romance. But I don't like 'contrived' romance. I like laughing with my husband and finding secret moments, having inside jokes and knowing when one of us needs a hug. Movies? I would rather watch a rom-com than a straight up 'romance.' Books? I stay away from a book classified as a 'romance,' but I will read chick-lit. I love a book that isn't about romance, but I love it when romance happens in a book.

I don't force the hubs to buy me flowers or jewelry. If he wants to buy me flowers, I tell him to wait a week (they raise the prices on Valentine's Day). He cooks, so I would rather have a great dinner. We go out usually the week after or so, when not everyone in the world is trying to get to the same restaurant (we only have one really nice one in our town), or maybe we go out for a drink. If he wants to buy me an Amazon or a Starbucks card he can, but he does that every once and awhile any way.

Despite all that, I will sprinkle my house with hearts like an elementary school teacher (because I have elementary-age daughters) and make heart-shaped pancakes (because I am raising my kids in the age of Pinterest). But I tell my family I love them everyday, and we show our love in a million different ways. We don't save it for Valentines' Day.

And now, let me talk about JoJo Moyes.

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Well, after you read my above rant, you will find this funny. I have fallen in love with JoJo Moyes' books. And then I learn that "Moyes' novel Foreign Fruit won the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA) Romantic Novel of the Year in 2004." But, as you see, that would be ROMANTIC books, not necessarily romance books. I would classify the two books I read as good chick-lit.

I first read The Girl You Left Behind and wasn't sure if I loved it. I listened to it, and one of the readers had a French accent which threw me off. But guess what? I read so many books in the last year, and I remember this one so clearly. My mind keeps going back to this book and the wonderful nuances, the stories, the 'romance' of the story.

This is book is actually two stories from two different woman living nearly a century apart. In 1916, Sophie Lefevre's artist husband, Edward, has left her in her small French village while he goes to fight on the front in World War I. The village is invaded by Germans, and the inn that Sophie and her sister run becomes the food and entertainment center for the soldiers. The Kommendant becomes obsessed with the Edward's painting of Sophie which hangs at the inn, and Sophie is determined to do whatever she must to save her family, her village, and especially her husband.

The book switches to Liv Halston, a living in modern-day London, hanging onto her life by a thread after her successful architect husband dies suddenly. His gift to her on their honeymoon was Sophie's portrait, and, through a chance encounter, the painting is discovered to be on the list of art stolen by Germans. Liv battles to keep the painting, sure that losing it will mean losing her husband again, and all the good memories along with it.

Moyes tells two wonderful tales. Sophie's story is historical fiction, told with such richness that I can see her inn, Le Coq Rouge, and I can picture the painting, done is a Matisse style. I can picture Sophie, and Edward and the whole town. Liv's story is told with emotion, and the pictures Moyes paints are more visceral, more emotional. We can feel everything Liv feels; her hurt, her love, her need. Moyes does an incredible job on both fronts. The modern story gets slightly bogged down, but it is worth it all just to read a book that invokes such strong emotions.

After The Girl You Left Behind I read Moyes' novella Honeymoon in Paris. This is short read is the stories of Sophie and Edward's earlier romance, and Liv's let down of a honeymoon, ending with the purchase of the painting.

And, to finish off my Moyes' obsession, I read Me Before You. This is a totally different book, the story of Louisa Clark, a steady girl with a striking sense-of-style, a steady boyfriend, and no real purpose in life. When the cafe where she works closes, she is forced to take a job as a companion to a quadriplegic man with a past including business success and extreme sports. Louisa refuses to let him retreat from the world, and, in the end, she gets more from him then she gives. Moyes' ability to let us see what her characters are seeing and to feel what her characters are feeling really shines. Beautiful, beautiful book.

These books are my ideas of what a 'romance' novel should be. Real emotion brought to us by beautiful words. I recommend all three of these books.

Just a little something.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 22:53:00 +0000

The Goldfinch and the value of good family

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 00:02:00 +0000

Reading The Goldfinch, I began thinking about my childhood and coming of age. Growing up, it seemed like I had an awesome family. We had a nice house, a nice business, and we did family type things. But, looking back at it from a different angle, I can see what a sham that was. To my dad, we were a hindrance, always keeping him being great. He really thought he could have made it big if it wasn't for us dragging him down. It was everyone else's fault when things went wrong.

And now, as a mother, I see the value in having a wonderful mom. She wasn't a "hug-it-out" mom, she was a "you're-tough-you-can-do-it" mom. She didn't believe in tears (and I'm a crier) and they rarely moved her. But she fought for my brother and I, even when we didn't realize she was fighting for us. Yes, we had to work hard, but if someone was treating us badly, she went to bat for us. She stands at a mighty 5 foot, and rarely weighed in over 100 pounds. But I was told by more than one boy in my teen years that my mom scared them. She was, and still is, fierce in her love. Don't hurt those she loves, or you will feel her wrath. As a mother, I get this. As the mother of a child with disabilities, I get it even more.

I cannot imagine growing up without my mom. And I hope my children have me for a long time.

And now, onto my review of The Goldfinch.

