Jo-Jo loves to read!!!

What's in a Name Challenge 5

2012-01-27T06:53:00.000-06:00

Although I failed the What's in a Name Challenge for 2011, I have decided to give it a shot once again for 2012. Beth Fish Reads is gracious enough to host this challenge for us once again and I appreciate the fact that this is a flexible challenge. You can view the entire rules and sign up yourself here if you are interested.

Here are the categories for this year:

A book with a topographical feature (land formation) in the title:

A book with something you'd see in the sky in the title:

A book with a creepy crawly in the title:

A book with a type of house in the title:

A book with something you'd carry in your pocket, purse, or backpack in the title:

A book with a something you'd find on a calendar in the title:

I will add the titles of books to this post as I read them for this challenge. So are you a glutton for punishment yourself? Go ahead and sign up...you know you want to!

Review: Room by Emma Donaghue

2012-01-25T11:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a summary of Room from the Hachette website:

To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world. . . . It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. At night, his Ma shuts him safely in the wardrobe, where he is meant to be asleep when Old Nick visits.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma it's the prison where she has been held for seven years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in this eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But with Jack's curiosity building alongside her own desperation, she knows that Room cannot contain either much longer.Room is a tale at once shocking, riveting, exhilarating--a story of unconquerable love in harrowing circumstances, and of the diamond-hard bond between a mother and her child.

My Review:
This is the first book that I have read by Donaghue and let me tell you that it was amazing! I love it when an author can take a character and a situation and bring it to life to me on the page. This is exactly what happened to me with young Jack.

Jack is the little boy that was born in Room and has never had any exposure to the outside world. He doesn't know what he is missing outside, because he has never experienced it. All he knows is the house that his Ma made for him in the small room that contains all of the necessities for someone to stay alive in solitude.

Jack's Ma remembers her life in the outside world before she was abducted and locked away from society. She loves her son Jack, but she also longs to have her old life back. Although she appreciates the companionship with her son, she also desires relationships with other adults, and often when she can't handle life in Room any longer she will mentally retreat to a place that will not allow her to return until she is ready.

I am not going to give any more of this story away as I don't want to ruin it for anyone that hasn't read it yet. This is a story that could very possibly be pulled right of current headlines and even when people are rescued from these conditions, their lives are never the same. They must find a way to learn the rules of our society once again and even harder still, is being able to offer trust to any individual who comes in their lives.

This was an amazing story with themes of love, comfort, safety, abduction, and perseverance. I think this book would make an excellent book club selection, but it also is great for leisure reading on your own. I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating: 5/5

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

Teaser Tuesday-Jan. 24

2012-01-24T17:11:00.000-06:00

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 Night Road by Kristin Hannah:
There was nothing inside of her but pain; she kept it trapped inside, behind pursed lips. God help her if she started screaming.

pg. 157

Unfortunately I did not have internet in my home all weekend! Not so bad, but then my blogging gets even more behind. The Night Circus Kindle book is finally available through my library again, so now I can get that one finished....jeez, that was almost two weeks I had to wait!

I have to admit that I read Night Road almost a year ago, but this month it is our book club selection so I'm reading it again. Can you believe that it is making me cry even though I am reading it for the second time?

Review: House Rules by Jodi Picoult

2012-01-19T08:13:00.000-06:00

Here is a summary of House Rules from Jodi Picoult's website:

HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis.

He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.

My Review:
Picoult does it once again for me, by taking another controversial subject to view from different perspectives. Jacob Hunt is the young man with Aspberger's Syndrome in the story and we get a glimpse as to how this disease has affected his family as different chapters are narrated by various characters within the novel.

I loved the chapters that were narrated by Jacob. All that I really know about Aspberger's is what I have learned on television, so it was fascinating to see things from Jacob's logical viewpoint. I think because of the disease I found myself looking at Jacob as if he were a child, but at eighteen years old he is more of a young man. Jacob's lack of social skills obviously keep him in a childlike state and although he will be able to minimally function in society, he will more than likely need care for the rest of his life.

