Teaser Tuesday-April 30

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 Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan:
Only a woman sitting slumped across the tavern stays as long as we do, always gazing down, just past the glass of cassis she cannot muster the will to take.  It breaks my heart, the loneliness in the face of that woman, the fellow sitting beside her, reading the newspaper and dozing off without so much as a moment's notice given over to her, and here is what I imagine brought her to this place.

pg. 30

***Please note that this is from an Advanced Reading Copy so the final printing may change.

What Are You Reading?

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.


I finished on my Kindle:

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys is our latest book club selection and I can tell you this was a wonderful novel.  It was quite an emotional ride for me, but you will have to wait a little bit for my review.

What I'm reading now:

I actually started reading The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan earlier in the month, but had to put it aside to read my book club selection.  I'm looking forward to diving back into this time period.

And next:

Before starting our next book club selection, I think I'm going to try to sneak in The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty.  This is just a book that has been on my shelf for at least 2 years that is suddenly calling my name!

So how about you?  Where are your reading adventures taking you this week?

Review: Tea Time for the Tradionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith

Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

Mma Ramotswe’s ever-ready tiny white van has recently developed a rather disturbing noise. Of course, Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni–her estimable husband and one of Botswana’s most talented mechanics––is the man to turn to for help. But Precious suspects he might simply condemn the van and replace it with something more modern. Can she find a way to save her old friend?

In the meantime, Mma Makutsi discovers that her old rival Violet Sephotho, who could not have gotten more than fifty percent on her typing final at the Botswana Secretarial College, has set her sights on none other than Mma Makutsi’s fiancé, Phuti Radiphuti. Can Mma Ramotswe’s intuition save the day? Finally, the proprietor of a local football team has enlisted the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency to help explain its dreadful losing streak. The owner of the team is convinced he as a traitor in his midst. But how is Mma Ramotswe, who has never seen a football match in her life, going to discern who is throwing the game? Help, it turns out, may come from an unexpected quarter.

There are few mysteries that can’t be solved and fewer problems that can’t be fixed when the irrepressible Precious Ramotswe puts her mind to them. A good cup of red bush tea might be the best solution of all.

My Review:   
This installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is definitely one of my favorites out of the series to date.  Many may categorize these books as mystery novels, but they do not fall into that category for me.  These are sweet novels, full of guidance and morality that keep a smile on my face during most of the book.

There were not many mysteries for the detectives to solve in this installment, but there is plenty of action in the lives of Mma Makutsi and Mma Ramotswe.  Grace is still keeping the secret of the ruined bed from the previous novel, but her newest problem is the appearance of her archenemy from the Secretarial College.   When Violet is hired at Phudi's shop to work in the mattress department, Grace knows she has other intentions.  It doesn't take the detectives long to figure this one out at all!

As Mma Ramotswe works on her latest cases she also must accept that her tiny white van has seen better days.  When her husband decides that the white van should be put out to pasture, he surprises her with a new van.  Mma Ramotswe has difficulty reconciling with her feelings as her white van has helped her through so many difficult times.  She has no choice but to say good-bye to a lifelong friend.  But I won't be surprised if the van makes an appearance in a future segment of the series.

If you are looking for a mystery that is full of suspense, murder, and action, then this book is not for you.  But if you are looking for a book that will make you laugh, smile, and just feel happy while reading, then I highly suggest this one.  With themes of honesty, friendship, and family, this novel was an enjoyment to read.  I highly recommend this book for personal leisure or as a book club discussion.

My Rating:  5/5

Disclosure:  I purchased this ebook to read for personal enjoyment and as a book club selection.

Teaser Tuesday-April 23

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 Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys:
I planted a seed of hatred in my heart.  I swore it would grow to be a massive tree whose roots would strangle them all.

pg. 55

Mailbox Monday-April 22

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 you can check out what everyone received over at MariReads.

Here is what I found in my mailbox:

No Child of Mine by Susan Lewis

This was an unexpected surprise from the publisher, and boy it is a big book!  So was there anything interesting in your mailbox?

Audiobook Review: Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates

Title:  Daddy Love

Author:  Joyce Carol Oates

Narrator:  Christine Williams

Unabridged Length:  6 hrs.

Here is a summary of the book from the HighBridge Audio website:

Dinah Whitcomb seemingly has everything—a loving and successful husband, and a smart, precocious young son named Robbie—until one day, their worlds are shattered when Dinah is attacked and Robbie is abducted from a mall parking lot. As Dinah recovers from her wounds, she struggles to come to terms with her new reality and to keep her marriage afloat. Though it seems hopeless, she retains a flicker of hope that her son is still alive.

The kidnapper, a part-time preacher named Chester Cash, calls himself Daddy Love: he has abducted, tortured, and raped several young boys, indoctrinating them into becoming both his lover and his “son.” He renames Robbie “Gideon,” slowly brainwashing him into believing that he is Daddy Love’s real son. Any time the boy resists or rebels, he faces punishment beyond his wildest nightmares.

As Robbie grows older, he begins to realize that the longer he stays in the home of this demon, the greater the chance that he’ll end up like Daddy Love’s other “sons” who were never heard from again. Somewhere within this tortured young boy lies a spark of rebellion, and soon he sees just what lengths he must go to in order to have any chance at survival.

My Review: 
Oates is obviously a very talented author, but just the couple of books I have listened to have not quite measured up for me.  Although I can't say I loved this novel, I do have to admit that it did still captivate me in a way that had me eager to get back to my car and listen to it.  I think Williams narration helped my appreciation of this book.