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"And isn’t the whole point of things—beautiful things—that they connect you to some larger beauty? Those first images that crack your heart wide open and you spend the rest of your life chasing, or trying to recapture, in one way or another?"

Most of us remember that pit-in-the-stomach feeling of youth; the moment when you get caught doing the wrong thing. The moment you realize that you have disappointed the person or people you have always tried to please, your parents. Now, imagine that leading to the worst day of your life. Add in a visit to a museum, a sudden crush on a beautiful girl, a terrorist attack, a gift of trust, and the theft of a beautiful work of art. All within the first quarter of Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch.

Tartt's hero is Theo Decker, a young man with his mother's artistic eye and his father's ability to con. We read Theo's description of the terrorist attack that killed his mother, and we read as he takes off with Carel Fabritius' painting, The Goldfinch (here's a link to the painting: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/mauritshuis/605). Theo's father had abandoned he and his mother, so he is taken in by an uber-rich friend's family until his father is located. His father then carts him off to Las Vegas, where he meets Boris, a boy who lives on the fringe of respectability. He clings to his friendship with Boris, and he clings to The Goldfinch, using it as a tether to his mother.

When Theo's father dies, he returns to New York, entering the world of antiques. We watch him enter college early, and become an antique dealer, doing some shady things to make the business boom and thrive. He meets up with his friend's family, and he learns his friend has been killed in a boating accident, along with his father. The mother has become a rich-recluse, but the return of Theo starts to lift her out of her shell. He takes up with his friend's younger sister. and they become engaged, although for both it isn't necessarily love. He seems to have inherited his father's con-man ways and addiction problems, and these become much more problematic as Theo gets older. The painting remains a focal point, although some have come to suspect that Theo has it. He has stored it away without looking at it since Vegas.

Theo reunites suddenly with Boris, a gangster with a big heart. From here we follow Theo to Europe, and it gets exciting. Gunfights, art theft, gangsters, and redemption. And we get this great look on the thin line between good and bad from dear Boris.

"I personally have never drawn such a sharp line between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ as you. For me: that line is often false. The two are never disconnected. One can’t exist without the other. As long as I am acting out of love, I feel I am doing best I know how. But you—wrapped up in judgment, always regretting the past, cursing yourself, blaming yourself, asking ‘what if,’ ‘what if.’ ‘Life is cruel.’ ‘I wish I had died instead of.’ Well—think about this. What if all your actions and choices, good or bad, make no difference to God? What if the pattern is pre-set? No no—hang on—this is a question worth struggling with. What if our badness and mistakes are the very thing that set our fate and bring us round to good? What if, for some of us, we can’t get there any other way?”

I have read a few reviews of this book where the reader struggles with the long descriptors and the adjectives. This was wonderful to me. Tartt uses these lengthy description to bring the readers to the beauty of ART, and Theo's constant connection to art and beauty. She uses her beautiful words to show the reader how much Theo's mother and her artistic eye stayed with Theo always.

I'm not sure of the message of The Goldfinch, or if I agree with Boris' thoughts that I highlighted above; it kind of seems like a cop-out for the criminals of the world. But I did love this book, and Tartt's writing. I highly recommend The Goldfinch.

Tartt has only written three books, taking about 10 years to write each. As soon as I was done with The Goldfinch I rushed out and got her first book, The Secret History, which is also really good, if a little disturbing. I don't know how I have missed Tartt, but I'm glad I found her now.

Reading Across America

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 06:11:00 +0000

It's that time of year; time to set some goals. I have made the normal resolutions: lose weight, hit the gym, get organized. You know, the ones that everyone breaks by February. Hopefully, this year will be different. I've also made a resolution to be more patient, to be slower to get upset with the kids and the hubs. I get frustrated and yell, like everyone (or sputter in frustration, more like). It's not too much or obnoxious, I just think counting to 20 will teach me and my daughters the value of taking a deep breath before speaking.

But I also like to set fun goals (hopefully slower-to-frustration will end up fun). Go to more movies, plan more date nights. AND READ. Last year I set the bar a little high at 150 books. I finished, but I counted audio books (which are wonderful, but different from reading) and Kindle singles (which are, again, wonderful, but shouldn't count as real books). So I say I finished ugly. But this year will be different. My goal is lower, and different, and in stages. I plan to READ ACROSS AMERICA. Some do non-fiction, but I like fiction. I'm going to start in Maine and end in Alaska. And then I'm going back. Then we'll see.

So, I've chosen the books for the first two states:

Maine- Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Vermont- The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian

If you have any better ideas, speak now or hold your peace until I come back up this way (probably next fall or winter). Join me on my journey, if you would like. Follow behind, jump ahead, join the journey in Wyoming later this year if that's your wish. And let me know your thoughts!

Happy reading!!!

End of 2013, beginning of a New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 00:46:00 +0000

Well, it is the second to the last day of 2013, and, since I am traveling tomorrow (home from Arizona), I'm going to write today. I have not been very active on here lately; been thinking about how to re-tool and change up what I'm doing here. Also, I had to finish my 150 book challenge for 2013, which I did. I did not finish pretty, reading some Kindle singles that I didn't really want to count, but I had to finish just so it wasn't hanging over my head, you know? I read some great books, some not-so-great books, and some great singles!

