Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday a meme from Marcia at The Printed Page

I had a good week! I received:

My Name is Will by Jess Winfield-won in contest

The Private Papers of Eastern Jewel by Maureen Lindley (ARC)

Travel Writing by Peter Ferry (ARC)

Playing House by Fredrica Wagman- from the publicist

Bending Toward the Sun by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie- from publicist

I'm not expecting anything this week but I have more than enough to keep me busy!

What Are You Reading Mondays?

A book meme from J.Kaye book blog!

Last Week: I finished Dark Places By Gillian Flynn (review pending) and Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris -review
I started and finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett review
I started and finished Hush, Hush (up late last night finishing-so good!)
I started Bending Toward the Sun by Leslie Gilbert-Lurie and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
This Week: Finish Living Dead in Dallas
continue with Bending Toward the Sun
start Shanghai Girls by Lisa See and Travel Writing by Peter Ferry

Happy Reading!!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help: Set in 1962 Jackson, Mississippi, The Help tells the story of three unforgettable women. Skeeter is a twenty-two year old woman who has just graduated from Ole Miss and has returned home to discover that her beloved family maid, Constantine, is gone and no one will tell her where. Aibileen is a black maid who moves from white family to white family helping to raise their children, recently having lost her own son. Minnie is another black maid, who loses job after job because she sasses her boss's.
Skeeter wants to be a writer and gets the idea to write about what it is like for black maids to work for the white women of Jackson. As this is right in the middle of the civil rights movement, this is a very dangerous undertaking and Skeeter is having a hard time getting any maid to talk to her. But for their own reasons, Aibileen and then Minnie agree to talk with her and tell their stories. As she becomes more involved with this book, Skeeter realizes the hypocrisy of her friends and even of her own family.
Stockett writes beautifully and poignantly in this novel. Aibileen is currently working for a family with a two year old girl, who's mother neglects her. Aibileen wants to teach Mae Mobley to love herself and to see beyond color. Their relationship is touching and heartbreaking. Minnie, who is full of bluster, becomes involved with the troubles of her employer, despite her own intentions to not care.
The book focuses mostly on the lives and relationships of these women, while civil rights issues linger on the peripheral, with mentions of Medgar Evers, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King.
This was a really good book, but I think it could have been a really great book if it had gotten more deeply into civil rights issues. But it was a very well-written and well-told story.

Lots of Awards!!

This lovely award was given to me by Krista at Life or something like it

Thank you so much, Krista. Check out Krista's blog!


I would like to pass this along to:

Book Chick City
Park Avenue Princess
The Book Addict





This was given to me by Colette at A Buckeye Girl Reads and Melissa at My World Both have amazing blogs, go check them out!
The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude.
I would like to pass this on to:
Jenni at Falling Off The Shelf



This award came to me from Mel at He Followed Me Home....
Thanks Mel, you should check out her blog, she is always reading great books!

Being a recipient of this award affirms that this blog invests and believes in the Proximity – nearness in space, time and relationships.This blog receives this great award as a further way to re iterate that it is exceedingly charming, and aims to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

And I would like to pass this on to:
Ryan at Wordsmithonia
Melissa at My World
Krista at Life or something like it
Colette at A Buckeye Girl Reads


I received this award from Michelle at The Book Addict and Colette at A Buckeye Girl Reads You are both too kind and great bloggers. Check them out!
This award is to honor certain bloggers that are kindhearted individuals. They regularly take part in my blog and always leave the sweetest comments. If it wasn't for them, my site would just be an ordinary book review blog. Their blogs are also amazing and are tastefully done on a daily basis. I thank them and look forward to our growing friendship through the blog world.

I would like to pass this one to:

Kaye at Pudgey Penguin Perusals

Review: Kyra Davis's Sophie Katz series

I first read Lust, Loathing and a Little Lip Gloss (review) and then decided to go back and read the rest of the series from the beginning. These are really good, chick-lit mysteries. Sophie Katz is a great character. She is half Jewish and half African-American. Sophie is a mystery novelist living in San Francisco and never seems to be far from a murder scene and she can't leave the investigating to the police or her boyfriend, sexy PI Anatoly. Helping Sophie is her friend Dena, who owns a sex toy shop, Marcus her gay hairdresser, Mary Ann, Dena's not so-smart cousin, and sometimes Sophie's older sister Leah.

These characters could easily be silly caricatures, but Davis's smart, witty, and snappy dialogue makes these books fun and unforgettable. Once you get started, they are hard to put down. They are a welcome break from day to day living, reading one of Davis's novels makes me feel like I'm treating myself to something decadent. I strongly suggest you treat yourself to one of these goodies!