Currently, the care provider role falls upon his mother Emma's shoulders. When Jacob was diagnosed with Aspberger's at an early age, his father admitted defeat and walked out on his family, leaving Emma with all the responsibilities of raising two young boys, one needing exceptional care. After much research about the disease, Emma hones her schedules and menus to keep things as smoothly flowing for Jacob as possible. Being a single parent, you can only imagine how difficult it would be under these circumstances to be sure that you are offering adequate parental love and guidance to the child that does not have any medical issues.

Theo is Jacob's younger brother who longs to live a normal family life. He doesn't want to worry about eating certain colored foods on specific days, or making sure that Jacob is home at 4:30 to watch his favorite television show. While Theo acts out in his own way in search of the perfect family life, he also worries about when the day will come when he will be expected to be his brothers care provider.

Everything within this novel spins out of control when Jacob's social skills tutor is found dead. When suspicion is turned towards Jacob, the organized world that he knows comes to an end. While Emma knows how these changes will negatively affect Jacob, she finds herself having to think of ways to keep some order and logic to his world.

I truly enjoyed this novel that had us take a close look at how the legal system would deal with a similar situation under such unfortunate circumstances. With themes of honesty, justice, Aspberger's, and family this book made a great book club selection and I'm sure it would be a great novel to pick up for leisure reading also.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: I purchased this book on my Kindle for my own entertainment and as a book club selection.

New Author Challenge 2012

2012-01-18T07:56:00.001-06:00

This is one of the challenges that I have successfully completed over the last couple of years, so why stop now? Literary Escapism is hosting this challenge once again and you can sign up yourself an review all the guidelines here if you want to give it a shot! I love it when a new author is revealed to me through the pages of a book! This year I am going to sign up to read 25 new authors again and I will list them on this post as I read them. Good luck to you if you decide to try this one also!

1. Kaui Hart Hemmings--The Descendants--Completed 1/26/12
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The Winner of Madame Tussaud!

2012-01-13T09:22:00.000-06:00

I'm thrilled to announce that the winner of Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran is................

Rebecca

Congratulations Rebecca! I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information so your book can be sent out right away.

Audiobook Review: The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck

2012-01-12T07:54:00.002-06:00

Title: The Snow Angel

Author: Glenn Beck and Nicole Baart

Narrators: January LaVoy and Ron McLarty

Unabridged Length: Aprox. 6 hrs

Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:

The woman in the picture was so young she looked like a child. Her hair was loose, eyes wide, blue T-shirt stark against the pale lines of arching collarbones. I felt the air leave me in a quiet rush. Not because of the way the photo captured her fleeting youth, but because of the way it highlighted the bruise.

It was a photo of me.

Rachel Price has just one happy memory from her childhood: the moment her father took her hands while playing outside on a cold, snowy day and called her his angel. It was a rare and sacred moment in her young life, one in which she finally felt safe, loved, and protected.

But it didn’t last long.

Years later, Rachel’s daughter is the only light in what has become a dark life. Rachel repeats the patterns she learned as a child and exposes her own daughter to those same destructive behaviors. Consumed by an abusive marriage, but secure in the safety of the familiar, she is too afraid to escape.

Rachel accepts what her life has become, even as she makes excuses for those who keep her in a constant state of despair and regret. But then, an unexpected phone call from an old friend changes everything. Her ordered world is turned upside down as she’s set on a journey that might be her last chance to salvage the life she’d given up on long ago.

While new friendships tentatively blossom, Rachel realizes that everything she once believed may be nothing but lies and misunderstandings. But knowing the truth is not as easy as it seems. Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss. As the snow falls and the promise of Christmas redemption nears, Rachel begins to see her entire childhood in a brand-new light and must now decide what her future holds—and what her past really means. Will knowing the truth set her free, or will it condemn her to a life full of regret and “what ifs”?

The Snow Angel is a poignant tale about family, forgiveness, and the freedom to live a future free of the past.