There are a couple of things I would like to put onto paper (screen?) before the year is done. First off, concerning my blog and the changes I plan to implement. I'm going to stick to a schedule. I would like to blog to you all three times a week, maybe a kid's book day, an adult book day, and a free day (Kindle single, a cookbook, maybe a non-fiction book?). That's my plan.

The other is my challenge to myself, and to you, reader, to read America back and forth with me. I'm going to try to find the best fiction set in each state, starting with Maine, and read it. Down the Eastern Seaboard, up-and-down the U.S. until Alaska. And then back to Maine. That should be 102, including D.C. Although, time permitting, I would also like to hit Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We'll see where we land and if there is time.

So there it is. For the next few days I'm going to highlight my favorites of the year; some books I have blogged, but some will be new. I have had a great 2013, and here's to an awesome 2014!!!!

Creepy Nights Without The Hubs and Night Film by Marisha Pessl

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 20:11:00 +0000

What a couple of weeks. All it takes is for the husband to go out of town for two weeks and you realize what you miss. I've decided to stop complaining (for awhile) about him leaving a little mess in the kitchen after he cooks dinner (which he usually does), about him parenting our children differently than I do (with the same goals in mind; on the same page, just in a different language), about him not pulling his weight. HE does. He's so much more than I give him credit for, and I realize that now that he's been gone. He'll be back in a couple of day, refreshed after fun with his younger brothers.

Not having him around, especially the week of Halloween, made a house with one adult seem ultra creepy. See, he talks A LOT and usually makes any quiet spaces not quiet or creepy. But I didn't have him, and our house seemed way too quiet. I kept expecting Michael Myers to arrive, walking way too fast for a man his size. I DID not share these fears with my daughters (although they don't know who Michael Myers is, yet).

Adding to that creepy factor was Night Film by Marisha Pessl, a thriller with enough creep factor (the creepy part was not the little bit of gore, but the story) to really send tingles down my spine. but I couldn't stop reading.

"Life was a freight train barreling toward just one stop, our loved ones streaking past our windows in blurs of color and light. There was no holding on to any of it, and no slowing it down."

First off, I 'read' the audio (Audible) version of Night Film, so it's hard to say if the read would have been as good, but I imagine that it is even better. The actual book is strewn with page props: website screenshots, news clippings, realistically weathered police reports, and other fun extras.

Night Film sucked me in so deep I didn't want to quit listening. It illuminated the darker sides of life as well as showing how bright the light sides can be. Spellbinding is a great word for this story. Marisha Pessl is a writer I've enjoyed before. Special Topics in Calamity Physics is another great book, but I'm not going to digress too much. Just enough to say that Pessl is a wonderful writer with an incredible imagination and a great ability to tell fantastic stories.

In Night Film, the main character, Scott McGrath, is a soiled and sullied investigative reporter sucked back into the story that ruined him, the life and strange happenings of the reclusive cult-horror film director, Stanislas Cordova. When Cordova's beloved daughter, Ashley, commits suicide, McGrath is drawn into the search for the truth of the girl; tumbling head first into black magic, cult films, sex clubs, and small towns. He's accompanied on his strange journey by a cast of interesting characters. This is a thriller and a mystery, but it is much more, making you quetion all you know about reality, art, magic, fear, and fame. This book takes hold and doesn't let up, even on the last page. Take your time, enjoy every word. Because when it's done, you'll want more.

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Kindle Finds

$3.99. Country of Ash: A Jewish Doctor in Poland, 1939-1945. This book looks really interesting. Dr. Edward Reicher used his skill as a meticulous doctor to write down in detail his observations during WWII, first in the ghettos of Warsaw and Lodz, where he was forced to treat the Gestapo, and then on the run on the Aryan side of Warsaw, where he survived by donning disguises. He witnessed and documented the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It is hard to believe that he was a dermatologist before the war.

$1.99. David Wroblewski writes an emotionally turbulent book about a mute young man born into an idyllic life on a remote Northern Wisconsin farm where they breed and train dogs so fantastic we can only wish they were real. When Edward's uncle returns and his father dies suddenly, his world turns violent chaotic. Edward is forced to flee and comes of age in the wilderness, with three young dogs at his side. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is a wonderful story so much more than a boy and his dogs.

$3.99. Laurel Saville uses real family letters to tell a fictional version of her great-grandparents in Henry and Rachel. Henry and Rachel work hard at the plantation where Rachel grew up, and seem like they have a happy marriage. But when Rachel takes off without a word with their four younger children, leaving Henry and their oldest son to board a steamer to New York. Saville weaves a wonderful tale about a family mystery.

$2.99. The Tin Drum is one of those books that I've always wanted to read but never gotten there, but now I have no excuse. A runaway bestseller, this book, translated from German, has inspired many modern writers. Gunter Grass's novel is described as "miraculous," "inventive," and "moving." Can't wait to read it.

