tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57344771240472192012024-03-18T19:57:44.197-07:00A Library of My OwnAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.comBlogger865125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-68337756709540392262018-02-07T07:09:00.001-08:002018-02-07T07:09:19.653-08:00A Train to Potevka - Mike Ramsdell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title: </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3319461-a-train-to-potevka">A Train to Potevka</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/257651.Mike_Ramsdell">Mike Ramsdell</a><br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Zhivago Press<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2006<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 327 pages<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Bought at library book sale<br />
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I have a fascination with Russian history. I'm not sure if it's because my mom's side of the family are Germans from Russia or because I lived in Alaska and love reading about the cold Russian winters. Not sure. But when I saw the cover of this book I thought it would be an interesting read. I was not wrong.<br />
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<b>About the author:</b><br />
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Mike Ramsdell grew up in the small town of Bear River, Utah. He attended Utah State University, the University of Utah Law School, and the Russian Language Institute in Washington D.C. His career specialty in Russian/Soviet counterintelligence has taken him on missions throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, and to Asia.<br />
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<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
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This book was such a fun read. It's told in a fictional style but the narrator is Mike Ramsdell and it's very obviously a biographical account of his time in the Soviet Union, basically as a spy, during the Cold War circa 1988-2002. This book was such a cozy easy read. I've been culling my bookshelves so if any book doesn't immediately grab my attention, I chuck it out to donate. So it says something that I enjoyed this book beginning to end. Imagine meeting a person and learning they used to be a spy in Russia during the Cold War. Imagine sitting in a cozy setting while they told you interesting real life stories. This is just like that. His stories include a run in with the Russian mob, an escape on the train to Potevka where for days he had no food, and relevant anecdotes of his son and family. The author is a likable person so it's easy to become invested in his story. Now I'm scouring my shelves for more Russian themed books. This one might be next:<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-23190871070594350312017-12-30T14:13:00.000-08:002017-12-30T14:19:22.252-08:00Powers That Be - Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177947.Powers_That_Be">Powers That Be</a> (Petaybee #1)<br />
<b>Author:</b> Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 374 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Del Rey<br />
<b>Published Date:</b> 1993<br />
<b>FTC:</b> From my dad<br />
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It's been a while since I've blogged. That doesn't mean that I've stopped reading. I've just found that with three little boys I have a harder time sitting down and doing anything. But I was reading Carl's post about his annual <a href="http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/the-2018-sci-fi-experience#more-13065">Sci-Fi Experience</a> which I love and decided it was the perfect time to read and blog.<br />
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I've been in a huge purging mode at home and decided it was time to read a few Anne McCaffrey books I've had for forever. My dad loved science fiction and we used used to watch Star Trek together and when he passed away in 1998 I hung on to quite a few of his books. This was one of them. I felt that the cover was perfect for a winter read. By the way, the paperback cover is kind of gorgeous. You can't really tell in the photo but portions of the picture are raised and it's just kind of cool. And there's a unicorn...<br />
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When I first started reading this, the entire atmosphere of the novel seemed familiar. The setting reminded me of living in Fairbanks, Alaska. After a hundred or so pages I flipped to the back and read about the collaboration between Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough. AHA! Anne McCaffrey visited Elizabeth Ann Scarborough when she was living in Fairbanks, Alaska. Later they decided to write a story set on an icy planet called Petaybee. I'm sending this book on to my friend from Alaska to see if she gets the same Fairbanks feeling like I did.<br />
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So enough about me...what about the book? Well, you've got two award winning authors so of course it's going to be a good read. I totally enjoyed the story and while some of it could be a little hippy for me, it was overall a fun science fiction read. A total comfort read. My dad didn't have the other two books in the series so I will have to check them out at some point if I can.<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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Strange things were happening on the icy planet called Petaybee. Unauthorized genetically engineered species had been spotted. Geologic survey teams sent to locate newly detected mineral deposits were either coming up empty - or disappearing altogether. And the locals weren't talking - especially not to the company bent on exploiting the planet.<br />
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Disabled combat veteran Yanaba Maddock seemed to the company to be the ideal spy: the frailty that made her no further use to the military would be a perfect blind to allow her to get close to the Petaybean natives. But miraculously, with her relocation to the arctic planet came a return of Yana's health and strength. And the more she got to know the people of Petaybee, the more determined she became to protect her new home.<br />
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For something strange and wonderful truly was happening on Petaybee. Something worth fighting for, or even dying for - but, especially, something worth living for...<br />
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<b>Other covers:</b><br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-49782843691351630752017-03-15T17:12:00.000-07:002017-03-15T17:17:03.927-07:00One Amazing Thing - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6585252-one-amazing-thing?from_search=true">One Amazing Thing</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/">Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 220 pages (my version ARC)<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Hyperion/Hachette Books<br />
<b>Published date</b>: 2010<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received ARC from publisher<br />
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I became a fan of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni back in college when I read her novels <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16235.Sister_of_My_Heart?from_search=true">Sister of My Heart</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/165089.The_Vine_Of_Desire">The Vine of Desire</a>. I then I bought and read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/94669.The_Mistress_of_Spices">The Mistress of Spices</a> which I enjoyed as well. I've had the ARC of<i> One Amazing Thing</i> for way too long. I'll blame it on the fact that in 2010 I became pregnant and life just gets in the way. I can't believe I haven't read this before now. It's a short novel, quick and well-written. I love the premise of the story: "I don't believe anyone can go through life without encountering at least one amazing thing."<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span id="freeText11975003542038864747">A punk teenager with an
unexpected gift. An upper-class Caucasian couple whose relationship is
falling apart. A young Muslim- American man struggling with the fallout
of 9/11. A graduate student haunted by a question about love. An
African-American ex-soldier searching for redemption. A Chinese
grandmother with a secret past. And two visa office workers on the verge
of an adulterous affair. When these nine disparate people are trapped
together in the immediate aftermath of an earthquake, their struggle to
survive is captivating enough-- but award-winning novelist Chitra
Divakaruni takes their situation to the next level, as each of the nine
takes a turn sharing "one amazing thing" from his or her own life.</span><br />
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<b><span id="freeText11975003542038864747">My thoughts:</span></b><br />
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<span id="freeText11975003542038864747">The story starts out with a bunch of strangers in an Indian consulate office in an American city when a disastrous earthquake hits and traps them all underground. To buoy spirits, it's suggested that everyone tell a personal story. This novel reads quick because really it is a series of short stories about each of these nine characters with the backdrop of the earthquake. </span><br />
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I find it's a such a great scenario because I believe all of us could find a moment like this where we are surrounded by strangers: on a bus, doctor's office, DMV, you name it. This novel makes you more aware that everyone has their stories, their amazing things as well as their sadness and pains. Opening up and telling our stories is something that helps us get past the strangeness and make us realize that we all have more in common than we realize. As each story unfolds, each character's idiosyncrasies were made clear and understood. Isn't it odd that for many of us, opening up is one of the hardest things to do, with strangers or even with people we closely love. My Bible study group was talking about something similar recently - about reviewing our life and finding the amazing things...finding God at work in our lives.<br />
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<span id="freeText11975003542038864747"><i>One Amazing Thing</i> would be a great book club read. I think it's short enough that people could realistically read it and my ARC came with some fabulous discussion questions. For instance: If you were to tell the story of one amazing thing that happened in your life, what would it be? What did you learn about some of the cultures and religions explored in the book? If you've read the book, what did you think about the ending? Have you read <i>One Amazing Thing</i>? What did you think?</span><br />
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<b>Quote:</b><br />
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"Looking back, I could not point to one special time and say, There! That's what is amazing. We can change completely and not recognize it. We think terrible events have made us into stone. But love slips in like a chisel - and suddenly it is an ax, breaking us into pieces from the inside."Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-47495329124402386902017-03-05T18:38:00.003-08:002017-03-05T18:56:50.282-08:00A Portrait of Emily Price - Katherine Reay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29492025-a-portrait-of-emily-price?from_search=true">A Portrait of Emily Price</a><br />
Author: <a href="http://katherinereay.com/">Katherine Reay</a><br />
Paperback: 341 pages<br />
Publisher: Thomas Nelson<br />
Published date: 2016<br />
FTC: Received from publisher to review<br />
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Katherine Reay is one of my top favorite authors. I have been having to clean out some of my book hoard because three little boys bring lots of things into our house, but I will always keep my Katherine Reay books. I even got to <a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/02/interview-with-katherine-reay-giveaway.html">interview</a> her once (eeep!!). I just know that whatever she writes I am going to curl up and savor - enjoying the way she describes food and books. Why do those go so well together?<br />
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<b>Synopsis:</b><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234"><b>Art restorer
Emily Price has never encountered anything she can’t fix—until she meets
Ben, an Italian chef, who seems just right. But when Emily follows Ben
home to Italy, she learns that his family is another matter . . .</b><br /><br />Emily
Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—dreams of having a
gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially
not the ultimate distraction of falling in love.<br /><br />But Chef
Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting
from Italy, Ben works to breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s
faded restaurant, Piccollo. Soon after their first meeting, he works to
win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart.<br /><br />Emily
astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him
home. But instead of allowing the land, culture, and people of
Monterello to transform her, Emily interferes with everyone and
everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s
father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her
guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty
and rhythm take hold of her spirit.<br /><br />Yet when she unearths
long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s
world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share
in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are
possible?</span><br />