Library Loot!

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Eva and Marg that encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library.

I have several books out from the library currently:

Shanghai Girls by Lisa See

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (reading now)

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

Olive Kitteredge by Elizabeth Strout

Die For You by Lisa Unger

Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 1)

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris is first in the Sookie Stackhouse vampire mysteries. I had heard about these books but did not pick up one until I had become hooked on True Blood, the HBO series based on the Sookie Books. So then I had to join the Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.

Sookie Stackhouse is a young woman working in a bar in a small town in Louisiana, Bon Temps. Vampires live among humans, "out of the coffin", since the invention of a synthetic blood product. Sookie is a bit different from others as she has a "disability", she can hear people's thoughts. Then into the bar walks Vampire Bill and Sookie can't read his thoughts. She is immediately intrigued and after saving his life, and then he saves hers, they begin dating.

Of course, no one approves, especially as women have been getting murdered, women known as fang-bangers as they sleep with vampires and let them suck their blood. Not only does Sookie have to deal with the trials of dating a vampire, but now someone is trying to kill her!

Sookie is a great character, strong and independent and sassy. Bill is a very sexy vampire, despite some obvious flaws- he does occasionally feed on human blood. I'm not one for vampire fiction. I don't think I have read a vampire book since trying to read Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, which I did not finish. But I enjoyed this book and will be soon starting the next one, Living Dead in Dallas. It was a light and fun read, not a heavy plot, but still enjoyable. I'm not sure I will read all nine in the series, but I will keep you updated!

Booking Through Thursday- The Fluffiest

What’s the lightest, most “fluff” kind of book you’ve read recently?

I guess that would have to be the Sookie Stackhouse/ Southern Vampire Series Book 1

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. But certainly not the "fluffiest", just that I haven't done much light reading lately. I still really liked it.

Super Comment Award

I received this really cool award from Ryan at Worldsmithonia and Melissa at My World. Thanks so much guys! Go check out their amazing blogs.

I would like to pass this on to some of my super commenter's

Colette at A Buckeye Girl Reads

Michelle at The Book Addict

Lit and Life

Tam at Bailey's and Books

I'd also give this to Melissa at My World (she just gave it to me)and Krista at Life or something like it but they both just got this award themselves. They are super commenter's though and I appreciate it very much! And thanks to everyone who comments on my blog, it really means a lot to have your support!

My Favorite Books: Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver

Prodigal Summer is one of my favorite books, by one of my favorite authors. It tells the story of three different people over the course of one summer in Appalachia.

Deanna Wolfe, works for the Forest Service and lives an isolated existence tracking and protecting coyotes. Lusa Landowski is a young entomologist who moved to a small farm to be with her now deceased husband. Garnett Walker is an 80 year old man trying to bring back the chestnut trees to his region and battling with his neighbor Nannie, whose organic farming methods threaten his project.

Kingsolver deftly weaves these stories together with an appreciation and understanding of humans and their impact on the environment and nature. Kingsolver has a way of drawing you into the story and making you care about her characters.

I would put Kingsolver in the same class as Alice Hoffman in her ability to tell a story that makes you feel different, feel moved by reading one of her novels. I even got a biology lesson during this read, but I was so enthralled with the story that I didn't even notice I'd learned anything until it was all over :) Kingsolver writes beautiful and poetic prose but always has important themes within. This is a lighter read than The Poisonwood Bible. If you have never read one of her books, this is a good one to start with and I highly recommend it.

The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

The Day The Falls Stood Still takes place in Niagara, Canada, circa WWI. Bess Heath comes from a well-to-do family, but all that changes when her father loses his position as Director of the Niagara Power Company. Bess is forced to leave school, while her mother works as a dressmaker to make ends meet. Bess's older sister, Isabel ,is left by her finance and stops eating, her father spends his days and nights drinking at the local tavern. The only bright spot in Bess's life is Tom Cole, a young man who makes his living selling fish and pulling dead bodies out of the Niagara River. Tom is the grandson of the legendary Fergus Cole, a renowned riverman who could foresee disaster at the Falls and was responsible for the rescue of many people that would have been lost. Tom is also deeply connected to the river, but Bess's family is urging her to marry Edward, the older brother of her childhood friend. Marrying wealthy Edward would insure the future of her family. But tragedy strikes and against the wishes of her family, Bess rebukes Edward in favor of Tom.
Buchanan writes an interesting story that combines history of Niagara Falls with the trials of a young couples' marriage and the struggle between progress and the environment. Tom is a riverman but with two children to support, he goes to work for the same power company that he reviles for its destruction of the Niagara river and the beauty of the Falls.
While this is a debut novel, Buchanan work seems that of an accomplished writer. Her prose is skilled, with the right amount of plot and dialogue balancing the descriptions and history of Niagara. Throughout the book are pictures of the falls and newspaper articles that originally referred to the real legendary riverman, William "Red" Hill, but is changed with the name of Fergus Cole, the fictional legendary riverman. This was a great work of historical fiction, which I enjoyed even more as I live about ninety minutes from the Falls and have visited there frequently. I highly recommend this novel!
I received this ARC courtesy of LibraryThing Early Readers.

