Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!
This week my words are from The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard:
Dervish: a member of any of various Muslim orders of ascetics, some of which ( whirling dervishes ) are noted for a frenzied, ecstatic, whirling dance.
Here is how dervish was used on page 139: If he was happy, he might break into wild, crazy dervish dancing.
Metronome: a mechanical or electrical instrument that makes repeated clicking sounds at an adjustable pace, used for marking rhythm, especially in practicing music.
Here is how metronome was used on page 164: He was as steady as a metronome.
So those were the new words that crossed my path. Did anything new turn up in your reading adventures?
I was very excited to see this meme that was started by Reading Between Pages that allows us to post about a different theme from the book that we are reading all week long. Here is how it works:
theme will be posted each Thursday
Select a snippet with this weeks theme from the current book you are reading
Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
This week the theme is about trees and I found this snippet while I was reading The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard: No danger of losing crops this time of year (with only the pumpkins left in the field, and not many of those), but there's the barn roof, and the shed, and a stand of hickory he loves, up along the strawberry fields. Always the first to go in a storm, hickory.
pg. 4
My feelings about this book are becoming a bit conflicted as I am almost done with it now. You will have to check back next Friday to hear my final thoughts about it.
Congratulations Michelle! I will get the book of your choice sent out in the next couple of days! Thanks to everyone else for stopping by and entering the contest, and especially for all of your birthday wishes!
Sheila over at Book Journey hosts this meme that gives you the opportunity to share the books that you have been losing yourself in lately and also the ones that you are looking forward to picking up next.
Here is what I finished recently:
I finished reading The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent for a blog tour that I will be participating in later in September. You will have to stay tuned because I will have a very special guest post by the author and even a giveaway to share with everyone!
What I'm reading now:
The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard is what I'm reading right now and that is for a blog tour in just a couple of weeks. It is a good story so far!
What's up next:
I'm not sure about this one, but I am going to try to read The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy. I've had this one at home for a couple of months for review and just haven't been able to fit it into my schedule. I think it's time may have come!
So how about you? What is keeping you busy lately?
I am very excited to welcome Quinn Barrett to Jo-Jo Loves to Read today! I love novels that delve into family relationships and that is exactly what Invisible Snow promises to do, laced with a bit of greed and betrayal to make it even more exciting! You can read all about the novel here, but for now I just want to embrace the little bit of summer that we have left.
Personally, summer is my very favorite season and the perfect summer day for me is spending time at the lake with good friends and family, just chillaxing! Since I am bringing my daughter back to college this weekend it kind of marks the end of summer for me, which really makes a sadness settle in my heart. So I will use all that I can to keep summer alive for as long as possible! Today Quinn Barrett has been gracious enough to share some of her favorite summer memories with us and here is what she has to say:
Memories of Laguna Beach
by Quinn Barrett
The roar of the emerald ocean waves seems amplified in the small inlet of Laguna Beach, California. A symphony of summer sounds: children playing, people talking, outbreaks of laughter and yelling, scratchy transistor radio music, and random seagull caws, but nothing can match the constant percussion of waves--the beat of a perfect summer day.
As children, my siblings and I would swim and play in the waves for hours while my mother worshipped the sun and my father scuba dived for abalone in the thick kelp beds or body surfed in the big waves. We were all good swimmers, but my father taught us the best techniques for diving under waves, swimming with the current and avoiding rip tides.
Sunscreen didn't exist back then and we would all pay the price later in the evening, but nobody complained. The heat and glow of the mild burn was a reminder of a good day spent together.
Nobody in my family had skin suitable for tanning, but that didn't stop us from trying. If we had known then what we know now about harmful UV rays and skin cancer, we might not have tried so hard. But in a family that constantly struggled to find common ground, having the darkest shade of a reddish-beige tint was a badge of honor and a real feat given our Irish/English ancestry. No one wanted to be the palest of the family (usually me), but in a bizarre way the pursuit of summer skin color was a unifying family goal. It gave us something to talk about between beach outings.
There are a lot of beaches to choose from growing up in Southern California. Santa Monica was closer and Newport was bigger. Once in a while we'd go to Huntington Beach, but Laguna has an intimacy about it. We were a perfect family, on a perfect summer day, at a perfect beach.
One summer we went practically every Saturday. Monday thru Friday was torture waiting for Saturday to return. We'd get everything ready the night before so we could leave early Saturday morning to secure the best spot on the beach for our crew. My mother would pack sandwiches for lunch and hot dogs for dinner which we would roast on straightened wire clothes hangers. We'd feast on potato salad, chips, watermelon and s'mores for dessert.