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<b><span id="freeText11117621729492919234">My thoughts:</span></b><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Are you serious? Art...Italy...Italian food....SOLD!</span><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Emily is in art restoration (super cool) and I just fell in love with her and her story. I'll admit that unlike most of Katherine Reay's books, this took me a few more pages to get invested in the story than normal. I think it's because for the first part of the novel we get more of a quick romance. She meets Ben, falls in love, they flirt, they woo, they get married. But this story doesn't end with the marriage...it's just the beginning. Emily moves with Ben to Italy and that's where I fall in love with the story. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">This novel - as with all of Katherine Reay's novels - are touted as romance but they are so much more. <i>A Portrait of Emily Price</i> is about love, yes, but about all the different types of love. Oh how I wish English had more words for love. Emily falls in love with Ben's family, with Ben's Italy, and comes to understand more about herself than ever before. I love the part of the novel where Emily is trying to paint and always gets stuck on the eyes. As her life and love changes, so is her ability to paint depth into her portraits. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">As always, I fall in love with Katherine Reay's writing which involves multiple senses. I love her food descriptions and her inclusions of book titles. How Ben's father is always thrusting books at people instead of talking. I need to start making book lists (and food lists) as I'm reading her books. And it may sound superficial but I LOVE the book covers of her novels. Whoever does these book covers deserves a huge raise. I adore them.</span><br />
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<b><span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Check out my reviews of her previous novels:</span></b><br />
<span id="freeText11117621729492919234"><br /></span>
<a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/01/dear-mr-knightley-katherine-reay.html"><span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Dear Mr Knightly</span></a><span id="freeText11117621729492919234"> </span><br />
<a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/02/lizzy-jane-katherine-reay.html"><span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Lizzy & Jane</span></a><br />
<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">And I haven't reviewed <i>The Bronte Plot</i>!!! What?! I must go back and do that. I adore that novel.</span><br />
<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">My<a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/02/interview-with-katherine-reay-giveaway.html"> interview with Katherine Reay</a>. Totally bragging here again. </span><br />
<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">Her next novel is called The Austen Escape. Eeeepp!! </span><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234">I also love that she knows author <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7271055.Kristy_Cambron">Kristy Cambron</a> who I am rapidly becoming a fan of. I will be reviewing a couple of her novels soon. Love her books.</span><br />
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<span id="freeText11117621729492919234"><br /></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-55196569776385977872016-08-16T09:21:00.001-07:002016-08-16T09:21:42.406-07:00The View from the Cheap Seats - Neil Gaiman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24331386-the-view-from-the-cheap-seats">The View from the Cheap Seats</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://neilgaiman.com/">Neil Gaiman</a><br />
<b>Hardback:</b> 522 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> William Morrow<br />
<b>Published date:</b> May 2016<br />
<b>FTC:</b> I requested to review from publisher<br />
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Have you ever been asked the question "If you were to go dinner with your favorite author, who would it be?" Well, this is kind of like being granted that wish. The first Neil Gaiman book I read was an eBook of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14497.Neverwhere"><i>Neverwhere</i></a> back when I was a receptionist out of college and it was ok that I was working and reading books at the same time. I was hooked. Then I read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16793.Stardust"><i>Stardust</i></a>. Then <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17061.Coraline">Coraline</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2744.Anansi_Boys">Anansi Boy</a>s. And I fell hard for<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2213661.The_Graveyard_Book"> The Graveyard Book</a>. Who hasn't? Even my kids love <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15727792-chu-s-day?ac=1&from_search=true">Chu</a> (who doesn't love a cute sneezing Panda).<br />
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So sitting down to read <i>The View from the Cheap Seats</i> is how I would imagine sitting down with Neil Gaiman would be. Ok ok. In reality I know that 1) it would never actually happen and if it did 2) we'd probably be talking more about our kids and spouses. (I think Amanda is fabulous and not just because we share the same name.) That and if I was magically granted a night out with someone to dinner I honestly would pick my husband. Goodness, I treasure my date nights with him like a greedy pirate (and yes, I've been watching too many kid TV shows). But seriously, sometimes as a stay-at-home mom I just want a dose of adultness (I know that's not a word) and adult conversation. So I pour myself a cup of coffee and enjoy reading Neil Gaiman's thoughts and ponderings and it is like hanging out with a friend who enjoys reading, libraries, <i>Doctor Who</i>, C.S. Lewis and Tolkien, science fiction, Tori Amos, fairy tales, and basically good art.<br />
<br />
I haven't finished the entire book. It's something I don't want to rush through. I read a few section a day and I savor it like chocolate. I also jump around reading sections because, well, it's my book and sometimes I like to throw off my linear self. While reading I've come across many authors I've never heard of and want to read, authors I've heard of and never read, and authors I've read that we both love. Can you believe I've never read Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft? Because I can't quote the entire book, just go out and buy it. It's one you need to own. But here's a few examples:<br />
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"The magic and the danger of fiction is this: it allows us to see through other eyes. It takes us to places we have never been, allows us to care about, worry about, laugh with, cry for, people who do not, outside of the story, exist.<br />
There are people who think that things that happen in fiction do not really happen. These people are wrong." p415<br />
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"I believe I have the right to think and say the wrong things. I believe your remedy for that should be to argue with me or to ignore me, and that I should have the same remedy for the wrong things that I believe you think.<br />
I believe that you have the absolute right to think things that I find offensive, stupid, preposterous or dangerous, and that you have the right to speak, write, or distribute these things, and that I do not have the right to kill you, maim you, hurt you, or take away your liberty or property because I find your ideas threatening or insulting or downright disgusting. You probably think some of my ideas are pretty vile too." p4<br />
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You also have to go and read <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming">Why Our Future Depends on Libraries, Reading and Daydreaming</a>. It's required reading...or at least it should be.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-65798467689092529132016-08-01T13:58:00.000-07:002016-08-01T16:54:51.908-07:00Hope Unfolding - Becky Thompson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26109226-hope-unfolding"> Hope Unfolding</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://beckythompson.com/">Becky Thompson</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 209 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Waterbrook Press<br />
<b>Published date:</b> March 2016<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received to review from <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/">Blogging for Books</a><br />
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I am the proud mommy of three beautiful boys ages 5 to six months. My youngest was just a few months old when I somehow came across Becky Thompson's book <i>Hope Unfolding</i>. I think it was Facebook or an ad from a publisher? Anyhow, I was struggling. I am a stay at home mom, which I love, but it can be tough sometimes. Baby number three was a surprise - we were about to call it quits and be happy with two kiddos when God had other plans. I called him Baby Joy before I knew who he was and that is exactly his personality. The most joyful baby I've ever met. But I was still struggling with two rambunctious boys and a new baby and basically I needed a reminder of Hope. I was about to order Becky Thompson's book on Amazon when I checked out <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/">Blogging for Books</a> and it was available to review! Um, yes! Let me just say that I recommend this book for any mommas out there who are just struggling or need a pick-me-up. Big or little. And at some point we all do. We all do.<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span id="freeText9132812075582967999"><b>God’s love, plans, and promises for you are forever unfolding.</b><br /> <br /> <i>I get it, Momma. I totally get it.</i><br />
Every day you wake up and try your very best. You love, give, and pour
out your life for the ones who call you Momma. But no matter how much
you offer, there are still days you feel as though you come up short.
You worry, <i>Am I loving these babies enough? Is this ever going to
get easier? Why does it seem like I am the only one who cannot balance
it all?</i> <br /><br /><b>Sometimes, we just need hope (and maybe a long uninterrupted nap).</b> We need someone to help tune our hearts to the voice of the Father and to remind us that He has not forgotten about us.<br /> In <i>Hope Unfolding,</i>
Becky Thompson is a friend who reminds you that you aren’t alone, and
that God is still writing your story. She guides you to encounter the
Truth of God’s presence that not only fuels you with strength, but also a
fresh confidence. And beyond gaining faith that tomorrow could be
different, you find hope and purpose where you are standing today.</span><br />
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<b><span id="freeText9132812075582967999">My thoughts:</span></b><br />
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<span id="freeText9132812075582967999">I read this book in the mornings while eating breakfast and drinking my coffee. It was like sitting down for a chat with a fellow mom who's been there and gets it. Since then, I've started following Becky Thompson's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScissortailSilk">Facebook page</a> and seriously, you can't help but loving her. She often has Live posts and recently has been posting Live sessions going through her book. I'm excited about her recent news that she's coming out with a book called <i>Love Unending</i>, a twenty-one day journey to help focus on your marriage during this hard time of raising little ones. I will be buying that one. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText9132812075582967999">But going back to <i>Hope Unfolding</i>, this book is an example of what I call "cheaper than therapy." Ha! I don't think I learned anything spectacularly new but I definitely needed to start my day in a frame of mind that it's ok momma, I am enough for these boys. I will have ups and downs but God made me their momma and I don't have to prove myself to God or these little ones. Just like they will never have to earn their love from me or God. So I'm going to put down my to-do list, put down my phone, and allow myself to just be. </span><br />
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<span id="freeText9132812075582967999"><b>Cheaper Than Therapy</b></span><br />
<span id="freeText9132812075582967999">Coloring, a good book, and coffee (not pictured)</span><br />
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<span id="freeText9132812075582967999"><br /></span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-56236411440384489272016-07-29T10:05:00.001-07:002016-07-29T10:06:52.415-07:00Girl Waits with Gun - Amy Stewart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23719378-girl-waits-with-gun">Girl Waits with Gun</a> (Kopp Sisters #1)<br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.amystewart.com/">Amy Stewart</a><br />
<b>Hardcover: </b>408 pages (my version eBook)<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Houghton Mifflin Harcourt<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Rented from the library eBook collection<br />