What Are you Reading Mondays?

A book meme from J.Kaye book blog!

Last week: I finished East of the Sun- review
A Circle of Souls- review
Obsession, Deceit, and Really Dark Chocolate- review pending
started and finished The Day the Falls Stood Still- review pending

This week: finish Dead Until Dark and Dark Places,
start Hush, Hush and Bending Towards the Sun
continue with Northanger Abbey (didn't get to it this week)


Happy Reading!!

A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

A Circle of Souls takes place in Newbury, Conn. A young girl has been murdered with her body parts severed and displayed in a ritual-type fashion. FBI agent Leia Bines is called in to lead the investigation. At the same time, psychiatrist Peter Gram is working with a young girl, Naya, who has dreams that contain details of the murder, details she could not possibly know.

My review:
The novel was a bit slow at first, with these separate stories but then picks up speed as they converge and then races to the end.
What I liked: The story itself was interesting, with just a bit of paranormal and reincarnation themes. We know the killer at the beginning of the novel as "the slaaf", a word I had to look up, which is Dutch for slave. I liked the relationship that developed between Peter and Naya.

What I didn't like: I thought the dialogue was a bit simplistic, and the story, while interesting, needed to have the characters more developed. It was a bit unrealistic that the FBI agent and the psychiatrist so easily accept the possibility of Naya having supernatural dreams that could lead them to the killer. It might have worked better had there been more layers to the story. The FBI agent was almost irrelevant in this book, as it seemed to be more Peter's story.

This is the author's debut novel and I would read his next novel because I think he has a lot of potential and is an author to keep an eye on.

While this book isn't one I would recommend as a must-read, it has garnished excellent reviews from others on Amazon and B&N

I received this ARC courtesy of the author.

Bingo Blog Award!

Thanks so much to Krista at Life or something like it and Book Chick City for this awesome award!! Check out their amazing blogs!
This means my blog is:
B: Beautiful
I: Informative
N: Neighborly
G: Gorgeous
O: Outstanding

I pass this award along to
B: Beautiful The Book Addict
I: Informative Presenting Lenore
N: Neighborly A Sea of Books
G: Gorgeous The Story Siren
O: Outstanding The Eclectic Reader

East of the Sun by Julia Gregson

East of the Sun is an amazing novel that first takes place aboard a ship bound for India and then in Bombay and various other parts of India. In 1928, three young women head to India for different reasons. Rose is engaged to be married to a cavalry officer, Jack, whom she barely knows. Tor, is her best friend and bridesmaid, and is being sent by her mother after failing to secure a husband during the London season, to try her hand during the season in India. "Most come after the London season is over and where, presumably they have fallen at the first fence of that glorified marriage market. India, where men of their class outnumber women by three to one, will be their last chance to find a husband"
And then there is Viva, headed to India, where she lived as a child to pick up a trunk that belonged to her now deceased parents. Viva acts as chaperone to Rose and Tor as a way to get her passage paid to India. Viva is also chaperone to Guy, a disturbed sixteen year old boy, kicked out of boarding school and being sent to live with his parents.
Rose is homesick for her parents and unhappy in her marriage but keeps this to herself and tries for the best. Tor wants never to go home and to desperately find a husband after a failed romance and to travel and have fun. Viva longs for adventure, independence, to be a writer and to be brave. The stories of these young women are set against the backdrop of British-occupied India, in the time of Gandhi, when the people of India want to rule their own country. Through Tor, living with a wealthy acquaintance of her mother's, we see the rich socialites and through Viva, working at an orphanage, we see the poverty and slums of the cities. When the girls' travel, the author writes vividly descriptive passages of the countryside that made me long for travel.
The story is well-written and expertly weaves romance, danger, humor, social commentary, friendship, and, most importantly, self-discovery throughout the pages. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this as a must-read.