The Bone Season and Some Great Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Nov 2013 19:55:00 +0000

Recently I read The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon because it was EVERYWHERE. I mean, there was a lot of hype about this book, most of touting it as the next Harry Potter. It is nothing like the HP books, but I think it was hyped this way for a couple of reasons: Shannon is British, she grew up reading HP, and this is the first of seven books. I guess you could also say it is set in a magical world, but that would be a stretch.

Don't get me wrong, this is a very good book. I would make it more dystopian science fiction with a little fantasy thrown in. Shannon does a good job creating this world and creating complete characters that are sympathetic and as real as they can be.

The main character is Paige Mahoney is a young woman living in the underground of Scion London in the year 2059. Scion is the security force that runs London, and wants to start running other parts of the world as well. Paige works with an underground criminal group known as The Seven Seals. Paige is a rare type of clairvoyant, a dreamwalker; she can break into other's minds and steal information. All types of voyants are illegal, and just by being she is committing a crime.

Paige is arrested and learns that captured voyants go to Oxford, a prison city erased from the map but run by a new race of beings, the Rephaim. They value the voyants as servants and soldiers in their army. Paige is assigned to Warden, a high placed Rephaim who is her enemy, or is he? Paige must learn to trust in herself, her keeper, and those around her. She must learn to harness her power if there is any hope of escape and of a different world.

I think this series is only going to get better. Shannon has created a world that is fantastic and perfectly flawed heroine in Paige Mahoney. I can't wait for the next book. I give it a four out of five stars.

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Day One is a new weekly literary magazine for the digital age. Featuring short stories, poetry, and translations of stories. Each issue will highlight one writer and one poet, with author interviews and occasional exclusive content. The cover art is done by emerging artists. Because it is a Kindle magazine, it will automatically download onto your Kindle. Try it free for the first month. A year subscription is only $9.99, which breaks down to $.19 an issue. Or you can get each issue for $1.99. Sounds great!

$2.99. The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl was the National Book Award non-fiction winner for 2006. It's a look at those who stuck in out in the 1930's national disaster that created the Dust Bowl. The 'black blizzards', the blinding dust storms, the crop failures that lead to an even darker time during the Great Depression. We've all heard stories of those who left and migrated west, but these are true stories of those who stayed, eeking out a living when there seemed to be no living available.

$2.99. Wrapped in Rain tells the story of Tucker Mason, an internationally famous photographer, and his trip home to his childhood home, Waverly Hall, a sprawling Southern estate. He is forced home when his brother escapes from a mental institution, and he must come to terms with his past.

$1.99. Spitfire is the story of Tomi Reyes, a documentary film maker who works as a receptionist to pay the bills. When she gets a promotion, he boss goes from nice guy to creep in a matter of minutes, and then her friends are murdered in bizarre ways. Signs point to Tomi, although she believes its her boss. When an old friend is assigned the case, romance is in the air and Tomi is caught in the killer's crosshairs.

Listening Versus Reading and Deals of The Week

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 24 Oct 2013 01:34:00 +0000

I love reading, and mostly I love reading fiction. I mean, I love movies, too, but it a totally different way. Reading allows me to fall into the story, to create my own vision and picture the characters in my own way. This is why I do and don't like it when they make a book into a movie; sometimes it's great to see my vision come to life, or to change my vision into something even better. Usually I'm disappointed by the movie; they edit out the 'best' parts, they change the characters or they completely decimate a great story to make it a box-office hit.

I often listen to books, too, because I'm home alone all day, or I'm in my car, and I like to keep the fiction going. Sometimes a book is just better when it's read to you. Ready Player One by Ernest Cline is such a book. I read it the second time around, but it didn't match the audio version. A story about a future world where everything is done in an online world created by a guy who grew up and LOVED the 80's. The heir to his online creation is to be determined by a contest comprised of a maze of 80's trivia, including music, movies, books, and video games. The story is told in first person, and is wonderfully read by Wil Wheaten-an 80's piece of pop-culture himself. The book was great when I re-read it, but it wasn't as good as the audio version because of Wil Wheaten.

But there are many more books that are better when read, in my humble opinion. Take the book I'm listening to now, The Girl You Left Behind by Jojo Moyes. It is the story of a painting told in two parts, from WWI France and present day England, and the passion it instills in people that fall into its spell. It is a wonderful story so far; I have about 1/4 of the book to go. Now, I love the story, but I almost gave up on it because of the beginning of the book. The first part of the story, maybe the first third, is told through the eyes of a woman in a French town occupied by the Germans in WWI. The narrator of the audio book uses an effective French accent, but it is a little off-putting and took me away from the story a bit. I almost gave up on the story, but powered through and I'm glad I did. I find myself loving this story. I have cried for the characters and felt sadness for a time when the characters are sad. I think, for me at least, that this is one that I would have loved more if I were reading it.

But reading is nothing if not arbitrary and very personal. One person's perfect listen is another person's perfect read, and a third person may dislike the story altogether. And that's okay. That's what makes it such a great hobby.
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Amazon Kindle Deals

$6.99. This is the third and final installment of Veronica Roth's great YA series (but we all know that half of the YA readers are adults). Allegiant is a brand new release, and the $6.99 price has been in place since pre-release, but this is cheaper than the second book, so you might want to scoop this deal up before they get wise and raise the price!