The beginning of this book was very confusing for me.  It seemed to repeat the opening scene continuously, maybe giving a different perspective or giving just a little bit more information each time.  I think almost the entire first disc was spent repeating that scene and I started to wonder if that was going to be the entire book.  Luckily, it wasn't, and once it moved on my annoyance passed quickly.

When Robbie is kidnapped the book alternates perspectives between Robbie, Dinah, and even the kidnapper, Chester Cash.  Sometimes I have problems keeping books like this straight, especially in the audio form, but that was not the case with this one.  Williams did a great job of narrating the different parts and I was able to follow along easily. 

I think Oates did a great job of depicting the situation as we followed the boy and his kidnapper for years afterward.  We a get a glimpse into Robbie's head as he yearns for a normal life, wanting to have friends and participate in school activities, rather than being hidden away.  And on the flip side of the coin we see what life is like for the parents that are left behind with a huge whole in their lives.

Although the book started out rocky for me, it did pick up allowing me to enjoy the story.  Although the storyline is ripped from the headlines, Oates goes a bit further by relating the feelings of all involved.  She really is a talented author and this makes me want to go get her latest novel.  With themes of love, trust, and deceit, you may also enjoy this book.  I do recommend this book for those that are interested in this type of storyline and also think it would make an interesting book club discussion.

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  This book was provided to me by the publisher through the Audio Jukebox program in exchange for an honest review.

What Are You Reading?

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:

The last book I finished reading was Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green.  This was a book club selection and although I enjoyed the story, most of the group did not appreciate it.

What I'm listening to now:

Thriller-suspense books are usually great to listen to, so I decided to listen to A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer.  This one started out a bit slow, but it has picked up making me curious as to how it will turn out.

What's next:

Our next book club selection is Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys.  This book has been on my radar for quite some time so I'm looking forward to it!

Well that is what's been keeping me busy, besides spending a week in tropical Jamaica, followed by a trip to see Bon Jovi in St. Paul!  Life has been busy but hopefully I will start getting things back in order soon.

Audiobook Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

Title:  The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Author:  Stieg Larsson

Narrator:  Simon Vance

Unabridged Length:  16hrs, 19 mn.


Here is a summary of the book from the Goodreads website:

Mikael Blomkvist, a once-respected financial journalist, watches his professional life rapidly crumble around him. Prospects appear bleak until an unexpected (and unsettling) offer to resurrect his name is extended by an old-school titan of Swedish industry. The catch—and there's always a catch—is that Blomkvist must first spend a year researching a mysterious disappearance that has remained unsolved for nearly four decades. With few other options, he accepts and enlists the help of investigator Lisbeth Salander, a misunderstood genius with a cache of authority issues. Little is as it seems in Larsson's novel, but there is at least one constant: you really don't want to mess with the girl with the dragon tattoo.

My Review: 
I love audiobooks that are full of suspense, action, and mystery, as they always keep my attention with the intrigue.  After hearing such positive and glowing reviews of this book, I may have set my expectations a bit high, because I did not find the level of enjoyment from this book that many others did.  

I found Blomkvist an interesting character, who puts his life on hold to help Henrik Vanger solve an unsolved mystery regarding his niece, Harriet.  Harriet disappeared suddenly, years ago, without any explanation and is hoping that Blomkvist can help him where the police couldn't.  Blomkvist does make headway on his investigation, but realizes quickly that in order to research everything properly he will need an assistant.  That is when he hires Lisbeth, the girl with the dragon tattoo.

Lisbeth is an odd character who adds her own element to the story.  She has amazing investigative skills that make Blomkvist open his eyes to new possibilities.  As they unveil the mystery of Harriet's disappearance, they form not only a good working relationship, but also a solid friendship.  Not only do they solve the mystery, but confront a current day predator.  This part of the novel puts Blomkvist's life in danger, bringing Lisbeth to his rescue.

I really was expecting more action and suspense from this novel, but the biggest part was solving the mystery from years ago.  One of my friends told me the next book was better, so I will probably listen to that one also, but I will wait for awhile.  With themes of family, secrets, and mystery, you may find more enjoyment than I did from this book.  I do recommend this book for lovers of a good mystery, but not if you want some action to go along with it.  

My Rating:  3/5

Disclosure:  I borrowed this audiobook from a co-worker and listened to it for my own entertainment.

Teaser Tuesday-April 2

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 Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green:
It was once she was married she started to lose herself, trying to be someone she thought she was supposed to be.  She had the not-fitting-in gene, the never-feeling-good-enough trait, the same one she sees in Emily; she sees so much of herself in Emily, it almost breaks her heart.


pg. 150

What Are You Reading?

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.

So here is what I finished listening to:

I finished listening to Daddy Love by Joyce Carol Oates and decided that I need to read or listen to more of her work, because Oates is one talented lady!

What I'm reading now:

My book club won copies of Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green, so this is what I am trying to finish reading before we meet on Wednesday night.  Even though the beginning was a bit too whiny for me, I am really enjoying the novel now.

What's next?

I had to put off The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan because I didn't get as much reading done while I was in Jamaica as I had expected.  I blame that on the great friends that were with us!

After spending a week in lovely and warm Jamaica I came home to cold Wisconsin only to find my computer decided to take its own vacation!  So for a whole week my home computer access was very limited, but thanks to my son who is an IT consultant (at least for our family) in his spare time, all is up an running once again!  Maybe I will post a picture from our vacation in the next week or so. 

I also want to let you know that I decided to turn my word verification on for a couple of weeks since the spammers have been attacking me quite often.  My apologies for the inconvenience!