BTT: The Best Book

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

Hmm, that's toss up between East of the Sun, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and Under This Unbroken Sky. They were all very good, but very different. I would highly recommend all three of them. Tomorrow my review of East of the Sun will be posted and then you can compare it to reviews of the other two. Just seems like there has been a lot of really good books out there lately and I have a whole pile more to read!!

The Girl Who Played With Fire

Mikael Blomkvist, crusading journalist and publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation between Eastern Europe and Sweden, implicating well-known and highly placed members of Swedish society, business, and government.But he has no idea just how explosive the story will be until, on the eve of publication, the two investigating reporters are murdered. And even more shocking for Blomkvist: the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to Lisbeth Salander—the troubled, wise-beyond-her-years genius hacker who came to his aid in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and who now becomes the focus and fierce heart of The Girl Who Played with Fire.As Blomkvist, alone in his belief in Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation of the slayings, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous hunt in which she is the prey, and which compels her to revisit her dark past in an effort to settle with it once and for all.-

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

After reading last year's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, I could not wait for Larsson's second in the millenium trilogy. I think I liked this one even better. We again meet with journalist Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth Salander, one of the greatest new characters in fiction. She has a photographic memory, serious computer skills, and her own version of morality.

It is a year later and we start with Lisbeth travelling around the world and Blomkvist meeting with a journalist to publish a series of explosive articles and a book on the sex trade in Sweden, one that will expose many high profile people involved. When Lisbeth returns to Sweden, though she isn't speaking to Blomkvist, as she is upset at the end of an affair they had, she keeps track of what he's up to by hacking into his computer. She reads the research that has been done on the sex trade and recognizes a name. She contacts the journalist and his girlfriend, who's graduate thesis started the investigations, and then they turn up murdered. Lisbeth's prints are on the murder weapon, she is the prime suspect and her life is played out on the front pages of every newspaper.

In The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, the story was mostly Blomkvist's, though we met and got to know a bit about Lisbeth Salander. But The Girl Who Played With Fire is most definitely Salander's story. Things we learn about Lisbeth in the first book, her psychiatric history, mysterious past, her expert computer hacking skills, and her barely existent social skills, are front and center in this sequel. Salander's slimy legal guadian from the first novel is back and wants revenge against her. Salander frequently refers to a period in her past as "All the Evil " which is not explained until near the end. Many questions raised in the first book about Salander are answered in this one. Blomkvist is determined to help Salander and she is determined to do things on her own.

Larsson crafts a great plot, though I felt the middle slowed a bit, when it is focused on the investigation by the police and Salander is absent from the story during this period. But then it picks up fast, as we follow the seperate investigations, one by the police, another by Blomkvist and other allies of Salanders, and the one by Lisbeth herself. The intricate story keeps the reader intrigued until the very end when they all merge together. This book was well worth what seemed to be an incredibly long wait, and now I am again waiting, this time for The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I highly recommend this book but you need to have read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to fully appreciate this sequel. Enjoy!

Teaser Tuesdays: The Day the Falls Stood Still

Tuesday teasers hosted by MizBHere's the rules:Grab your current read,Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

To pretend it is personal fortitude that enables me to face each day would be entirely false. I am lured by the contentment, delight, even bliss I feel each time I meet Tom in the woods of the glen.

-The Day the Falls Stood Still by Cathy Marie Buchanan

My Favorite Books and Everything Austen Challenge: Bridget Jones's Diary

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding is one of my all-time favorite books that I got to re-read this weekend as part of the Everything Austen Challenge at Stephanie's Written Word.

from the back of the book:

Meet Bridget Jones, a 30-something Singleton who is certain she would have all the answers if only she could:

a. lose 7 pounds

b. stop smoking

c. develop Inner Poise

"129lbs (how is it posssible to put on 4lbs in the middle of the night? Could flesh have somehow solidified becoming denser and heavier? repulsive, horrifying notion), alcohol units 4 (excellent), cigarettes 21 (poor but will give up totally tomorrow, number of correct lottery numbers 2 (

better, but nevertheless useless)..."