We'd sleep on each other's shoulder during the hour-long ride home, exhausted from the day's activity. Once home we regained consciousness enough to shower and lay out our clothes for Sunday School—a sure indication the fun portion of the weekend was concluded.
My family never took a lot of summer vacations. Money was always an issue with five young children, but the real reason extended trips were a rarity, was my parents could barely agree upon anything, including rest and relaxation. My father preferred hiking and camping, but that meant cooking and cleaning without the benefit of modern appliances to my mother. My mother preferred a luxury hotel with spa and poolside services. I guess Laguna Beach was their idea of a compromise.
Laguna Beach is home to an annual summer arts festival. The highlight of the event is The Pageant of the Masters. Live models recreate famous masterpieces such as Da Vinci's The Last Supper or a classic Norman Rockwell scene. Occasionally my father was able to score last-minute tickets at reduced prices for the entire family. Even my hyperactive brothers were enthralled by this spectacular cultural display.
But my favorite summer memory of Laguna was a small ice cream stand half a block from the beach. When my father was done body surfing or using his scuba gear, he'd take my siblings and me for a mid-afternoon snack . . . not to get ice cream, but something better—a frozen banana rolled in thick dark chocolate and diced almonds. To this day, whenever I see a frozen banana anywhere, I think of Laguna Beach.
Summer trips to Laguna Beach is a tradition I've continued with my family. We don't go as frequently and we've learned the importance of beach umbrellas, wearing sunscreen, and protective clothing, but the magic of this relatively small parcel of sand is still there.
My parents' marriage didn't last, but for those few days each summer of my childhood there was fun, love and unity for my dysfunctional family. Like hearing an old song on the radio that immediately reminds you of a person, a place, an event or experience—the sound of crashing waves takes me back to those perfect summer days at Laguna Beach.
**End of guest post.**
Thank you Quinn for stopping by and sharing this beautiful memory with us today! I absolutely love beach vacations and I could just feel the sand in my toes as I was reading this! I live in Northern Wisconsin and I have mentioned to my husband that I would enjoy taking a nice vacation to a quiet California beach sometime in the future. Laguna Beach sounds like the perfect destination!
Here is a summary of Love Over Scotland from Alexander McCall Smith's website:
The third installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s beloved 44 Scotland Street series is sure to delight his many fans.
This just in from Edinburgh: the complicated lives of the denizens of 44 Scotland Street are becoming no simpler. Domenica Macdonald has left for the Malacca Straits to conduct a perilous anthropological study of pirate households. Angus Lordie’s dog, Cyril, has been stolen, and is facing an uncertain future wandering the streets. Bertie, the prodigiously talented six-year-old, is still enduring psychotherapy, but his burden is lightened by a junior orchestra's trip to Paris, where he makes some interesting new friends. Back in Edinburgh, there is romance for Pat with a handsome young man called Wolf, until she begins to see the attractions of the more prosaically named Matthew.
My Review:
This was another interesting segment of the 44 Scotland Street series as many of our favorite characters return and we are even introduced to a few new ones. I have always enjoyed Alexander McCall Smith's novels as they are full of delightful elements that never fail to put a smile on my face. The narration of Robert Ian MacKenzie only enhanced my experience that much more.
In the last novel it seemed to me that Bertie's father was actually stepping up to his wife to loosen the controlling grip on the young boy. It seemed that she was willing to allow Bertie to enjoy being a young boy for awhile. In this third installment she seemed to forget her change in parenting methods as the stress of being a child prodigy is placed on Bertie's shoulders once again. There are a few surprises with this small family though that I won't reveal as they really had quite a shock factor.
Since Pat had to leave Bruce's flat she found a new place to stay with a young gal close to her own age. Things don't go very well with Pat's new living arrangements as there appears to be a mutual attraction between herself and her roommate's boyfriend. Pat finds herself needing to find another place to live before the situation gets out of control and surprisingly Matthew offers her a place to lay her head. All I will say about this is, very interesting indeed!
Angus Lordie is dying of loneliness after Domenica leaves to study the lives of pirates. An odd young woman is staying in Domenica's flat while she is away and Angus doesn't seem to take a liking to her at all. Between this new resident of Scotland Street and Cyril's narration within the novel there was not a dull moment to be had.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel as we get to revisit some of our favorite characters from 44 Scotland Street. Smith is such a talented writer and he throws in a few surprises and some romance to keep us turning the pages in this installment. I don't hesitate in recommending this novel or even the series for that matter. I've been listening to these on audiobook but I think they would be just as enjoyable to actually read them.