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Title + cover = awesome. I am sold. I basically didn't have to know much about this book to want to read it. But then I saw that Amy Stewart wrote it. I am dying to get my hands on books <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9845802-wicked-bugs">Wicked Bugs</a>, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6106482-wicked-plants">Wicked Plants</a>, and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16277245-the-drunken-botanist">The Drunken Botanist</a>. I also just saw they came out with a <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29499115-the-wicked-plants-coloring-book">coloring book</a> from <i>The Drunken Botanist</i>. Ok ok I am getting off topic. I'm eagerly awaiting her next book in this series.<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">A novel based on the forgotten true story of one of the nation’s first female deputy sheriffs.</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Constance Kopp doesn’t quite fit the mold. She towers over most men, has no interest in marriage or domestic affairs, and has been isolated from the world since a family secret sent her and her sisters into hiding fifteen years ago. One day a belligerent and powerful silk factory owner runs down their buggy, and a dispute over damages turns into a war of bricks, bullets, and threats as he unleashes his gang on their family farm. When the sheriff enlists her help in convicting the men, Constance is forced to confront her past and defend her family — and she does it in a way that few women of 1914 would have dared. </span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">My thoughts:</span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I loved this book. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">The characters<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> and the writing were <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">superb.<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">For some reason I could envision<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> this world so perfectly. But I think what I loved about <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">the book was the three sisters. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I adore Constance Kopp<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Sh<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">e is the perfect heroine<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">/<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">protagonist/<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">person <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I j<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">u<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">st want to <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">cheer for. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">On<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">e sister is a bird fana<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">tic and is perfectly <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">h<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">appy being a hermit<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> and taking care of <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">birds. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">She is con<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">st<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">a<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ntly reading the <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">newspaper</span> and send<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">s Constance torn ou<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">t he<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">adlines <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">via carrier pigeons<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">I love that. <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Her <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">much younger sister is <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">a <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">fashion fanatic. I'm torn <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">about w<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">anting to see th<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">ese characters in a <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">television <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">show - a la <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">a well made PBS<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">/BBC version <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">but would be nervous they<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">'d<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> mess it up. I was so excited to find that book two <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">will be out soon. More K<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">opp sisters please!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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I'm pretty picky about giving books five stars on Goodreads but this one deserved it. I can't wait to read<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28114478-lady-cop-makes-trouble?from_search=true"> Lady Cop Makes Trouble</a>. <br />
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<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Extra:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">At the end of the book, Amy Stewart mentions that she got the idea of the Kopp <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Sisters series from real life <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Kopp sisters. Seriousl<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">y, truth is usually crazier than fiction. Head over to Amy Stewart's <a href="http://www.amystewart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Girl-Waits-With-Gun-Q-and-A1.pdf">website</a> to <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">check<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> out her Q&A and<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"> see photos of the <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">Kopp sisters. As a h<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">istory major, I loved her attention to detail, her <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">historical rese<span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">arch, and <span style="font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;">the authenticity of her writing. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8573020-the-weird-sisters">The Weird Sisters</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.eleanor-brown.com/">Eleanor Brown</a><br />
<b>Hardback:</b> 320 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2011<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Bought at library book sale<br />
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I remember the acclaim <i>The Weird Sisters</i> received when it first came out a few years ago. It had been on my radar since then. Come on. Shakespeare, sisters, and a back of the book quote that states "There is no problem a library card can't solve." I just thought I'd love it. Hmm. Well...no.<br />
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<b>Goodreads synopsis:</b><br />
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<em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">There is no problem that a library card can't solve. </em><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The Andreas family is one of readers. Their father, a renowned Shakespeare professor who speaks almost entirely in verse, has named his three daughters after famous Shakespearean women. When the sisters return to their childhood home, ostensibly to care for their ailing mother, but really to lick their wounds and bury their secrets, they are horrified to find the others there. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">See, we love each other. We just don't happen to like each other very much.</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">But the sisters soon discover that everything they've been running from -- one another, their small hometown, and themselves -- might offer more than they ever expected.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>My thoughts:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I guess it boils down to the fact that I didn't like the sisters. At all. I couldn't stand them in fact. Its funny, the quote on the cover of the book states, "See, we love each other. We just do't happen to like each other very much." My problem too. Pretty much self-involved, each one. And while there is a fairly happy ending, I didn't think there was a ton of character growth. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Don't get me wrong, the book is very well-written. I didn't struggle with that. There are seriously some good quotes, go check it out on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/13441827-the-weird-sisters">Goodreads</a>. I just really wanted to like the story of the three sisters and I didn't. End point. I've knocked off a to-read book that's been high on my list, glad I didn't spend more on it since it was a library book sale buy, and will donate it again. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I'm curious though...have any of you read it? Enjoyed it? Why or why not? I'm guessing it might be a good discussion book since I'd love to know others opinions. (Yes, I'm off to read some reviews.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Extra:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The hardcover copy of is beautiful, a shimmery white with gorgeous green letters. The paperback version is pretty fun looking too:</span></span></span><br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-58180524719861581852016-05-06T08:01:00.000-07:002016-05-06T10:16:00.171-07:00The Newsmakers - Lis Wiehl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25692511-the-newsmakers?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Newsmakers</a><br />
Author: <a href="http://liswiehlbooks.com/">Lis Wiehl</a> with Sebastian Stuart<br />
Hardcover: 337 pages<br />
Publisher: Thomas Nelson<br />
Published date: January 2016<br />
FTC: Received to review from publisher<br />
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<i>The Newsmakers</i> is one of those novels that I loved reading the last page and then moving on to the Discussion Questions enclosed. Setting this novel in the heart of Manhattan's news world, especially during this current season of crazy media enhanced election news, is so fascinating. Questions like "What tools to real cable news networks use to drive ratings?" and "Is fear an effective management tool?" make me think this would be a great book club read because while it looks like a hefty book. <i>The Newsmakers</i> is a fun and quick read packed with action.<br />
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<span id="freeText5041966133237025343" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><strong>What if it turns out that the newsmakers are actually making the news happen?</strong><br /><br />Television reporter Erica Sparks has just landed her dream job at Global News Network. Beautiful, talented, and ambitious, Erica grew up dirt poor, worked her way through Yale, and is carrying a terrible secret. She moves to Manhattan to join GNN, leaving Jenny, her adored 7-year-old daughter, in the custody of her ex-husband. Erica’s producer at the network, Greg Underwood, is handsome and compelling. Scarred by her divorce, Erica is wary of romance, but there’s no denying the mutual attraction.<br /><br />On one of her first assignments, Erica witnesses a horrific Staten Island ferry crash. Then she lands a coveted interview with presumptive presidential nominee Kay Barrish. During the interview Barrish collapses. Erica valiantly tries to save her with CPR. The footage rivets the world—GNN’s ratings soar and Erica is now a household name.<br /><br />But she’s troubled. What a strange coincidence that both events should happen on her watch. It’s almost as if they were engineered. Is that possible?<br /><br />Erica’s relentless pursuit of the truth puts her life and that of her daughter in danger. Her investigation leads her into the heart of darkness—where the future of our democracy is at stake.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>My thoughts:</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>The Newsmakers</i> was a fun quick read. Erica Sparks, while outwardly perfect looking, is inwardly a recovering alcoholic trying to regain her footing after loosing custody of her daughter. Going sober she was climbing the ladder when she struck gold by getting hired by the almost too good to be true news network GNN. I loved being in Erica Sparks head as she was a likable character but not perfect.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The story was fast paced with lots of action in part due to the story line but also because of short chapters and sentences. I noticed that the author has had over 14 years in the cable news industry and the writing reflects that. Often I like the brevity because I am kind of like that - short and to the point. But it also created a kind of distance that I didn't like as much. While I was reading from Erica's point of view and privy to her thoughts, I still felt a bit removed. It also made some of the action a little less intense than it could have been. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">That said, the book ends with a fun set-up for a sequel which I would totally read. And like I said above, I think it would make a great book club choice. I'd love to be in a discussion about what drives cable news networks' ratings, what's ethical or unethical, and is fear an effective (or ethical) tool? There are also a lot of interesting discussion questions about Erica's background and life - coming up from poverty, her descent into alcoholism, and how her background affects her parenting insecurities. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Have you read anything by Lis Wiehl or any book set in the cable news network world? </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>Extra:</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Checking out <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-candidate-lis-wiehl/1123515475?ean=9780718037680">Barnes and Noble</a>, I saw Lis Wiehl's second novel, <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-candidate-lis-wiehl/1123515475?ean=9780718037680">The Candidate</a>, up for pre-order. Ooo. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>About the author:</b></span></span></span><br />
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Lis Wiehl is one of the nation’s most prominent trial lawyers and highly regarded commentators. Currently, she is the legal analyst and reporter on the Fox News Channel and Bill O’Reilly’s sparring partner in the weekly “Is It Legal?” segment on The <i>O’Reilly Factor</i>. Prior to that she was O’Reilly’s co-host on the nationally syndicated show <i>The Radio Factor</i>. She is also a Professor of Law at New York Law School.<br />
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Prior to joining Fox News Channel in New York City, Wiehl served as a legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR’s <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">All Things Considered</em>. Before that, Wiehl served as a Federal Prosecutor in the United States Attorney’s office.