My review: I love, love, love this book. Bridget is funny and imperfect and completely relateable. She reads self-help books, diet books, and accepts conflicting advice from her well-meaning friends. She worries about ending up alone and found dead, eaten by Alsatians. She has a doomed affair with her boss and meets Mark Darcy (Mr Darcy), a snobbish, wealthy attorney that Bridget's mother keeps pushing her towards. " It struck me as pretty ridiculous to be called Mr. Darcy and to stand on your own looking snooty at a party. It's like being called Heathcliff and insisting on spending an entire evening in the garden, shouting 'Cathy' and banging your head against a tree." Bridget is always late for work and tries to plan elaborate dinner parties for friends that end up as a mess on her kitchen floor.
It is witty and laugh-out loud hysterical, even on the fifth read.
This book was a gateway book for me. As it is very loosely based on P&P, it lead me to a re-read of that, plus buying the 6 video set of the BBC production of P&P (later to be replaced by the more manageable 2-disc DVD) which Bridget and her friends are obsessed with. It also lead me on a search for more humorous chick-lit books. Pride and Prejudice and Jasmine Field, The Perfect Elizabeth, Some Jane Green novels, Marion Keyes (though Irish) and the Shopaholic Series. Of course I read Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and watched both the Bridget Jones movie versions, which weren't that great but had Colin Firth, so who cares. But Bridget Jones's Diary remains the original and my favorite of them all. This is a book I begged my friends to read and they were not disappointed. So if you have not read this, please pick up a copy and sit back and enjoy. I promise you will not regret it.

What Are You Reading Mondays?

A book meme from J.Kaye book blog

Last week:
I finished The Girl Who Played With Fire ,
Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz ,and Every Visible Thing

Started and finished Bridget Jones's Diary(everything austen challenge) and Turtle Moon (both were re-reads)

started A Circle of Souls and Dead Until Dark for SookieSRC
This week: finish East of the Sun and
Northanger Abbey for Everything Austen Challenge

continue with A Circle of Souls and Dead Until Dark

start The Day the Falls Stood Still

Happy Reading!!!

Zombie Chicken Award!

I received this awesome award from Ryan at Wordsmithonia. and Krista at Life or Something Like It. You have to check out their fantastic blogs about books and movies and lots of other things.

The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all.

I nominate:

Colette at A Buckeye Girl Reads

J.Kaye at J.Kaye's Book Blog

Rebecca at Lost in Books

Julie at Julie's Jewels

S. Krishna at S.Krishna's Books

These are all really great blogs that I try not to miss, go check them out

TSS: Reading Challenge Update

August Reading Challenge:

The Angel's Game
Out
Under This Unbroken Sky
Every Visible Thing
Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz
Bridget Jones's Diary
Turtle Moon
The Girl Who Played With Fire


Everything Austen Challenge: 7/09-12/09
Lost in Austen DVD
Austenland
Bridget Jones's Diary

Sookie Stackhouse Reading Challenge 7/09-6/10
just joined and am starting Dead Until Dark

Blog Tour and Review: Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz by Belinda Acosta

About the book: All Ana Ruiz wanted was to have a traditional quinceañera for her daughter, Carmen. She wanted a nice way to mark this milestone year in her daughter's life. But Carmen was not interested in celebrating. Hurt and bitter over her father Esteban's departure, she blamed Ana for destroying their happy family, as did everyone else. A good man is hard to find, especially at your age Ana was told. Why not forgive his one indiscretion? Despite everything, Ana didn't want to tarnish Carmen's childlike devotion to her beloved father. But Ana knows that growing up sometimes means facing hard truths. In the end, Ana discovers that if she's going to teach Carmen anything about what it means to be a woman, it will take more than simply a fancy party to do it...

About the author: Belinda Acosta has written and published plays, short stories, and essays. As a journalist, her work has appeared in the Austin American-Statesman, The Austin Chronicle, the San Antonio Express-News, The San Antonio Current, and AlterNet. Her short story Tortilla Dough appeared in Saguaro, a publication of the University of Arizona in 1992. In 1993, she produced, directed and performed in a multi-media dance-theater performance of La Llorona. National exposure came in 1995 when she read her personal essay Gran Baile, on Latino USA - the Radio Journal of News and Culture, carried on National Public Radio. Acosta received a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from The University of Texas in 1997. She lives in Austin, Texas and is the TV and media columnist for The Austin Chronicle.

My Review: Poor Ana Ruiz. A possibly soon to be divorced mother with an angry teen aged daughter has the makings of a horror novel. But instead Acosta delivers a funny, touching novel about family and tradition. Ana wants her daughter Carmen to have a quinceanera, a traditional Spanish party for girls on their fifteenth birthday. She hopes that the planning of this will bring them closer together. But Carmen resents her mother for her father's leaving and just wants him to come home. Ana is torn between keeping her family together and being a strong, positive role model for her children. Diego is Carmen's older brother and more supportive of his mom. Bianca, who I think is my favorite character, is Ana's sixteen year old niece, who never had her own quinceanera, plays the buffer between Ana and Carmen as she helps to plan this party.