My Rating: 4/5
Disclosure: I borrowed this audiobook from my local library for my personal entertainment.
Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
This week my teaser is from The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard: Gathering up the last of the clothing not yet dry-rescued from the line before the wind gets to it-Connie is already thinking that if the lights go out due to the storm, as very likely they will, and he can't listen to the ball game on the radio, her husband may bother her in bed tonight. She had been hoping the World Series would keep him occupied a while.
Here is a summary of Sweet Jiminy from the Hyperion Books website:
In the throes of a quarter-life crisis, Jiminy Davis abruptly quits law school and flees Chicago for her grandmother Willa’s farm in rural Mississippi. In search of peace and quiet, Jiminy instead stumbles upon more trouble and turmoil than she could have imagined.
She is shocked to discover that there was once another Jiminy—the daughter of her grandmother’s longtime housekeeper, Lyn—who was murdered along with Lyn’s husband four decades earlier in a civil rights–era hate crime. With the help of Lyn’s nephew, Bo, Jiminy sets out to solve the cold case, to the dismay of those who would prefer to let sleeping dogs lie.
Beautifully written, and with a sure grip on the tensions and social mores of small towns in the South, Sweet Jiminy will captivate its readers, and fans of Kristin Gore’s earlier novels will be intrigued and compelled by this new direction for her fiction.
My Review:
This is the second book that I have read in the last couple of months that takes place in Mississippi and deals with racial prejudice issues. This novel brings us pretty close to the subject as characters are discriminated against today and others are dealing with crimes of discrimination from years ago.
Although Jiminy is the main character of the novel she isn't necessarily the narrator. We seem to learn the most about Jiminy and her life as she takes it upon herself to look into an unsolved crime that took place back in the 60's. Lyn is a close friend and housekeeper of Jiminy's grandmother and she is appalled to learn that Lyn's husband and only daughter, also named Jiminy, were found murdered in the 60's. The worst fact is that the authorities really did not attempt to find who was responsible, but claimed the brutal murders were an accident.
Through Jiminy's investigation we learn a lot about what life was like back then. Since Lyn and her family were African Americans they were obviously outcasts because of the time period. Jiminy's grandmother, Willa, hired Lyn as a housekeeper but soon became close friends and the two families bonded in a way that was unacceptable to the rest of society.
Lyn's nephew Bo, who is also an African American, arrives in town and Jiminy and Bo start to develop a relationship that is frowned upon. Most of the finger-pointing seems to come from older folks who weren't keen on inter-racial relationships during the 60's. With the help of Willa, Lyn, Bo, and a journalist, Jiminy uncovers not only the secret of the murders of Lyn's family, but also family secrets, and the meaning of K.S.O.
This was a very interesting novel and it made me realize that I should read more about the time of segregation and the end of it. It seemed to have a third party narration, which I am not really fond of, but the author seemed to switch timelines on me without notification. It was a bit hard to follow because of this. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book and I can tell you that I didn't want to put it down once I got a chance to sit and read. I ended up with a sunburn sitting on my deck one afternoon!
My Rating: 3/5
Disclosure: This book was provided to me from the publisher through the NetGalley program in exchange for an honest review.
At Home With Books is having her August Book Giveaway--Contest ends 8/28.
If I missed posting your giveaway please feel free to leave the link to your contest in the comment section below. Also, don't forget to check out my giveaways that can be found on my sidebar! Good luck everyone!
Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive. Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Life in the Thumb so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!
Here is a summary of the book from Ellen Bryson's website:
BARTHOLOMEW FORTUNO,the World’s Thinnest Man, believes that his unusual body is a gift. Hired by none other than P.T. Barnum to work at his spectacular American Museum—a modern marvel of macabre displays, breathtaking theatrical performances, and live performances by Barnum’s cast of freaks and oddities—Fortuno has reached the pinnacle of his career.
But after a decade of solid performance, he finds his sense of self, and his contentment within the walls ofthe Museum, flagging. When a carriage pulls up outside the Museum in the dead of night, bearing Barnum and a mysterious veiled woman—rumored to be a new performer— Fortuno’s curiosity is piqued. And when Barnum asks Fortuno to follow her and report back on her whereabouts, his world is turned upside-down.