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And for fun, I am starting to get back into posting on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/libraryofmyown/">Instagram</a>. <br />
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A photo posted by Amanda (@libraryofmyown) on <time datetime="2016-05-02T16:54:29+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">May 2, 2016 at 9:54am PDT</time></div>
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<script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-78574062760167261832016-05-05T13:55:00.000-07:002016-05-05T13:55:38.181-07:00The Mix and Match Guide to Companion Planting - Josie Jeffery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Title: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18007638-the-mix-match-guide-to-companion-planting">The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting</a><br />
Author: Josie Jeffery<br />
Hardcover: 104 pages<br />
Publisher: Ten Speed Press<br />
Published date: 2014<br />
FTC: Received from <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/">Blogging for Books</a> to review<br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">With its unique split-page mix-and match system, <em>The Mix & Match Guide to Companion Planting</em> is a colorful visual gardening guide to which vegetables, fruits, and herbs grow best with one another, and which do not.</strong><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The age-old practice of companion planting is an effective way to create healthier, happier, more productive gardens simply by placing the right plants next to each other. It is an ingenious, all-natural method to control pests, disease, and weeds without the need for chemicals. With its unique split-page mix-and-match system, this colorful, visual guide makes it fast and easy for you to choose which vegetables, fruits, and herbs grow best with one another, and which do not. All you have to do is select your desired crop from the extensive plant directory, flip the strips, match the dots, and get ready for your vegetable garden to flourish!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>My thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
I can't wait until I can get into gardening again. I'll admit I am a novice at gardening and haven't had much experience. We were living in Las Vegas and gardening was so intimidating and difficult. I am so excited to now be living in the South were I can experiment more. This is a great resource for beginner gardeners to help find out which plants compliment each other to naturally drive out pests, disease, and weeds. I think this was a pretty fun book for newbie gardeners. I wasn't intimidated by the book which was full of color photos and divided into thirds with flip-able sections to mix and match. It's really a beautiful book with a gorgeous cover and photos inside. There were a lot of herbs and fruit plants which I am looking forward to growing in my garden.<br />
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That said, it took a bit to figure out exactly how the flip sections all worked together. I also think that if I had more gardening experience, I wouldn't find this book as informative. I may want a more comprehensive resource. I am looking forward, as my three sons grow up, to sitting down with them and looking through the pictures in this book to plan out our garden.<br />
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Do you have any favorite gardening books, websites, or resources?Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-43768180906281430442016-04-14T12:17:00.002-07:002016-04-14T12:30:11.313-07:00A Respectable Actress - Dorothy Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25384000-a-respectable-actress?from_search=true&search_version=service">A Respectable Actress</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://dorothylovebooks.com/">Dorothy Love</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 363 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Thomas Nelson<br />
<b>Published date:</b> October 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received from publisher to review<br />
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<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">When the illustrious India Hartley is accused of murder, she has to uncover the deceptions of others to save herself.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">India Hartley, the famous and beautiful actress, is now alone in the world after her father’s death and embarks upon a tour of theaters across the South. Her first stop is Savannah’s Southern Palace. On the eve of the second night’s performance, something goes horribly wrong. Her co-star, Arthur Sterling, is shot dead on stage in front of a packed house, and India is arrested and accused of the crime.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">A benefactor hires Philip Sinclair, the best—and handsomest—lawyer in Savannah to defend India. A widower, Philip is struggling to reinvent his worn-out plantation on St. Simons Island. He needs to increase his income from his law practice in order to restore Indigo Point, and hardly anything will bring him more new clients than successfully defending a famous actress on a murder charge.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Because India can’t go anywhere in town without being mobbed, Philip persuades the judge handling her case to let him take her to Indigo Point until her trial date. India is charmed by the beauty of the Georgia low country and is increasingly drawn to Philip. But a locked room that appears to be a shrine to Philip’s dead wife and the unsolved disappearance of a former slave girl raise troubling questions. Piecing together clues in an abandoned boat and a burned-out chapel, India discovers a trail of dark secrets that lead back to Philip, secrets that ultimately may hold the key to her freedom. If only he will believe her.</span><br />
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<b>
My thoughts:
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I enjoy receiving books to review like this because I wouldn't have normally picked this one up on my own. It was a historical fiction crime mystery with dashes of romance that was perfect for me. I was reading it when I was eight months pregnant and it was the exact book I needed to read at night when I couldn't sleep.<br />
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I love the Southern setting. In the Author's Note at the end of the book, she points out that while Indigo Point is fictional, she based it on a real plantation called King's Retreat on the southern tip of St. Simons Island. I loved her descriptions of the island and just the beautiful southern flora. I want to visit somewhere like this.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/article-gallery/public/m-1635.jpg?itok=UBTC9UPn" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/sites/default/files/styles/article-gallery/public/m-1635.jpg?itok=UBTC9UPn" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Retreat on<a href="http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/geography-environment/st-simons-island"> St Simon's Island</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I also loved that she based her character, India Hartley, on a real historical actress named Frances "Fanny" Anne Kemble. The real <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Kemble">Fanny Kemble's</a> story is actually quite fascinating. I'd love to read a book or watch a movie of her life! Slavery is an issue covered in this novel and it was something that concerned the real Fanny Kemble as well. I also think it's so interesting that while today actors/actresses are quite huge celebrities, back in the day it wasn't quite respectable to be an actress. You must check out Dorothy Love's <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/danne121246/a-respectable-actress/">Pinterest board</a> for <i>A Respectable Actress</i>. The clothes!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg/800px-Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg/800px-Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg/800px-Fanny_Kemble_cph.3b17325.jpg">Fanny Kemble</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I really enjoyed <i>A Respectable Actress</i> and love the author's attention to historical detail and research. I will definitely check out more of her novels in the future. In particular, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21556053-the-bracelet"><i>The Bracelet</i></a> looks so interesting. <br />
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Ooo and on Dorothy Love's <a href="http://dorothylovebooks.com/">website</a>, her newest one looks interesting! The relationship between Robert E. Lee's wife and her slave.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-16019470188530225452016-03-22T08:23:00.001-07:002016-03-22T16:05:01.212-07:00If I Run - Terri Blackstock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26263487-if-i-run?from_search=true&search_version=service">If I Run</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.terriblackstock.com/">Terri Blackstock</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 300 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Zondervan<br />
<b>Published date:</b> February 2016<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received from publisher<br />
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<br />
I had never read a Terri Blackstock book and so when I cracked open this one I was pleasantly surprised. I've checked out on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19811.Terri_Blackstock?from_search=true&search_version=service">Goodreads</a> that she has quite a few books so I'll have to check more of her books out. I would label her, well this book, as a Christian suspense/crime thriller. Pick this one up if you like stories more character driven than mystery driven. There wasn't really any twists, at least to me, in the story and it was kind of predictable, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story and the characters. Right now I am enjoying a six week old baby and am a mom to three boys, so this was the perfect novel to just suck me in during my me time.<br />
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Warning: This is book one of a series. I did not know this wasn't a stand-alone book. I almost wanted to throw the book at the end because, well, there isn't really an end. I'm going to have to wait until book #2. Not sure how many she is planning in the series.<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Casey knows the truth.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">But it won’t set her free.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Casey Cox’s DNA is all over the crime scene. There’s no use talking to police; they have failed her abysmally before. She has to flee before she’s arrested . . . or worse. The truth doesn’t matter anymore.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">But what</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"> is </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">the truth? That’s the question haunting Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. PTSD has marked him damaged goods, but bringing Casey back can redeem him. Though the crime scene seems to tell the whole story, details of the murder aren’t adding up. Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer. But are Dylan’s skewed perceptions keeping him from being objective? If she isn’t guilty, why did she run?</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than he has, but as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><b>My thoughts:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">I had never read a Terri Blackstock book before but after reading <i>If I Run</i>, I will be checking out more of her books. Like I said, I had no clue this was book one in a series so I'll definitely be reading book two because now I need to know the conclusion.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The weird thing about <i>If I Run</i>, is that while the story is fairly predictable and it kind of reminds me of Nicholas Sparks' <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7812659-safe-haven?from_search=true&search_version=service"><i>Safe Haven</i></a> (I watched the movie but haven't read the book) without the romance, but it still pulled me into the story and I was invested in the characters. I really enjoyed the duel perspectives of Casey and Dylan. I liked that there were multiple stories and themes going on in the novel. I don't want to give away all of them but, for instance, Dylan is going through PTSD as a war veteran and my heart just went out to his character and people who are struggling with this. There's also a lot of instances where we question why do bad things happen to good people? It's a great theme to delve into as a Christian book. My only complaint is that I didn't know it was first in a series and I'm still a little confused as to why she couldn't just write a bit longer and wrap it all up. So I'm interested in checking out where she is taking the story next and why it's meant to be a series. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Have you read any of Terri Blackstock's books? If so, any recommendations of what I should read of hers next?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Check out the book trailer for <i>If I Run </i>and check out <a href="http://www.tnzfiction.com/books/suspense-mystery/if-i-run/">TNZ's website</a>:</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ETaHxX7A9K4" width="560"></iframe>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-68015086779370741612016-02-26T10:41:00.000-08:002016-02-26T10:41:30.333-08:00The Girl from the Train - Irma Joubert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24689357-the-girl-from-the-train?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Girl from the Train</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> Irma Joubert<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 370 pages (my version ARC)<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Thomas Nelson<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received to review from publisher<br />
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I love WWII stories. Irma Joubert's <i>The Girl from the Train</i> would be a book I would have picked up to read whether I had received it to review or not. As the cover states, it was an international bestseller (South Africa and The Netherlands) and was <a href="http://www.target.com/p/target-club-pick-november-2015-girl-from-the-train/-/A-49155237">Target's Book Club Pick</a> for November last year. So it would have been on my radar. Overall I'd say I liked the book but somewhere in the middle it started dragging. Not sure if it was the book's fault or just where I was in my life.<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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Six-year-old Gretl Schmidt is on a train bound for Aushwitz. Jakob Kowalski is planting a bomb on the tracks.<br />