I really enjoyed this book, Acosta writes well, though it took me some time to get used to the style of writing, interspersed with Spanish phrases. But soon I was caught up in this family drama and rooting for mother and daughter to find their way through a difficult time. Carmen's desperate hope for her 'apa to come home is heartbreaking and poignant and at times had me in tears. Though it speaks to it's Latin traditions, the novel's themes are universal. I highly recommend this book. It would also be great for a book club pick. I definitely think Acosta should write another book, focusing on Bianca as she also has a story to tell.

Thanks to Miriam and Hatchette Books for allowing me to read this ARC and be a host in Belinda Acosta's blog tour. Find out more about this book at Acosta's blog. For a list of other tour sites, check here.

Giveway Winners!!

Many thanks to everyone who participated!

The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane- winner is Baileysand Books

Of Bees and Mist- winner is SabH

Congratulations! Please email me your name/address @ bookmagic418@gmail.com by 8/22 so I can mail out your books. If I don't hear from you by then a runner up will be chosen

The Lemonade Award

I received this award from Ryan at Wordsmithonia. Check out his fantastic blog and on 8/15 wish him a Happy Birthday! Thanks Ryan.

The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude.

Here are the rules for accepting this award:
Put the Lemonade Award logo on your blog or post.
Nominate blogs that show great attitude or gratitude.
Link your nominees within your post.
Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
Share the love and link to the person from whom you received the award.

I would like to Nominate:

Kaye at Pudgy Penguin Perusals . I love the name and the blog.

The Princess @ Park-Avenue Princess

Brooke at BrookeReviews

check out their great blogs!

Every Visible Thing by Lisa Carey

From the back of the book:Five years ago the eldest Furey son, Hugh, ran off into the night and never returned. His parents, estranged by grief, are trying to put the tragedy behind them after a long, exhausting, and fruitless search. His mother, recovering from an emotional breakdown, has lost herself in a new career; Hugh's father, having abandoned his faith and his position as a theology professor, now cares halfheartedly for their two remaining children. Left more or less to fend for themselves, ten-year-old Owen and fifteen-year-old Lena struggle to hold on to their brother's memory—an increasingly self-destructive obsession that gives rise to angel fantasies, drug use, quixotic quests, and dangerous experimentation that will ultimately force a damaged family to confront its past and find a future.

This was a very dark and dismal novel which I found in the bargain book section at B&N. The story is told from two characters, Lena and Owen, alternating chapters. Lena is obsessed with finding her brother or at least finding out who he was. She finds his old camera and lots of undeveloped film. She takes a photography class to learn to develop it herself. As she sees the places and people that Hugh shot, she seeks them out looking for answers. This leads her down a dangerous trail as she skips school, becomes involved in drugs, and searches for her identity. Owen is ten and struggling with his sexual development and feelings for his best friend Danny. Some of these chapters were sexually explicit uncomfortable as they occur between two young boys and did not seem necessary to the story. At this point, I was ready to put the book down. But I continued because I was intrigued by Lena's story. Owen's story improved from there and focused on him be ostracized from his peers and he begins to pay attention to his sister and start looking for his own answers to Hugh disappearance.

I'm glad I stayed with the book. Though it was a melancholy story, it brought home the reality of what happens to a family when one of it's members is lost and what can happen if they then lose each other. Lisa Carey writes well though graphically at times but a tragic tale can not be sugar-coated. This is not a novel for the faint of heart, and not a light read but it has real depth and worth the emotional drain.

Side note: Lisa Carey is married to Tim Spalding, founder of LibraryThing.

BTT: The Worst Book - recently

What’s the worst book you’ve read recently?(I figure it’s easier than asking your all-time worst, because, well, it’s recent!)

I would have to say that it would be Forget About It by Caprice Crane. I wasn't able to even finish it. It's too bad, because Crane is a great, snappy, witty writer. I enjoyed Stupid and Contagious immensely. The plot, about a twenty something girl that fakes amnesia to avoid the not so major problems in her life, was just too ridiculous and not even the best writing could save it. I found it in the B&N bargain section, where I usually find some gems. This was not one of them.

Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell

I read this ARC, Under This Unbroken Sky, courtesy of Barnes and Noble First Look Book Club. This is by far the best one I have read.

Under This Unbroken Sky is the debut novel of Shandi Mitchell. It takes place in 1938, in the Canadian prairies settled by many Ukrainian immigrants, who left the Ukraine during Stalin's reign of terror, searching for a new and better life.