$3.99. While I'm on this tangent, This is the first book in the series. Divergent is a good, quick read in the whole Dystopian, I'm-a-teenager-and-I-want-to-control-my-own-destiny genre. Worth the two days it takes to finish it.

$5.99. Yes, it's that James Franco and it's gotten pretty good reviews. Actors Anonymous is the a bunch of stories of members of Actors Anonymous, a 12-step group with a high power known as The Great Director. It's a look into the actor's world from the view of an insider who finds it all a little ridiculous and funny.

$1.99. I reviewed this one awhile ago and it was good.The Neighbors gets off course a few times, but I enjoyed it. A great read for Halloween, especially for $1.99.

My 2013 goal of 150 books and Kindle bargains for today

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 17:09:00 +0000

In January I set myself a goal to read 150 books. Really ambitious, right? Especially considering I have a job (I'm lucky, I get to work from home), two children (one with special needs), a home, a husband (he should come further up on the list, and he does in my heart, but there are somethings that don't care what I love, they just want what they want. Like my job, and my house, and kids . . .), activities, homework, working out, and this wonderful blog. But somehow, this year, I have read almost 107 books (I will finish number 107 today), which leaves me 8% behind where I should be to reach my goal (thank you Goodreads for setting up that wonderful counter to keep me on track, I say with disdain dripping from my voice).

107 isn't bad. Some may say I cheated to get to this point; I listened to books, I read a few Kindle Singles, which counted on Goodreads as a book. I would love to only read, but I have to make a living and get my kids to where they need to be and make sure they're doing what they're supposed to do. And I do have a social life, so I sometimes talk to people when I should be reading (GASP!!). I sometimes drink wine instead of read, or watch a movie, or just hang with the family. But I do read a lot of those times, too. Because reading is a wonderful way to get through a swim meet, or a swim practice, or a family movie that you just cannot watch (any Barbie movie, for instance) but you want to seem like you're watching.

So, I keep plugging along. And I try to fill you in on the books I enjoyed on my journey, and some that I hated, and some that I haven't read that I want to read. I'm trying to fill you in on the bargains, but sometimes life gets in the way.

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Amazon Kindle Deals

For $1.99, Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson looks really good. Miss Buncle is looking for money, and writing a novel seems to be the best way. But she has no material. So she takes stories from her friends and neighbors and uses them to write a novel under a pseudonym. The small village of Silverstream is in a uproar, and so is Miss Buncle when the village people start sharing experiences with their fictional counterparts. I just scooped it up; you should, too!

$1.99, Joyce Carol Oates is sometimes wonderful, sometimes really out there (I just finished Zombie), but I always find reading her worthwhile, The Tattooed Girl is about a reclusive novelist who is forced to take an assistant, this book treads on anti-Semitism, sensuality, "our excepted limits of desire." Sounds good.

$3.99, Carved in Darkness is the story of a Melissa, a teenaged girl, abducted, tortured, and repeatedly raped for 83 days, and the woman she becomes, trying to put the darkness behind her. As an adult, she changes her name to Sabrina, gets a new face, and becomes a homicide detective. But when someone from her past finds her and claims that his sister was killed by Sabrina's abductor, she is drawn back into a world she has tried desperately to forget.

$3.79. This one looks really good and very Halloween-y. Hemlock Grove is the story of a Pennsylvania town and the old family that runs it. Their fortune was built on steel, but they now are turning to new industries, namely biotech. When a body of a young girl is found, all eyes turn to the White Tower, the biotech facility which fosters rumors of unethical biological experiments. "An exhilarating reinvention of the gothic novel, inspired by the iconic characters of our greatest myths and nightmares."

Mr. Penumbra, The Magic of Words and Deals For Today

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 17:07:00 +0000

This week I finished reading Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore. Actually, I finished listening to it. I should have read it. I usually love listening to books, but this one was all about reading and the wonders of books AND technology, and how the two can work together, but can also be wonderful apart. How magical the written word, printing and FONTS can be. Who knew? So, yes, I felt like I was betraying books by listening to a book about reading. I probably would have felt guilty reading on my Kindle, but I rarely buy 'books' any longer. I guess guilt was going to happen no matter what.

This was a wonderful story, combining many of my favorite things. The wonder of words, the beauty of books, and the mystery that books and history can hold. It also was the story of two types of people we all know; those refusing to embrace technology (call them Luddites if you will), and those who believe only in technology. This book shows that there is a middle ground, and in that middle ground lies the mystery and the answer. It was a wonderful listen, but I think it would have been a better read.

Kindle Book Deals of The Day

$6.99--This is a deal on the pre-release of Allegiant, the third and last book in the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. This is a REALLY GREAT deal. And the best part of buying a pre-release book (especially when you get it for a great price)? On the release date (in this case, October 22nd) it automatically and auto-magically downloads on your Kindle. I love that!!!

$3.99--This one is on my to-read list. Christopher Finch's Good Girl, Bad Girl is the story of Alex Novalis, a New York City private eye in the sixties hired to find a construction mogul's missing 18-year old daughter in the crazy Manhattan art scene. It s said to be a great look at NYC in the swinging sixties.