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As World War II draws to a close, Jakob fights with the Polish resistance against the crushing forces of Germany and Russia. They intend to destroy a German troop transport, but Gretl's unscheduled train reaches the bomb first.<br />
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Gretl is the only survivor. Though spared from the concentration camp, the orphaned German Jew finds herself lost in a country hostile to her people. When Jakob discovers her, guilt and fatherly compassion prompt him to take her in. For three years, the young man and the little girl form a bond over the secrets they must hide from his Catholic family.<br />
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But she can't stay with him forever. Jakob sends Gretl to South Africa, where German war orphans are promised bright futures with adoptive Protestant families - so long as Gretl's Jewish roots, Catholic education, and connections to communist Poland are never discovered.<br />
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Separated by continents, politics, religion, language, and years, Jakob and Gretl will likely never see each other again. But the events they have both survived and their belief that the human spirit can triumph over the ravages of war have formed a bond of love that no circumstances can overcome.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
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Overall, <i>The Girl from the Train</i> was a great book. I am always intrigued by books that were originally written in a different language. It was translated from Afrikaans by Elsa Silke and she did a wonderful job. It makes me want to read more books that take place in South Africa - past or present. Have any of you read any good Afrikaans literature?<br />
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Joubert's book is all about characters and relationships. You can't but help fall in love with Gretl and wonder how she can manage to end up so sane. It reminded me of another book <a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2011/04/broken-birds-jeannette-katzir.html">Broken Birds: The story of my momila</a> which really shows how even though people survived the war they still carried heavy emotional scars. Jakob is a beautifully written character. I love that people like him are out in the world. You can't help but fall in love with Gretl and Jakob.<br />
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Somewhere in the middle of the story, while Gretl is growing up in South Africa, I felt the story dragged just a bit. I'm not sure if it's because I was prepared for more of a WWII story, less of a love story, or just felt that part was overly long...maybe it was just because I was pregnant and got tired easily. Who knows. Still, it's a great story and would make for an interesting book club selection.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-52123556297203176122016-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:002016-02-11T18:15:01.512-08:00The Tears of Dark Water - Corban Addison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26404001-the-tears-of-dark-water?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Tears of Dark Water</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.corbanaddison.com/">Corban Addison</a><br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 439 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Thomas Nelson<br />
<b>Published date:</b> October 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received to review from publisher<br />
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<br />
Wow. I loved this book. One of my favorite things about getting review books is finding and loving stories and authors that I normally would never have checked out. Corban Addison's <i><b>The Tears of Dark Water</b></i> is one of these. I loved his writing and the story is one that will stick with you for a long long time. This is a must read.<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Daniel and Vanessa Parker are an American success story. He is a Washington, DC, power broker, and she is a physician with a thriving practice. But behind the gilded facade, their marriage is a shambles, and their teenage son, Quentin, is self-destructing. In desperation, Daniel dusts off a long-delayed dream a sailing trip around the world. Little does he know, the voyage he hopes will save them may destroy them instead.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Half a world away on the lawless coast of Somalia, Ismail Adan Ibrahim is living a life of crime in violation of everything he was raised to believe except for the love and loyalty driving him to hijack ships for ransom and plot the rescue of his sister, Yasmin, from the man who murdered their father. There is nothing he will not do to save her, even if it means taking innocent lives.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Paul Derrick is the FBI s top hostage negotiator. His twin sister, Megan, is a celebrated defense attorney. They have reached the summit of their careers by savvy, grit, and a secret determination to escape the memory of the day their family died. When Paul is dispatched to handle a hostage crisis at sea, he has no idea how far it will take him and Megan into the past or the chance it will give them to redeem the future.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Across continents and oceans, through storms and civil wars, the paths of these individuals converge in a single, explosive moment. It is a moment that will test them and break them, but it will also leave behind an unexpected glimmer of hope that out of the ashes of tragedy and misfortune, the seeds of justice and reconciliation can grow.</span><br />
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<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
There are so many characters and relationships in this novel that can be explored. Corban Addison has multiple characters narrate to really get you sucked into the story. First there's the failing relationship but possibly hopeful reconciliation between Daniel and Vanessa Parker. It's one of those marriages that probably look perfect in the family photo but in reality is a crumbling mess. Quentin is their only child and is in the throes of serious self-destruction. I found it absolutely awesome that Daniel felt that his son and their relationship was so important that while the family was well off, they did make sacrifices for father and son to travel and bond. But of course, my two favorite characters were Ismail, the Somalian pirate and Paul, the FBI negotiator. Ismail is awesomely portrayed not as a terrorist, pirate, or ethnic stereotype but as a sympathetic character who's situation and plight are almost unfathomable to much of the Western world. Paul Derrick's character makes me wish this story was made into a movie. He's one of those characters that has me thinking who would be cast to play his character.<br />
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I am going to start following Corban Addison as an author and check out more of his novels. The writing is superb, the story absorbing, and the characters moving. I dare you not to get emotionally involved in this story. Dare you not to shove this book on someone else to read. I'm keeping this one to share with my husband.<br />
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Side note: Just read on Corban Addison's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4880808.Corban_Addison">Goodreads site</a> that <i><b>The Tears of Dark Water</b> </i>was listed as <a href="http://www.omnivoracious.com/2015/11/celebrity-picks-john-grisham-amazon-book-review.html">John Grisham's favorite reads of 2015</a>. Very cool!<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-67014044031012831492015-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:002015-10-30T08:33:22.912-07:00Hiding Places - Erin Healy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24345258-hiding-places?from_search=true&search_version=service">Hiding Places</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.erinhealy.com/">Erin Healy</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 351 pages<br />
<b>Published date:</b> September 2015<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Thomas Nelson<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received from publisher<br />
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I love when I receive review books that I wouldn't normally have picked up and I end up really enjoying them. I tend to gravitate towards historical fiction, even in my suspense or mystery category. But Erin Healy's Hiding Places reminded me to branch out more often. I was also excited that Erin Healy lives in Colorado, which is where I am from, and the story takes place there. Yay!<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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Eleven-year old Kate keeps her knowledge to herself - one sister's stash of marijuana, the other's petty cash pilfering, her grandfather's contraband candy bars. She protects her mother and Gran, too, screening out critical comments from the hotel suggestions box. But suddenly the stakes are raised; her grandfather's best friend is murdered the day after Kate heard the two men arguing.<br />
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At the same time, far from the quiet mountain resort, a homeless man flees a robbery gone wrong...a gang member seeks revenge for the death of his son...and a boy chooses the worst time to wield spray paint on a store window. In a strange and spiraling sequence of events, their disparate worlds collide at Harrison Lodge.<br />
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Kate offers shelter to one of them, unaware of the terrible consequences to the family she loves. But people can hide in all kinds of ways, sometimes even in plain sight...and some secrets are just waiting to be exposed.<br />
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<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
I've probably mentioned this before, but I love when an author shows events unfold through a child's point of view and it actually works and sounds authentic. I loved the character of Kate. You can tell that she's very smart, self-aware, and able to take care of herself. She's trying to make sense of it all without seeing things through adult eyes but also not completely naive.<br />
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Erin Healy also shows the points of view of a couple other characters, including Charlie a young adult who left an abusive home situation and has been homeless for a few years. And then there's the Fox, a man who's torn between life as a gang member and his role as a caring father who is trying to keep his son from following the same path. He was such an interesting character because while he made a lot of bad decisions, he was such a sympathetic character. Well done! Then there's Pearl who is Kate's great-grandmother and who is kind of used to pretending to be crazy and staying out of the way. I liked that she has this awakening of realization that she needs to be more involved in her life and her family.<br />
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Hiding Places is technically a Christian fiction book but there really isn't a big Christian theme that I could notice. I do like that it shows real world people who aren't "bad" or "good" but just living life as it is dealt...making good decisions and bad but once you get into their heads and stories, while you might not agree, there is an understanding. People don't often get up one day and think to themselves, this is the day I'm going to mess up my life. Often, events and things just spiral out of control. But then you see people who could make the easy decision and way out but decide to do the right thing and it's amazing. <br />
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Again, I liked that the whole story took place in Colorado - Denver and a fictional mountain lodge. I mean we all know that the underbelly of the world exists but to read about it in a familiar setting just makes it hit home a little bit more. <br />
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I haven't read anything else by Erin Healy but I will be checking her books out in the future.<br />
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<br />
Check out Erin Healy's <a href="http://www.erinhealy.com/">website</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/erinhealybooks/">Facebook page</a>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-64262187881976423312015-09-08T16:26:00.002-07:002015-09-08T16:26:57.669-07:00Once Upon a Crime - P.J. Brackston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25328876-once-upon-a-crime?from_search=true&search_version=service">Once Upon a Crime</a> (A Brothers Grimm Mystery #2)<br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.pjbrackston.com/">P.J. Brackston</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 245 pages (ARC version)<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Pegasus Crime<br />
<b>Published date:</b> July 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received from publisher for review<br />
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<br />
Earlier this year I reviewed P.J. Brackston's first Grimm Mystery <a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/04/gretel-and-case-of-missing-frog-prints.html">Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints</a> and I thoroughly enjoyed it. So when the publishing company asked if I wanted to read and review mystery #2 I said yes! I am so glad I did. This series is going to be one of my go-to vacation mystery books. You know, the books you read on vacation knowing that you will enjoy it.<br />
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While <i>Once Upon a Crime</i> is #2 in the series, it actually goes back in time a tad and clears up some of the interesting story lines that were introduced in book #1. For instance, what is Gretel's connection with the royal family and how did she meet the dashing General Ferdinand? I am pretty sure that if you read this book first it wouldn't be confusing at all for you.<br />
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There are a few things about this series that makes me want to recommend it. First, I absolutely love the enigma that is Gretel of Gesternstadt (yes, <i>that</i> Gretel) from Hansel and Gretel fame and private detective for hire. She's overweight, complains quite a bit, and is a little obsessed with food, hair, and clothing. On paper, she should be irritating and unlikeable but I do...I really like her. The humor that runs throughout the book has you chuckling amidst all the mystery, murder, and mayhem. I also love the historical setting of the story. It takes place not in some mythical fairy tale realm but in a real German local and she makes the cobblestone setting all too believable.<br />