This novel is about Teodor and his wife Maria and their children, who have followed Teodor's sister, Anna and her husband, Stefan to Canada to farm homesteads set aside for immigrants. The story begins as Teodor is being released from almost two years in prison after being caught "stealing" his own grain. Teodor is not able to own land because of this and so Anna puts land in her name for Teodor to work it, until he can own it. Stefan has disappeared after raping Anna. But when he returns, Anna is hopeless against him and allows him to nearly destroy her family's life and threaten the welfare of her brother's. Maria is strong and will fight for the survival of her family.

Mitchell's prose is poetic and exacting as she describes the details of this family and their hardships. From the tilling of the field, planting of the grain and the garden. "The family steps forward as one advancing line, scattering their offering in a silent, holy procession. The seeds catch the sun as they spin through the air, falling to life."

While Mitchell's writing is beautiful and descriptive, it is also unrelenting as she tells details of revulsion without hesitation. A particular passage about the death of rabbits caught in snare traps, had me quickly skimming to it's conclusion.

The reader gets to know of all of the book's characters, including every last child. Lesya, Anna's daughter with a disfigured leg, finds joy with a baby chick that has a similar deformity but fights for survival. Parts of the story are joyful and parts are heart-wrenching. This may be Mitchell's first novel, but she guides the readers' emotions like a seasoned writer.

I strongly recommend this powerful and moving book.

Release date 9/8/09

My Favorite Books: Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman

This is a new feature I am starting. I have so many great books that I have read and re-read and I would like to share them with others. Each week, I will pick one of my favorite books and review it.

Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman. This is the first ever Hoffman book that I read and I was hooked and proceeded to read everything she had published up until then.

Turtle Moon is about Lucy Rosen, a divorced mom who moves to Verity, Florida with her 12 year old son Keith described as "Verity's meanest 12 year old". Keith witnesses the murder of a young mother and goes on the run with her baby. Julian Cash is the self-loathing policeman who helps Lucy look for her son, hoping to find him before the murderer does. The relationship that develops between Keith and the baby is incredibly touching.

Hoffman's writing is magical and poetic and really makes you feel everything the characters are feeling. The mystical elements of the novel seamlessly weave among the very real issues of divorce, spousal abuse, guilt and relationships between parents and their children. I always feel as if I am under a spell when reading some of Hoffman's work. Turtle Moon was definitely one of those books. If you haven't read anything by her, try this one. I hope you love it as much as I do.

Teaser Tuesdays: A Circle Of Souls

Tuesday teasers hosted by MizBHere's the rules:Grab your current read,Open to a random page. Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page. BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

His plans had not panned out exactly as intended. He wasn't sure whether his task had been completed as there were so many interruptions by these people. It was no longer safe to finish burying the body parts.

-A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi

What Are You Reading Mondays?

A book meme from J.Kaye book blog

Last week: I finished The Angel's Game-see review, and Under This Unbroken Sky, review pending. I started and finished Out-see review

I continued with The Girl Who Played With Fire

I started East of the Sun and Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz and Every Visible Thing

This week: finish Damas and East of the Sun.

Start A Circle of Souls

continue with The Girl Who Played With Fire and Northanger Abbey for Everything Austen Challenge

Happy Reading this week!

Out by Natsuo Kirino

Out by Natsuo Kirino was not on my list of books to read in this week or even in the near future, but while perusing my bookshelves it caught my eye and my attention for the next 2 days. I'm not even sure when I bought this (common condition among book-buying addicts) but I'm glad I did.

Written by a popular Japanese crime fiction writer, Out is the story of 4 women who work night shifts together in a Tokyo factory. Yayoi kills her abusive husband then enlists the help of her 3 friends. Masako decides they need to dispose of the body with careful and gruesome planning. The only thing they have in common is their bleak lives and disposing of a body does not insure a life-long bond. What occurs next is a mix of conspiracy, blackmail, corruption, insurance fraud, loan-sharking, gambling, and more violence.

I found Out to be gripping, but not just a plot based novel. Kirino takes the reader into the lives of these ordinary women and shows how they can become involved in events they never would have imagined. How far will someone go when pushed, what are we really capable of, and how well do we know ourselves, much less those around us? Out is a phenomenal but very dark, disturbing read. Not recommenced for those that only enjoy light mysteries. It is gritty and thought-provoking. I highly recommend it to fans of suspense novels.

Available at Amazon in paperback and B&N in Hardcover

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon follows on the success of last year's The Shadow of the Wind. This highly anticipated novel did not disappoint, at least, not until the end.