Why is Barnum so obsessed with this woman? Who is she,really? And why has she taken such a hold of the hearts of those around her? Set in the New York of 1865, a time when carriages rattled down cobblestone streets, raucous bordellos near the docks thrived, and the country was mourning the death of President Lincoln, The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno is a moving novel about human appetites and longings. With pitch-perfect prose, Ellen Bryson explores what it means to be profoundly unique—and the power of love to transcend even the greatest divisions.
My Review:
This was such a fascinating novel that brought us behind the scenes of a museum that showcased odd specimens and performers that were likely also viewed as sideshows at circuses. I think that Ellen Bryson did some excellent research for this novel because P.T. Barnum did own such a museum full of eccentric performers, and to also throw into the mix how all were affected by the assassination of President Lincoln just kept me reading more.
Although the story is narrated by Barthaolomew Fortuno, the skinniest man around, we also are introduced into the lives of his fellow co-workers. We have the opportunity to get to know these individuals with all of their eccentricities and oddities. We get an inside glimpse of their feelings and what makes them believe that they are special to be able to do what they are doing. Many of these performers, including the strong man, the fat lady, and Bartholomew, feel that they have been given a special gift that must be shared with the public.
All of the performers find themselves always trying to get into the good graces of Barnum. Barnum holds the keys to their futures and one wrong move can put them out on the street, or worse yet, back to a circus sideshow. Many of them feel that they have life pretty good living under Barnum's watchful eye of the museum. When Barnum approaches Bartholomew to ask a special favor of him, how could he deny his wish knowing that his denial could be his demise? Bartholomew finds himself venturing out into the public at Barnum's request to fetch a secret package from a chinese retailer. Bartholomew does this a few times for Barnum and although he doesn't peek at the contents, he is surprised when the retailer gives him an herbal root to cure himself. Bartholomew becomes quickly insulted as he has never considered his lack of body weight as a sickness, but something quickly changes inside of him as he ingests the herbal root.
Maybe it was all psychological for Bartholomew, or maybe not, but after eating that root he starts to feel different about his life and his appearance. He starts to reflect on his past and his childhood and questions about whether the museum is the best place for him. Maybe life on the outside does have more to offer to himself and his friends.
As Bartholomew changes inwardly he starts to feel romantic inclinations towards a friend that he never felt before. But when a new performer is introduced to the museum his lust for her seems to overpower his mind as he is drawn to her oddity in a strange way. I will not say much about the new addition to the museum as I don't want to give away an important part of the book, but I will say that this person was my main problem with the book. She was such an odd individual and as her secret is revealed at the end of the book, it all kind of came together for me. It still doesn't settle well for me but I feel that it was a sensible ending.
Although there were parts of this story that were disturbing, I found myself thoroughly enjoying Bryson's writing and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. With themes of circuses, passion, love, friendship, and revelations this was a very interesting book. I think it would also be a great selection for a book club, but please be aware that it may be a bit much for a more reserved group.
My Rating: 4/5
Disclosure: This book was provided to me from the publisher through the Shelf Awareness program in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Julie from Satya House Publications for offering this giveaway on my blog! Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:
Pamela King Cable has woven together the music, the language, the religions, and the traditions of the South. The result is Southern Fried Women, a collection of nine short stories about Southern women, and a few men, struggling to find answers to unanswerable questions, hoping for forgiveness, seeking righteousness, and questioning the existence of God in their lives. Cable writes Southern fiction in the true spirit of the rural South. She can ruffle the feathers of the most stoic, mess with the beliefs of the strictest fundamentalists, and reel you into her stories like a stubborn catfish meant for the fryer. In stories with themes ranging from flea markets to coal mine strikes, once you have met her Southern Fried Women, they will be with you forever. A delightful collection of short stories that weave together the music, the language, the religions and the traditions of the South. Sometimes seriously and sometimes with humor, these stories examine everything from love and death to racial conflict and tragedy. The Southern Fried Women portrayed within each story are as realistic as any you have ever met, facing common situations and obstacles with all the charm and tenacity they can muster.
I absolutely love novels about southern women so if you would like a copy for yourself here is how you can enter:
I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of four books to give away.
To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. only.
For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.
For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.
Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.
You will have until September 2nd to enter and I will draw for winners on or after September 3rd.
I am very excited to announce the winner of Night Train by Clyde Edgerton is.....
Martha Lawson
Congratulations Martha! I will be contacting you shortly to get your mailing information to forward to the publisher. Thanks again to Anna from Hachette for giving me the opportunity to host this giveaway on my blog.
Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive. Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Life in the Thumb so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!
I only received one book in the mail last week but I'm very excited about this one!