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I'm definitely looking forward to further adventures of Gretel of Gesternstadt.<br />
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<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">From </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">New York Times</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;"> bestselling author P. J. Brackston comes the prequel to </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">, the new novel in the rollicking series featuring Gretel, all grown up and working as a private investigator in 18th century Bavaria.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">Gretel (yes, that Gretel) is now 35, very large, still living with her brother Hans, and working as a private investigator. The small, sleepy town of Gesternstadt is shaken to its pretty foundations when the workshop of the local cart maker is burnt to the ground, and a body is discovered in the ashes. It is Gretel who notices that the cadaver is missing a finger. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">At first, she does not see this as significant, as her mind is fully focused on a new case. Not that she wouldn’t far rather be investigating an intriguing murder, but her client is willing to pay over the odds, so she must content herself with trying to trace three missing cats. It is not until she is further into her investigations that she realizes the two events are inextricably and dangerously connected, and that the mystery of the missing cats will lead her into perilous situations and frightening company. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8px; line-height: 19.32px;">Very soon Gretel finds herself accused of kidnapping Princess Charlotte, twice locked up in the cells at the Summer Schloss, repelling the advances of an amorous troll, strapped to a rack in Herr Schmerz’s torture chamber, and fleeing a murder charge. With dubious help from her brother (whose scant wits are habitually addled by drink), she must prove her innocence, solve the puzzle of the unidentified corpse, and find the stolen cats before they meet a grisly end.</span>Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-91835538783338630062015-09-06T08:49:00.000-07:002015-09-06T08:49:02.208-07:00R.I.P. X<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.estellasociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/rip10400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.estellasociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/rip10400.jpg" height="400" width="330" /></a></div>
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I have been horrible at blogging lately but how could I not join this year's TENTH R.I.P.!! I love the celebration that Carl over at <a href="http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/readers-imbibing-peril-x">Stainless Steel Droppings</a> started and have been participating for a few years. This year <a href="http://www.estellasociety.com/?p=1484">The Estella Society</a> is hosting the event. In case you haven't seen this before:<br />
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<em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">R.I.P. X</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px;"> officially runs from </span><strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1827743107" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">September 1st through October 31st</span></span>. </strong><br />
<strong style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24.375px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong>
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Mystery.<br />
Suspense.<br />
Thriller.<br />
Dark Fantasy.<br />
Gothic.<br />
Horror.<br />
Supernatural.</div>
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Or anything sufficiently moody that shares a kinship with the above.</div>
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That is what embodies the stories, written and visual, that we celebrate with the <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril</em> event.</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">I think I am going to live dangerously this time and join in on this one:</span><br />
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<strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Peril the First:</strong> Read four books, any length, that you feel fit (the very broad definitions) of<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">R.I.P.</em> literature. It could be King or Conan Doyle, Penny or Poe, Chandler or Collins, Lovecraft or Leroux…or anyone in between.<br />
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I know I've already have one mystery under my belt, one of P.J. Brackston's fun A Brothers Grimm Crime Mystery. I am in the middle of reading a Poisoned Pen Press classic British mystery written in 1932 and I'm also starting Alan Furst's first Night Soldiers novel.<br />
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Don't you just love this season? I love that Carl's event just perfectly sums up how I feel about the changing weather and my favorite season. </div>
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-22272497645947033402015-06-30T20:13:00.000-07:002015-06-30T20:13:17.659-07:00Crow Hollow - Michael Wallace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25114452-crow-hollow?from_search=true&search_version=service_impr">Crow Hollow</a><br />
<b>Author</b>: <a href="http://michaelwallaceauthor.com/">Michael Wallace</a><br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 335 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Lake Union Publishing<br />
<b>Published date:</b> June 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received from publisher to review<br />
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When I received an email asking if I wanted to review Michael Wallace's novel<i> Crow Hollow</i>, I was intrigued. I normally don't jump onto tours or review unknown authors anymore since with two little ones I just get swamped but I love this time period. One of my favorite movies is <i>The Last of the Mohicans</i> and I love learning about early United States history. <i>Crow Hollow</i> takes place almost a century before The French and Indian War, just after a period in history I wasn't too familiar with - <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Philip's_War">King Philip's War</a>. I love learning new things. Anyway, mix the time period in with an English spy (you got me there) and a young widow trying to find her daughter held captive by native tribes...it's a great read.<br />
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<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4;">In 1676, an unlikely pair—a young Puritan widow and an English spy—journeys across a land where greed and treachery abound.</span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 18px; margin-top: 18px; padding: 0px;">
Prudence Cotton has recently lost her husband and is desperate to find her daughter, captured by the Nipmuk tribe during King Philip’s war. She’s convinced her daughter is alive but cannot track her into the wilderness alone. Help arrives in the form of James Bailey, an agent of the crown sent to Boston to investigate the murder of Prudence’s husband and to covertly cause a disturbance that would give the king just cause to install royal governors. After his partner is murdered, James needs help too. He strikes a deal with Prudence, and together they traverse the forbidding New England landscape looking for clues. What they confront in the wilderness—and what they discover about each other—could forever change their allegiances and alter their destinies.</div>
<b>My thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
I am so glad I decided to review <i>Crow Hollow</i> because it was an excellent read. From the first chapter I was sucked into James Bailey and Prudence Cotton's story. It alternates between their perspectives and I loved getting into both of their heads. Michael Wallace did a great job of setting the stage and story without overly going into the history or bogging it down with details. That said, the details he did include filled out this past world perfectly. I could completely visualize this time period.<br />
<br />Getting into James and Prudence's story, it was fascinating to see all the politics that went on during this time period. I realized that I didn't know much about the autonomy some of these early colonies had. There was also fairly good friction between countries too, the Dutch in New York and the French not to mention the various Native tribes who's alliance were as individual as tribes. <i>Crow Hollow</i> is really almost a murder mystery with political intrigue and conspiracy thrown in and a touch of romance. It was all really well balanced and flowed incredibly well. I kept thinking this would make a fascinating movie or mini-series.<br />
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As for the characters themselves, I thought they were incredibly well written. James Bailey walks that fine line being a womanizing Crown's agent and cad and falls into the fortunately better role of being an honorable hero. Prudence Cotton's character also walks that fine line of being an irritating desperate widow and falls into the better role of being a self-reliant and independent woman. Prudence's back story of being held captive by a Native tribe after watching her town's massacre and then the retribution and massacre of many natives. On top of losing her husband and daughter, I just felt like Prudence's amazing resilience and compassion was awesome to read. <br />
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If you like historical fiction this is a great read but regardless of the time period, if you like mystery, intrigue, and conspiracy, <i>Crow Hollow</i> is a great pick.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-80810600090772262732015-05-15T11:41:00.002-07:002015-05-15T11:41:52.868-07:00The Precious One - Marisa de los Santos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23215482-the-precious-one?from_search=true&search_version=service">The Precious One</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/marisa.delossantos.writer">Marisa de los Santos</a><br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 359 pages<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> HarperCollins<br />
<b>Published date:</b> March 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Requested from publisher<br />
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Marisa de los Santos is one of my comfort authors. You know what I mean. Those authors that when their book comes out, you'll want to read it, stay up too late at night reading it, and will enjoy it. It's your go-to when you want out of a reading slump which is what happened with <i>The Precious One</i>. It's going to have intelligent writing, sympathetic characters, and a good story, but not I'm not going to have to overly think. I never pick up her books thinking, eh, I don't feel like delving back into this story.<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">In all her life, Eustacia “Taisy” Cleary has given her heart to only three men: her first love, Ben Ransom; her twin brother, Marcus; and Wilson Cleary — professor, inventor, philanderer, self-made millionaire, brilliant man, breathtaking jerk: her father.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Seventeen years ago, Wilson ditched his first family for Caroline, a beautiful young sculptor. In all that time, Taisy’s family has seen Wilson, Caroline, and their daughter Willow only once. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Why then, is Wilson calling Taisy now, inviting her for an extended visit, encouraging her to meet her pretty sister — a teenager who views her with jealousy, mistrust, and grudging admiration? Why, now, does Wilson want Taisy to help him write his memoir?</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Told in alternating voices — Taisy’s strong, unsparing observations and Willow’s naive, heartbreakingly earnest yearnings — </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The Precious One</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> is an unforgettable novel of family secrets, lost love, and dangerous obsession, a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span><b>
My thoughts:
</b><br />
<br />
I love books about family relationships. There are just so many facets to explore when it comes to families. When I picked up The Precious Ones, I thought it just be from Taisy's perspective. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the chapters alternate between Taisy and her half sister Willow. It's pretty rare when I don't have a preference - I thoroughly enjoyed both Taisy and Willow's story and their unique voice. <br />
<br />
Taisy is in her early 30s and gets a phone call from her father that he wants her to come help him write his memoir. Taisy is a pretty successful ghostwriter but she hasn't had contact with her father since he left their family when she and her twin brother were 18. I love that while intellectually she knows her father isn't ever going to be the father she wants, she still craves his approval. He is her weakness. I love that while Taisy is an attractive, good character, she doesn't come across as annoying. Perhaps because we see her perfection often through the eyes of her half sister who is pretty critical of this interloper.<br />
<br />
Which leads to Willow. I loved Willow's voice. Sheltered, home-schooled, and very intelligent, Willow is a beautiful teenager but very naive in a lot of things. Her weakness is her complete adoration of her father. I loved her intelligence so it was fun reading her often pettiness and teenage selfishness come out in her seemingly wise beyond her age voice.<br />
<br />
Both sisters go through their own trials and situations that make them realize that hurt people hurt. That family is important and often flawed. That putting people on pedestals is never a good idea. That everyone makes mistakes but forgiveness is key.<br />
<br />
<b>Other stuff:</b><br />
<br />
Have you ever read any of Marisa de los Santos' books? Who is your comfort author(s)?<br />
<br />