The story takes place in Barcelona pre-WWII. David Martin is a young crime reporter for a small newspaper. David's father was murdered when he was a young boy and his mother had left long before that time. David is taken under the wing of wealthy Pedro Vidal, who encourages David with his writing. Soon David's serial stories are being published to great popularity. David then signs on with a publishing company to write pulp novels under a pseudonym. With the money he is making, David is able to buy the mysterious and abandoned house of his dreams. David has a cryptic admirer, Andreas Corelli who remains on the peripheral, until David's life seems to fall apart and he finally accepts Corelli's offer to write a story "the greatest story you have ever created: a religion". Thus, begins David's descent into darkness, to events that he can not explain, to wondering if he is searching for evil or if he is the evil.

I found this book to be fascinating, a great tale with lots of Gothic mystery. It is a very dark story, much darker than The Shadow of the Wind (though I have not yet finished that story). We revisit the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and Sempere & Sons bookshop. And of course Barcelona. There is a love story, the beautiful Christina, who both loves and despises David. We meet Isabella, a young writer who becomes David's assistant and caregiver, against his wishes.

While Zafon creates a intricate plot, it becomes more complicated in the last quarter of the book and I had some trouble keeping track of characters and the storyline and had to go back frequently to re-read parts. The ending left me both unsettled and unsatisfied. But the book reinforces the idea of the powerful nature of books, that they have souls that live on in the reader and I loved that sentiment.

The Angel's Game kept me enthralled to the end, and despite my frustration at the finish, I really enjoyed reading this. I can't compare it to The Shadow of the Wind as I have not yet finished that, but I look forward to the next book from Zafon. This is a novel I would definitely recommend.

BBAW: Getting to Know You Meme

1) What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you?
Getting to know some many great bloggers that have been so friendly and helpful. Also, getting more ideas for my tbr list!


2) What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you?
J-Kaye and Wrighty have been quite helpful. Lots of other bloggers have been very welcoming.

3) What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer?
How do you choose when there are so many great book blogs out there?

Let's Be Friends Award

I received this wonderful award from Jaime at For the Love of All That is Written Check out her amazing blog!

"Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

I would like to nominate:

Ryan of Wordsmithonia

Colette of A Buckeye Girl Reads

Jenni at Falling Off The Shelf

Michael at A Few Minutes With Michael

What Are You Reading Monday?

I didn't do as well as I'd hoped this week, but this may be because I am reading several books at once, though that's not really new for me.
Last Week: I finished The Neighbor- review
continued reading The Angel's Game, Shadow of the Wind, and Under This Unbroken Sky.
I started The Girl Who Played With Fire.
This Week: I expect to finish Angel's Game and Under This Unbroken Sky and then will start East of The Sun or pick up where I left off in Dark Places.
I will continue with Shadow of the Wind and The Girl Who Played With Fire.
Happy Reading!

August reading challenge hosted by Pizza's Book Discussion

The challenge is a contest to see who reads the most books in August. I'm not expecting to win because there are people that can read a book a day and I am not one of them. But it will be more of a challenge for myself.

I will be updating this post with each book I read.

Right now I'm working on The Angel's Game, The Girl Who Played With Fire, and Under This Unbroken Sky. Wish me luck!

Update- completed so far: AS OF 8/31/09

The Angel's Game

Out

Under This Unbroken Sky

Every Visible Thing

Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz

Bridget Jones's Diary and Turtle Moon -not sure if they count as they were re-reads

The Girl Who Played With Fire

East of the Sun

Dark Places

Hush, Hush

The Help

A Circle of Souls

The Day the Falls Stood Still

Dead Until Dark

Obsession, Deceit, and Really Dark Chocolate

TSS: July Reads in Review

I did quite well this month. I was on a reading roll that I haven't experienced in a while. Some books were recent best-sellers and some have been around for awhile.

Books read and reviewed this month:

The Neighbor

Snow Angels

The Story Sisters

Killer Summer

Elemental Shaman (my only non-fiction read)
Austenland
Lust, Loathing and a Little Lipstick
The Family Man

Sullivan's Island

Return to Sullivan's Island- didn't finish

read with mini-reviews:

Life's a Beach

Run

Once Upon a Day

The Way Life Should Be

Read but didn't review:

The Dead Hour 3 stars
Passion, Betrayal, and Killer Highlights 4 stars

Sex, Murder and a Double Latte 4 stars

The House Next Door 4.5 stars

The Haunting of Hill House 4 stars