Yup, you heard me correctly! It's my birthday today and I am admitting it! I just wanted to post a giveaway before I head out to my deck for the afternoon to hopefully finish reading The Help, which has been totally awesome by the way!
The books that I am offering for giveaway are gently used from my personal collection. You should be able to click on the title to read my review if you are interested. The winner will be able to select one of the following books:
I think this is a good variety of books that the winner will have to choose from.
To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada.
For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.
For two additional entries, blog about this contest or add the link to your sidebar.
Please include your email so I will have a way to contact you if you win. Use a spam-thwarting format such as myemail.address AT gmail DOT com or myemail.address [at] gmail [dot] com.
You will have until August 20th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after August 21st.
Here is a summary of The Good Guy from Dean Koontz' website:
Timothy Carrier, having a beer after work at his friend’s tavern, enjoys drawing eccentric customers into amusing conversations. But the jittery man who sits next to him tonight has mistaken Tim for someone very different—and passes to him a manila envelope full of cash.
“Ten thousand now. You get the rest when she’s gone.”
The stranger walks out, leaving a photo of the pretty woman marked for death, and her address. But things are about to get worse. In minutes another stranger sits next to Tim. This one is a cold-blooded killer who believes Tim is the man who has hired him.
Thinking fast, Tim says, “I’ve had a change of heart. You get ten thousand—for doing nothing. Call it a no-kill fee.” He keeps the photo and gives the money to the hired killer. And when Tim secretly follows the man out of the tavern, he gets a further shock: the hired killer is a cop.
Suddenly, Tim Carrier, an ordinary guy, is at the center of a mystery of extraordinary proportions, the one man who can save an innocent life and stop a killer far more powerful than any cop…and as relentless as evil incarnate. But first Tim must discover within himself the capacity for selflessness, endurance, and courage that can turn even an ordinary man into a hero, inner resources that will transform his idea of who he is and what it takes to be The Good Guy.
My No Review:
Yes, you read this correctly! I don't intend this to be a review for The Good Guy, but more of a way of venting my frustration with my local library about the condition of these discs from this audiobook. I actually looked at these discs before checking the book out from the library and thought I would let them know that they should be cleaned. Well, I was informed that they don't clean them until patrons bring the discs back and complain about them. Ok, well I will take the book anyway as I knew I had to work at the video store in the next couple of days and I will just buff the discs then.
So that is what I did. Buffed the discs when I was done working one night and proceeded to listen to the audiobook. Well not only did this book still skip all over the place, including over entire chapters, but the last disc, that basically sums up why this guy was trying to kill some woman he didn't know and who he was working with to accomplish the task, basically skipped over the entire ending.
Please don't get me wrong, because I am very grateful for our local library, as they offer a wonderful service to our community. Why can't they just clean the discs before people check them out if they look bad? Or if one disc looks bad out of the whole book even replace it? I don't understand! I clean movies for people at the video store all the time, so I don't see why it is out of the realm of possibility.
So because I didn't get to listen to this audiobook in it's entirety I feel that I cannot offer an honest review, so I'm not giving you one. I can tell you that this book definitely held the suspense that Koontz usually delivers but that is as much as I will share with you.
Bermudaonion asks you to share new words that you have learned during your reading adventures in the last week. Feel free to join in the fun!
This week my words are from Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian:
Glissando: performedwithaglidingeffectbyslidingoneormorefingersrapidlyoverthekeysofapianoor stringsofaharp.
Here is how glissando was used on page 25: The walls stood listening on pillars of dust as curtains danced like cool piano keys shimmering out glissandos.
The preacher moved his bare skinny legs back and forth to the beat of an unknown rythm, metronome to a fatal countdown and his own feverish words that came crazed and madcap out of his spit-flecking mouth.
So those are the words that I learned last week. Did you come across anything new in your reading adventures?
Check out Teaser Tuesdays from Should Be Reading. TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:
Grab your current read.
Let the book fall open to a random page.
Share with us two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
This week my teaser is from The Help by Kathryn Stockett: "Rule Number Two: don't you ever let that White Lady find you sitting on her toilet. I don't care if you've got to go so bad it's coming out of your hairbraids."
Mailbox Monday is a great meme that has us list the books that we receive. Different bloggers now have the opportunity to host this meme for a month at a time. This month the host is Life in the Thumb so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!
I haven't received many books in the mail at all lately, which is good since I've been trying to get caught up on some reviews and read more on my Kindle! I did hit the jackpot with audiobooks though!