$1.99--I'm currently reading The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner. This is her second book in as many years to make it to the National Book Award longlist. Set in the seventies, this is the story of Reno, a young woman fascinated with art and speed and the turning of speed into art. She begins an affair with an older Italian artist, the semi-estranged son of an Italian motorcycle and tire mogul, and then falls in with a radical Italian group on a visit to Italy. So far, it is really good.

$2.99--This one is this year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction. It's a really good price on an award winning book. Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America is a look at Florida in the late 40's and early 50's and the rise of Thurgood Marshall and the Civil Rights movement. Well worth the $2.99.

Sad News, Good News, Doctor Sleep and Kindle Bargains

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 17:43:00 +0000

I have to start off today with a bit of a tribute. I have loved Tom Clancy since my twenties, when I devoured his spy novels like candy; an Everlasting Gobbstopper that goes on and on with many layers and different flavors that surprise you at different times. I fell for Jack Ryan and his wonderful family, for John Clark and other super-secret spies. I gave him up for a few years--when he wrote less about the Ryans and the people I knew and more of his books that centered around video games. Lately, though, he found the Ryans again, and let us read about young Jack Ryan Jr., and "The Campus."

I was very sad today to learn that Clancy had died. I loved the Ryans, and, although I believe he was probably cantankerous and curmudgeonly, I loved Clancy. He will be missed.

Now, some happy news, at least for me. My new Kindle Paperwhite is on its way!!! I cannot wait.

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And a quick review:

"God’s a connoisseur of fragile things, and decorates His cloudy outlook with ornaments of finest glass."

Doctor Sleep was incredible. It made me laugh and cry, and it brought Danny Torrance full circle. It was scary and creepy but also really well written with wonderfully real characters. It did make Danny the main character without making it all about Danny and his life after coming to terms with his "Shine". In other words, Kind does a great job on this one, showing us his creepy literary-ness as only he can do. I wish it wasn't over, but on to other stories.

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Amazon Kindle Deals

I kinda have a crush on this awesome young writer, who happens to be the son of the esteemed Stephen King. What a household this must have been--and how macabre their family gatherings must get! I have not read Heart-Shaped Box, but I snatched it up for $2.99

This one looks pretty good, in a chick-lit, Lifetime movie kind of way. Megan is the mother of three beautiful girls, but goes slightly crazy when her youngest daughter, Emma, goes missing. She never gives up hope, although her husband and friends keep telling her to give up and realize Emma will never come back. And her hope may just pay off. Steena Holmes wrote at least two follow up books, so I'm thinking this book must have some steam. $1.99.

Mystery Girl is the story of a failed novelist who takes a job as a private detective when his wife walks out on him. The job is simple: follow a mysterious woman around L.A. But he starts falling for her, and is drawn into a murder mystery. $1.99.

All My Friends Are Superheroes sounds amazing. A quirky love story that has some
amazing reviews behind it. I'll definitely be reading this one soon! $2.99.

Daily Deals Worth Reading for September 27th

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 16:55:00 +0000

If you're one of the many people eagerly waiting for the last installment of Veronica Roth's Insurgent trilogy, Allegiant, on October 22nd , than "The Transfer" and the other singles written by Roth from different points-of-view will whet your appetite. $1.99.

This is the third in a trilogy that is pure Margaret Atwood. MaddAddam brings together the two groups from Atwood's previous dystopian books Oryx and Crake and The Year of the Flood. This book is a new release and is a deal at $6.49. If you haven't read the previous two, they are not bargains (at $9.99 each), so get them from the library and then read this. Well worth your time, if you want to read adult Dystopian.

Vincent Zandri has done a great job hooking me with his mysteries, and I'm buying this one in the hope that it will do the same. A woman abducted as a child must face her past to solve a mystery involving an autistic child and her dead (and also abducted as a child) sister. Great reviews, so, for $1.99, I'll give The Remains a try.

The Visible World is a wonderfully moving story told by the American-born son of Czech immigrants, telling the stories and fairytales he overhears in his boisterous, immigrant New York neighborhood. $2.51.

Doctor Sleep and Deals for September 26th, 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Sep 2013 17:00:00 +0000

So far, Doctor Sleep is really good. Granted, I have had virtually NO time to read; younger daughter's birthday, Wine Wednesday, swim practices, parent/teacher conferences--they are all getting in the way. Not to mention that I have not read the book for our book club on Friday (which is a crime in and of itself).

I have not reached Danny's adulthood yet, and have realized this book has its own bad guys that have very little to do with The Outlook Hotel or Danny's own demons (although those do show up). So far, so good. I haven't read any reviews; I like to form my own opinions unless I am deciding on a book.

So, that's where I am. More updates to follow!

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Kindle Deals

The 1965 winner of the Pulitzer Prize for literature, "The Keeper of The House" is the story of a successful family following the War of 1812, whose success is threatened after their mixed-race heritage is discovered. A story of love and hate, acceptance and prejudice. $1.99.

"Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" was a hit a couple of years ago, although I couldn't bring myself to soil Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy (and I LOVE zombies). But I do love the opening line:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains
must be in want of more brains."
Elizabeth Bennett is a determined zombie hunter, but when she meets Mr. Darcy she is thrown off her game. $2.79.

The Arthur C. Clarke classic, although we know that it did not come true in 2001. $1.99.

Kindle Singles are a quick read and usually well written, and this one is funny and poignant all at the same time. "Almost Tall" is the story of a 14 year-old midwestern ballerina sent to live with her rich uncle and his 'mercurial" partner in NYC. $1.99.

Doctor Sleep is FINALLY available and The Deals of The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Sep 2013 17:03:00 +0000

Today is the day I have been waiting for--Doctor Sleep is finally here!! At 5:00 this morning I checked my Kindle and it had downloaded--I still think it is amazing that books arrive just like that. But I also loved the pre-Kindle days when I would order a book (thinking the later Harry Potters) and it would arrive the day of release. I also got excited, and still get excited, when the a book I requested from the library is FINALLY available.

I haven't started reading yet, and I realize that all my excitement will probably lead to some sort of let-down. But I'm kind of a King geek (my college lit profs and I would go round and round about him. I still think he is a great writer, and just because he can scare the bejesus out of me doesn't mean he can't set a scene and create real, deep, believable characters), so even a little let down will make me read it again. And maybe again after that.

I also am nearly finished with a book that I am enjoying, and it is a library book that I waited for and downloaded as soon as it was available (and said a quiet 'yes' when it did become available.) It isn't as good as I hope Doctor Sleep will be, but it is good. It is another series I have followed for years--Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus by Faye Kellerman. The latest one is The Beast, and I will finish it before I read King. But I am hoping to start Doctor Sleep tonight or tomorrow. So, I will slog through work today, read the other book during stolen moments, and get to my newest book as soon as possible.

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Deals For Today

$.99 This version is awesome for Kindle Fires, as it has pop-up text that shows up beautifully over vivid pictures. Fun for kids AND their parents. Curious George and The Birthday Surprise is also available for $.99.

This looks like a really great book. "The Disenchanted Widow" is the story of a widow in the 1980's and her young son in Ireland, running from the IRA who believe they have the ill-gotten gains from a bank heist. She ends up in an Ulster town, where a mystery needs to be solved. $3.99.

Very much chick-lit and lots of fun. "Changing Lanes" is the story of Abby Halliday, a woman whose dreams of a perfect life fall apart and she comes to terms with imperfection. $1.99.

I loved this book. I bought it as soon as I found out it was JK Rowling writing as Robert Galbraith. I actually had been looking at it prior to that, but just hadn't bought it. She does a great job of setting up a mystery and creating a believable cast of characters. "The Cuckoo's Calling" is worth a read. $5.99.

Good deals for Monday, September 23rd

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Sep 2013 17:04:00 +0000

Lately there's been a lot of Vonnegut available at unbelievable prices. "Slapstick" is a little 'unstructured' but is an interesting read. It is supposedly pretty biographical. It's the story of twins who are very 'in sync' (not like Justin Timberlake) in feelings and communication, relating to Vonnegut's own relationship with his sister, who died of cancer in childhood. $1.99.

"Descent" is a memoir by the author of "Snow Falling On Cedars" (which, if you have not read, you should), telling the story of his descent into depression following 9/11, and his slow ascent back to his family, friends and writing. $2.99.

I have not read this one yet, but I bought it when it was a little more expensive than this price. It looks very good. "The Sisterhood" is the story of a child adopted after a tragedy in South America and raised in the US by a good family. At age 19, on track to have it all, another tragedy derails her. She travels to Spain to finish her college thesis on a 16th century artist who has connections with her past. $3.99.

A wonderful children's book by Ree Drummond, aka The Pioneer Woman from cookbook and Food Network fame. Charlie, The Ranch Dog is very cute, very loveable, and a favorite of my younger daughter. $1.99.

Good deals for today and re-scaring myself with The Shining in anticipation of Doctor Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Sep 2013 20:12:00 +0000

Every day I scour Amazon for the best deals, trying to find the gems among the dirt and dust. Mind you, there are a lot of great authors writing today, and many are doing direct publishing, so I know I miss a bunch. Thinking too hard about this can make me crazy--I want to read everything worth reading, but this means sifting through the others that might not be so worth my time. But then there are those books that may hold in them lots of promise; the book might not be great, but you know that author will do well.

I'm going to take some time every few days (maybe everyday? but no promises) to highlight 'GEMS' I have found. I know there are a lot of places to find the 'deals', so I really only want to do those that are worth buying. A deal is only a deal if you're going to read it, right?

P.D. James is always a good bet, especially for $1.99. "Unnatural Causes" revolves around a famous author found dead in a lake with both hands cut off, and Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh is called upon to solve the mystery. James creates a cast of unlikable authors, making you wonder WHO she's talking about.

I LOVED this book. Vincent Zandri had some set backs in his earlier career, but took to direct publishing to get his books and himself back out there. "The Innocent" is a great mystery for $1.99.