Here's two of my comforts - a good book and coffee. It's hard to tell from the photos but I love the cover, it's got a really cool feel.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywIhtr0QWVHh2i-Rr1e0QSXu77xnyT_Sr3KXfhMl3dnKao_KoIGyAIUDcvcswhktjyXi-mumtFmYGm5guiJ6SEilK8M8tDf1fq861lcd9hyphenhypheny3zH8CjT6VDWHTBHcKrq8t-7sm1io7804/s1600/preciousone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgywIhtr0QWVHh2i-Rr1e0QSXu77xnyT_Sr3KXfhMl3dnKao_KoIGyAIUDcvcswhktjyXi-mumtFmYGm5guiJ6SEilK8M8tDf1fq861lcd9hyphenhypheny3zH8CjT6VDWHTBHcKrq8t-7sm1io7804/s400/preciousone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Check out my reviews of her other books:</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFLWNijcc6kDuqnvWvvWNYd6HFBpa7yylqbftNqiI9R7YDZyE7u_6N5IWN6IUf-hUttiZAM8KRJY2uj2yc1uJlBWSjXrRxU9YRmi1PQymVPmHAUmnT7D75VHq6_DlQGLH5N1xKZhi2NgY/s320/belong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFLWNijcc6kDuqnvWvvWNYd6HFBpa7yylqbftNqiI9R7YDZyE7u_6N5IWN6IUf-hUttiZAM8KRJY2uj2yc1uJlBWSjXrRxU9YRmi1PQymVPmHAUmnT7D75VHq6_DlQGLH5N1xKZhi2NgY/s320/belong.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2009/03/belong-to-me-marisa-de-los-santos.html">Belong to Me</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KMG2lx-XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51KMG2lx-XL.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2011/10/falling-together-marisa-de-los-santos.html">Falling Together</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-58786275677916212222015-05-06T16:23:00.001-07:002015-05-06T16:25:18.990-07:00Station Eleven - Emily St. John Mandel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415583784l/20170404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415583784l/20170404.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20170404-station-eleven">Station Eleven</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.emilymandel.com/">Emily St. John Mandel</a><br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 352 pages (my version eBook)<br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Knopf<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2014<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Library eBook<br />
<br />
<br />
I had heard a lot of buzz about Emily St. John Mandel's apocalyptic novel <i>Station Eleven</i> and to be honest, I adore dsytopian or apocalyptic novels. I know I know. I just can't get enough. That and it won or was a finalist for a ton of awards and let's be honest...I love the cover. (Hands clapping for the designer.) Anyway, I am still pondering exactly what I think of it. It's definitely a story that will stick with you so not easily forgettable and the writing is definitely superb. But the story. Hmm. Let's just say I find that it really doesn't matter what the story is, if you write it in a non-linear format you have a higher chance for getting accolades. Just saying.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization's collapse, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Station Eleven</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> tells the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">One snowy night Arthur Leander, a famous actor, has a heart attack onstage during a production of </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">King Lear</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">. Jeevan Chaudhary, a paparazzo-turned-EMT, is in the audience and leaps to his aid. A child actress named Kirsten Raymonde watches in horror as Jeevan performs CPR, pumping Arthur's chest as the curtain drops, but Arthur is dead. That same night, as Jeevan walks home from the theater, a terrible flu begins to spread. Hospitals are flooded and Jeevan and his brother barricade themselves inside an apartment, watching out the window as cars clog the highways, gunshots ring out, and life disintegrates around them.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Fifteen years later, Kirsten is an actress with the Traveling Symphony. Together, this small troupe moves between the settlements of an altered world, performing Shakespeare and music for scattered communities of survivors. Written on their caravan, and tattooed on Kirsten's arm is a line from </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Star Trek</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">: "Because survival is insufficient." But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who digs graves for anyone who dares to leave.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Spanning decades, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, this suspenseful, elegiac novel is rife with beauty. As Arthur falls in and out of love, as Jeevan watches the newscasters say their final good-byes, and as Kirsten finds herself caught in the crosshairs of the prophet, we see the strange twists of fate that connect them all. A novel of art, memory, and ambition, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Station Eleven </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">tells a story about the relationships that sustain us, the ephemeral nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span><b>
My Thoughts:</b><br />
<br />
In the story the world as we know it ends through a very contagious, fast spreading virus with a high mortality rate. Most people in the world die. Without people running things, it all just winds down. For instance, people who are in an airport when the "world ends" are kind of just left living in the airport for the next 20 years. Crazy but the book makes insanely believable sense. <br />
<br />
I love how the story follows the Traveling Symphony who are like old school troubadours, traveling and performing "Because survival is insufficient." I love that view of humanity. Kirsten, the main character in the book in the Traveling Symphony is a great character and I love how she has hung on to this comic book from her childhood, <i>Station Eleven,</i> and how the name of the novel gets its name from that comic book. <br />
<br />
I think the only thing I wasn't too thrilled about was Arthur's whole story which is a flashback to before the "end of the world." I mean, I get that it was sort of necessary to understand how Kirsten got the comic book but really, it was kind of a cliched Hollywood story that I didn't really care too much about in the midst of this apocalyptic story that was pretty fascinating with it's whole, ok pretty cliched too, prophet who is wrecking havoc.<br />
<br />
So I guess that's where I'm left. She is a great writer. The characters are well developed and I love the traveling symphony part of the story. I like the comic book as part of the story. And again, if you write a non-linear story it is pretty fun to read and I've noticed award winning books are often non-linear. But. The story had a lot of cliched aspects. And I really didn't care for the main Arthur story which is a lot of the book. So....<br />
<br />
Have you read Station Eleven? Great? Meh? Thoughts?<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-60791036787756904622015-04-24T13:52:00.002-07:002015-04-24T13:52:44.463-07:00The Winter Guest - Pam Jenoff<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397245724l/18168527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397245724l/18168527.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18168527-the-winter-guest?from_search=true&search_exp_group=group_b&search_version=service">The Winter Guest</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.pamjenoff.com/">Pam Jenoff</a><br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Harlequin Mira<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2014<br />
<b>Paperback:</b> 341 pages (ARC version)<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Received ARC from publisher to review<br />
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<br />
I'd heard of Pam Jenoff but I had never read any of her books before. I'd been wanting to read her WWII books <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/374494.The_Kommandant_s_Girl">The Kommandant's Girl</a> and its follow up T<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2062048.The_Diplomat_s_Wife">he Diplomat's Wife</a>. So when I received another WWII book The Winter Guest to review I delved in. I have to admit it took me longer to finish than normal. It was great writing, interesting area in Poland, it just seemed to drag a bit. BUT it did have a nice twisty turn at the end. A good read but not my favorite WWII book.<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">A stirring novel of first love in a time of war and the unbearable choices that could tear sisters apart, from the celebrated author of The Kommandant's Girl </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Life is a constant struggle for the eighteen-year-old Nowak twins as they raise their three younger siblings in rural Poland under the shadow of the Nazi occupation. The constant threat of arrest has made everyone in their village a spy, and turned neighbor against neighbor. Though rugged, independent Helena and pretty, gentle Ruth couldn't be more different, they are staunch allies in protecting their family from the threats the war brings closer to their doorstep with each passing day. </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Then Helena discovers an American paratrooper stranded outside their small mountain village, wounded, but alive. Risking the safety of herself and her family, she hides Sam—a Jew—but Helena's concern for the American grows into something much deeper. Defying the perils that render a future together all but impossible, Sam and Helena make plans for the family to flee. But Helena is forced to contend with the jealousy her choices have sparked in Ruth, culminating in a singular act of betrayal that endangers them all—and setting in motion a chain of events that will reverberate across continents and decades.</span><br />
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<b>My thoughts:
</b><br />
<br />
I always enjoy books about sisters. I have a sister (and brother) and I always find reading about the different sibling dynamics so interesting. While I know all siblings have their unique odd idiosyncrasies, I just didn't quite buy the disconnect between Ruth and Helena. The narration is told from both Ruth and Helena's perspectives and it was pretty obvious that the reader wasn't supposed to quite like Ruth and root for Helena. That said I did like getting into the heads of both sisters and how these twins had such different experiences and perspectives. I really felt for the sisters who were left taking care of their siblings, such an enormous responsibility in peace time and an almost impossible task during wartime.<br />
<br />
It was interesting to read about Poland during this period as the Nazi's are moving in and no one can hide from their presence. If you are looking for a really good romance, this probably isn't the one to pick up. There is a romantic story between Helena and Sam, the downed American but for some reason I didn't really find it too stirring. Not bad, just ok. It all seemed a bit juvenile but then again, they were all young, just teenagers so there's that. <br />
<br />
Like I said above, the story didn't really pick up until almost the end, around 250 pages in. Yeah. So while good writing, engaging characters and a good historical time period, it just kind of dragged a bit. I still want to check out her book The Kommandant's Girl. Pam Jenoff is a wonderful writer and I was fascinated by her as an author in her acknowledgments. She worked at the Pentagon and was in Slovakia for the 50th Anniversary of WWII when she heard a true story that inspired this story. I think that's why I still am drawn to WWII stories because it was such a perilous and tumulus time that the true stories (and thus fictional ones) to come out of that period are so numerous and fascinating.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-82639176336009754852015-04-23T13:01:00.000-07:002015-04-23T13:01:33.217-07:00Not My Father's Son - Alan Cumming<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429218612l/22934446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429218612l/22934446.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20603041-not-my-father-s-son">Not My Father's Son: A Memoir</a><br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.alancumming.com/">Alan Cumming</a><br />
<b>Publisher:</b> HarperAudio<br />
<b>Published date:</b> 2014<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Checked eAudio from library<br />
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When I heard that Alan Cumming came out with a memoir I really wanted to read it. I am an Alan Cumming fan. Ok, not a crazy, seen everything of his type of fan. Just one of those every time I see him in something I think he does a fantastic job and I can tell, just tell, that he is a truly likable person. AND he does the intro to Masterpiece Mystery if you've ever watched <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/sherlock/">Sherlock</a> (strictly to make Patti Smith jealous - just kidding - read the book). Which is funny because that is one of my memories of my father, watching Masterpiece Mystery and loving the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAmGsM4Dids">Gorey intros</a>. I also knew I'd want to listen to the audio because 1) Alan Cumming has a fabulous voice - I just listened to the audiobook of Scott Westerfeld's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13484043-leviathan">Leviathan</a> and he did an awesome job and 2) I love when people narrate their own memoirs, it's so interesting to hear their story told in their own voice. For example, I love Kristin Chenoweth's audio book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3629944-a-little-bit-wicked?from_search=true&search_exp_group=group_b&search_version=service">A Little Bit Wicked</a>. Awesome. Anyway, I digress.<br />
<br />
<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">In his unique and engaging voice, the acclaimed actor of stage and screen shares the emotional story of his complicated relationship with his father and the deeply buried family secrets that shaped his life and career.</span><br />
<span id="freeText8882442061438029334" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br />A beloved star of stage, television, and film--"one of the most fun people in show business" (Time magazine)--Alan Cumming is a successful artist whose diversity and fearlessness is unparalleled. His success masks a painful childhood growing up under the heavy rule of an emotionally and physically abusive father--a relationship that tormented him long into adulthood.<br /><br />When television producers in the UK approached him to appear on a popular celebrity genealogy show in 2010, Alan enthusiastically agreed. He hoped the show would solve a family mystery involving his maternal grandfather, a celebrated WWII hero who disappeared in the Far East. But as the truth of his family ancestors revealed itself, Alan learned far more than he bargained for about himself, his past, and his own father.<br /><br />With ribald humor, wit, and incredible insight, Alan seamlessly moves back and forth in time, integrating stories from his childhood in Scotland and his experiences today as a film, television, and theater star. At times suspenseful, deeply moving, and wickedly funny, Not My Father's Son will make readers laugh even as it breaks their hearts.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> </span><br />