Annie Proulx's "The Shipping News" is one of the best books I've read. I loved this book, and love her as a writer. This story of a writer who returns to his 'ancestral' home of Newfoundland with his two daughters after his wife is killed, this book won a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award. Well worth the $1.99.

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"That's your job in this hard world, to keep your love alive and that you get on, no matter what. Pull your act together and just go on."

I decided to re-read The Shining in anticipation of Doctor Sleep and was pleasantly surprised. I first attempted to read this book when I was eight, at which point my mother discovered it and took it away from me in horror after nightmares kept me awake for a few nights. I went back to it in my teen years, and read it at least three more times. And then I put it away as childish.

Don't get my wrong, I love Stephen King. And The Shining was a must for a child of Colorado, growing up not far from Estes Park. The Stanley Hotel is said to be The Overlook, although it is in Estes Park and not higher up, and it is reachable in the winter. But there came a time when I believed I had outgrown that kind of scary, forgetting how psychologically scary The Shining actually is.

I re-read this just in time for the sequel Doctor Sleep, about 35 years after The Shining. And it is just a creepy-scary, just as real. Just like many books, re-reading it creates a different feeling. Reading it as a child I identified with Danny, the young son with "the shining." This time I'm a mother and a wife and I read it identifying with Wendy AND Jack. Both are flawed but wanting to be better, but sometimes the demons find you.

And, like most Americans, the movie has snuck into my thinking. I remember both Jack and Wendy differently because of the movie (which is good, but doesn't do them justice). In the movie, Jack lets the evil in easily, which doesn't happen in the book. And Wendy is a dishrag of a woman, which she definitely is not in King's original version of her.

So, this book still scared me, maybe more than in my youth, because you know, as an adult, how hard it is to keep all the demons out (although we usually don't have to deal with a possessed hotel). Even beyond that, it scared me in a things-that-go-bump-in-the-night kind of way. It made me wished I had read it just slightly slower, because I still have two days to wait for Doctor Sleep.

Why I Only Read On My Kindle and The Wondrous Kate Atkinson

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 18:44:00 +0000

I never thought I'd be that person. I never thought I would give up real books and go completely digital. I mean, I love real books. The feel, the smell, the touch . . . but I've given it all up.

A few years ago I got my first Kindle. It was the same one as in the picture up there. And it rocked. It changed my world. Suddenly I really only had to think about a book and BOOM! there it was (well, I had to pay for it, but still . . .). But I continued to check books out of the library because Amazon wasn't, at the time, library compatible.

And then BOOM! again, Amazon became library compatible. And books prices dropped, and went up, and dropped again, but I could get books from the library (which has become a little tougher, but that's a different story) and I could get books at a pretty good price. And I could carry six or seven books with me (actually, six or seven HUNDRED, if you count the ones in my cloud) wherever I went. And I switched it up and got a Kindle Fire, then a Kindle Fire HD, and I could listen to my Audible and library books while driving. Or I could watch a movie, but that's a different story . . .

I have some great shelves with some beautiful old books, and I love the look of them. But I realize I like having my entire library at my fingertips. I also like being able to have some fun books in my library and not feel judged for reading what I call 'brain candy.' (I know the judgment is in my mind, but I still feel the judgment. Mostly from myself.) I like that if I read about a great book (on my Kindle, my phone, my laptop), I can immediately link to it on Amazon and purchase it right then. I don't have to drive anywhere when I'm out of reading material--it is instant gratification at its finest.

I am happy with my choice. I love my Kindle, and I love Amazon for providing me with books at the moment I need them. I also love that it has given so many authors a chance to be published, authors who may never have had a chance with an agent, a publishing house, and the traditional route.

The only thing that worries me about my Kindle and my choice is the zombie scenario (aka the end-of-the-civilized-world). How will I get to read if we have no electricity? I'm going to have to get a great generator just for my Kindle . . . .

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"What if we had a chance to do it again and again," Teddy said, "until we finally did get it right? Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Kate Atkinson, what can I say. I am in love. I don't know how I am just discovering her. I began early in the summer (maybe May) reading "Life After Life" and I was hooked. This is the story of Ursula Todd, who dies at birth in pre-World War I England when the doctor is waylaid thanks to a snowstorm. Or, it is the story of Ursula Todd, born in pre-World War I England because the doctor got there in time. And the book goes on, trudging through different tangents, all telling us how different Ursula's life, and the lives of those around her) could have been if she had done things slightly differently. Atkinson does the wonderfully, mapping out so many different paths that it made me think about the small choices I make every day.

I have since gone on to read her Jackson Brodie series; "Case Histories," "One Good Turn," and "When Will There Be Good News?" They are considered mysteries, and I guess they are, in the most general way. Brodie is a police man who left the force to open his own agency, dreaming of retiring in rural France. The books have mysteries in them, but you follow Brodie and watch as his 'clients' lives unfold, and in the end you care more about their outcome than the solving of the mysteries. The BBC made these into a television show a couple of years ago, but I haven't gotten around to watching them. It has been shown on PBS as well, or so I have heard.

This writer will be on my watch list for years to come.