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<b>My thoughts:
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While I was a fan of Alan Cumming as an actor and performer before I read this book, I can safely say that I was correct and he is a thoroughly likeable person. He has got such a great sense of humor and such a way of bringing his story to life. The narration flashes between Then - stories of growing up in Scotland where, I know this is silly, but I keep seeing his father as a gruffer meaner version of Golly in <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/tv/monarch/">Monarch of the Glen</a>. (Seriously, Netflix it - fun show.) Then if flashes to Now (being 2010) when he is doing the genealogy show <i>Who Do You Think You Are?</i> which sounds fantastic. I tend to not like reality shows but I love genealogy being a history major and all. And I do really think that a lot of us have questions about our ancestors or past that would be fascinating to uncover.<br />
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Since I haven't seen the show, I thought it uncovered his parental questions. Nope. That would have been really awful even for reality tv. Anyway, the show went into what happened to his grandfather Tommy Darling after WWII. But during this time, his father tells him that he wasn't his father's son. Wow. Now if you think well, that's the story I don't need to read the memoir....um....no. I don't want to spoil it for you.<br />
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While filled with painful memories from his past, Alan Cumming manages to make his memoir quite humorous (I really need to watch Eurovision) and respectful. I was actually quite amazed at his ability to manage his outrage, emotions, and language at some of the things he went through. At the end of the book, when Alan Cumming dedicates the book in part to his father, while also stating that he is NOT his father's son (so interesting, read the book) it is pretty jaw dropping fantastic. <br />
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How can I possibly rate someone's intimate memoir? I did. Five stars.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-72877429037532725702015-04-20T17:32:00.001-07:002015-04-20T17:32:09.285-07:00Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints - P.J. Brackston<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22488005-gretel-and-the-case-of-the-missing-frog-prints">Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints</a> (A Brothers Grimm Mystery #1)<br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://www.paulabrackston.com/">P.J. Brackston</a><br />
<b>Publisher:</b> Pegasus Crime<br />
<b>Published date:</b> January 2015<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Publisher sent the book to review<br />
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I am a bit of a sucker for fairy tales and while Disney is fun I tend to prefer my fairy tales to be more Grimm if you know what I mean. At first I was a little leery when I started the story but I ended up really liking it. It reminded me of my type of beach read. You know, one of those stories or series that you know you'll enjoy, won't be a tough read and you can read the whole thing on your vacation.<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Bavaria, 1776. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">When Albrecht Durer the Much Much Younger's Frog Prints go missing, he knows exactly where to turn for help. Gretel (yes, that Gretel), now 35 and still living with her gluttonous brother Hans, is the country's most famous private investigator, and she leaps at the opportunity to travel to cosmopolitan Nuremberg to take on the case. But amid the hubbub of the city's annual sausage festival, Gretel struggles to find any clues that point toward the elusive thief.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Even with the aid of the chatty mice living under her bed, the absent prints remain stubbornly out of view, and Gretel is forced to get creative in her search for the truth.</span><br />
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My thoughts:</b><br />
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When I first started reading this book I was a tad leery. I mean, when I thought of Hansel and Gretel being detectives I was thinking more like Jeremey Renner and Gemma Arterton from the movie. The book opens up with Hans being a bit pudgy and lazy (kind of like on the cover of the book) and Gretel liking to indulge in food as well. I just couldn't get a grasp in my head what Gretel looked like. But as the story progressed I started to really enjoy the time period, the comedy, and the character of Gretel. I like when authors can get a historical time period to feel authentic without being overly descriptive and keep the story going. I also really enjoyed the fairy tale whimsey - like talking mice and hobgoblins - that actually felt realistic.<br />
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I also enjoyed the variety of characters: the historical Albrecht Durer's much much younger relation, Gretel's nemesis Kingsman Kapitan Strudel who's competitive jealousy is hilarious to read, and General Ferdinand who is a handsome possible love interest. Of all the shows and movies out there, I think this one would be so fun to adapt. It was a fun book to read.<br />
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<b>Extra stuff:</b><br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_D%C3%BCrer">Albrecht Durer</a> is a famous artist I remember learning about in my art history class. If you Google Albrecht Durer animals you can see some gorgeous work. Here is a rhino print that I believe was mentioned in the book:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/D%C3%BCrer's_Rhinoceros%2C_1515.jpg/1024px-D%C3%BCrer's_Rhinoceros%2C_1515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/D%C3%BCrer's_Rhinoceros%2C_1515.jpg/1024px-D%C3%BCrer's_Rhinoceros%2C_1515.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also did't make the connection that P.J. Brackston and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1106214.Paula_Brackston?from_search=true">Paula Brackston</a> are the same author (duh!) and I had recently received her book The Silver Witch in the mail. Have you read any of her works? I had seen a few of her books but had never read them. The covers are gorgeous though:<br />
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I also just noticed that the cover and description for book #2 of the Grimm Mysteries is now out. Here is <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24523080-once-upon-a-crime">Once Upon a Crime</a>:<br />
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<i>Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frogs</i> was a perfect fit for Carl's <a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2015/04/once-upon-time-ix.html">Once Upon a Time Challenge</a>. Head over to the <a href="http://onceuponatime9reviewsite.blogspot.com/">review site</a> to check out other people's reviews of fairy tale-ish reads.<br />
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<br />Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-48841326641822399152015-04-14T16:34:00.000-07:002015-04-14T16:36:26.557-07:00Once Upon a Time IX<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've read my blog for long enough, you'll know that I love participating in and following <a href="http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/once-upon-a-time-ix">Stainless Steel Dropping</a>s' different yearly challenges: Once Upon a Time, R.I.P. and Science Fiction. It used to be more of a challenge for me. I'd write up lists of books to read and check them off. Now that I have less free time to read, I love checking out other people's choices and just enjoying the magical feeling of Spring. Yes! It is finally spring!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">The </span><em style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; word-wrap: break-word;">Once Upon a Time IX Challenge</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5;">has a few rules:</span><br />
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<strong style="line-height: 1.5; word-wrap: break-word;">Rule #1: Have fun.</strong></div>
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Rule #2: HAVE FUN.</div>
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Rule #3: Don’t keep the fun to yourself, share it with us, please!</div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5; word-wrap: break-word;">Rule #4: Do not be put off by the word “challenge”.</strong><strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; word-wrap: break-word;"></strong><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;">In Carl's own words:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">Saturday, March 21st marks the </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; word-wrap: break-word;">official</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> start date of the ninth annual </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; word-wrap: break-word;">Once Upon a Time Challenge</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">. This is a reading and viewing and gaming event that encompasses four broad categories: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Fantasy and Mythology, including the seemingly countless sub-genres and blending of genres that fall within this spectrum. The challenge continues through June 21st and allows for very minor (1 book only) participation as well as more immersion depending on your reading/viewing/gaming whims.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">I'm excited for this one because there are a few books I recently finished that fit perfectly into the fairy tale category. If you haven't checked out Carl's awesome site <a href="http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/">Stainless Steel Droppings</a>, head over to check it out. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">You can check out the links to some of my past Once Upon a Time reads. Hope you join in or check out the <a href="http://onceuponatime9reviewsite.blogspot.com/">Review Site</a> to see what other people are reading. Cheers!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2009/04/once-upon-time-iii.html">Once Upon a Time III</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2011/04/once-upon-time-v.html">Once Upon a Time V</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"><a href="http://libraryofmyown.blogspot.com/2013/03/once-upon-time-vii.html">Once Upon a Time VII</a></span><br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5734477124047219201.post-45469119598078758432015-03-10T08:54:00.001-07:002015-03-10T08:54:18.812-07:00Unbroken - Laura Hillenbrand<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Title:</b> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8664353-unbroken?from_search=true">Unbroken:</a> A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption<br />
<b>Author:</b> <a href="http://laurahillenbrandbooks.com/">Laura Hillenbrand</a><br />
<b>Hardcover:</b> 473 pages (my version ebook)<br />
<b>Publisher: </b>Random House<br />
<b>Published date: </b>2010<br />
<b>FTC:</b> Check out eBook from the library<br />
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Wow. I had been meaning to check out this book now for a long while but it seriously ALWAYS has a hold at the library and being a stay at home mom, let's face it, I'm cheap right now. Finally. FINALLY, I got on the waiting list for the eBook and I had 14 days to read it. I literally sucked this book down and it's one of those reads that make books afterwards just kind of pale in comparison. If I was a writer, this is how I'd want to write. <i>Seabiscuit</i>, the book or movie hasn't really interested me (never seen or read) but now I am going to have to read it because she wrote it. I am also going to have to see <i>Unbroken</i> the movie but I'm sure I'll end up saying the book was much better. Have you read the book or seen the movie?<br />
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<b>Back of the book:</b><br />
<br />
<span id="freeText1722946220493785815" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.<br /><br />The lieutenant’s name was Louis Zamperini. In boyhood, he’d been a cunning and incorrigible delinquent, breaking into houses, brawling, and fleeing his home to ride the rails. As a teenager, he had channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics and within sight of the four-minute mile. But when war had come, the athlete had become an airman, embarking on a journey that led to his doomed flight, a tiny raft, and a drift into the unknown.<br /><br />Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, a foundering raft, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will.<br /><br />In her long-awaited new book, Laura Hillenbrand writes with the same rich and vivid narrative voice she displayed in <em>Seabiscuit</em>. Telling an unforgettable story of a man’s journey into extremity, <em>Unbroken</em> is a testament to the resilience of the human mind, body, and spirit.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.8000001907349px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"> </span><br />
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<b> My thoughts:
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I think it would be so hard to write a really interesting and good non-fiction story. Often they can be pretty dry and boring. Either that or the author has to turn the story into fiction just to liven it up. I think this was the perfect non-fiction book. The author put in an astonishing amount of research and work into writing this interesting and fluid story. The story was equally amazing and unbelievable. One of those truths are often more strange and interesting than fiction. Take any part of this story and it would be an amazingly good tale on it's own: poor delinquent becomes Olympic track star, man survives plane crash and survives on raft for over a month, man survives POW cruelty. It is truly an amazing story.<br />
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It's hard to write something new about this book. I mean I'm sure you've heard all about it. But I now know why you'll probably never find a used copy. If I had bought one it would be lent out to quite a few people and I'm still debating buying copies for my sister, mom, husband, brother...you get the picture. It's that good. I wish my dad was alive to read this one. He was an amazing runner and was a history and WWII buff. I am sure he had heard of Louis Zamperini since Mr. Zamperini wasn't an unknown until Ms. Hillenbrand's book.<br />
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Enough of me blathering. Buy this book.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13978371169108528359noreply@blogger.com2