My Review:
I have to start out by telling you that this audiobook was such an emotional journey for me. I listened to half of it in one sitting when I had to pick my daughter up for Christmas break. Ok, that was probably my mistake. As this book continually tugged at my heart, I also fell in love with the story and characters.

This book alternates between perspectives of both Rachel and Mitch. Rachel has been living her life in an abusive marriage and trying to protect her daughter from all that comes with this situation in any way she can. It is a sad and lonely world for Rachel as her husband has basically destroyed any friendship or relationship that she had outside of their home.

Mitch is an elderly man living in an assisted living center that has been diagnosed with Alzheimer;s Disease. He lives a desolate existence himself as he doesn't have many visitors at the center, except for the nicely dressed gentleman that he meets in the dining hall now and then. Mitch seems to be losing his grip on reality as he can barely recall the little girl that he so dearly misses.

This was a great Christmas book to listen to and I really don't want to give any more of it away. If I have a complaint, it would be that it was just so darn sad. I mean I was practically sobbing as I was going down the highway. With themes of love, friendship, abuse, and family I think that many of you will enjoy this book.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me through the Audiobook Jukebox reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

What Are You Reading?

2012-01-09T07:54:00.000-06:00

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 recently finished reading this book on my Kindle:

Last week I met with my book club to discuss A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg. We usually read a Christmas themed book during the month of December. From past experience we have learned that Christmas novels are usually pretty light and just for pure entertainment. This one was not an exception and everyone enjoyed it for what it was. The best part of our meeting was the gift exchange though!

What I'm reading now on my Kindle:

Since I had the week off after Christmas I finally had a chance to check out the public library option for the Kindle. The Night Circus is the first book that I was able to get, but since I can only keep it for one week I'm sure I am going to have to request it again. I can tell you that I am really enjoying it so I will definitely request it right away!

What's next:

While I am waiting for another library copy of The Night Circus, I decided to go ahead and get started on Night Road by Kristin Hannah. I already read this one about a year ago and really enjoyed it, but I will need a little refresher as our book club will be discussing Night Road next month.

So what has been keeping you busy lately? I woke up with a horrible cold on New Year's Day so that really slowed me down last week. I am finally starting to feel like my old self again so this week I'm hoping to get started with my exercise regimen.

2012 Where Are You Reading Challenge

2012-01-06T11:23:00.001-06:00

I've been hesitant about joining this challenge as I didn't even read a total of 50 books this year, but hey, who really cares? If I don't finish the challenge then that's it. Sheila from Book Journey is hosting this challenge once again and you can read the complete rules and even sign up for yourself here if you are interested! I am not savvy enough to create the map as Sheila has, but I will just list the books behind the state after I read it.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii--The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings--Completed 1/26/12
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

2012 E-book Challenge

2012-01-03T15:00:00.000-06:00

I really enjoyed this challenge in 2011 as it gave me more of an opportunity to read my Kindle books! This year the challenge is being hosted by Workaday Reads and you can view all the rules and sign up here if you are interested.

I am going to sign up for the CD level, which means that I need to read at least 10 ebooks. I will list the books as I read them below.
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Blog Tour and Review: All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson

2012-01-01T16:20:00.001-06:00

Thanks to Trish from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to take part in the tour for this debut novel by Duncan Jepson.

Here is a summary of All the Flowers in Shanghai:

For every young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai, following the path of duty takes precedence over personal desires.

For Feng, that means becoming the bride of a wealthy businessman in a marriage arranged by her parents. In the enclosed world of the Sang household—a place of public ceremony and private cruelty—fulfilling her duty means bearing a male heir. For every young Chinese woman in 1930s Shanghai, following the path of duty takes precedence over personal desires.

The life that has been forced on her makes Feng bitter and resentful, and she plots a terrible revenge. But with the passing years comes a reckoning, and Feng must reconcile herself with the sacrifices and terrible choices she has made in order to assure her place in the family and society—even as the violent, relentless tide of revolution engulfs her country.

Both a sweeping historical novel and an intimate portrait of one woman’s struggle against tradition, All the Flowers in Shanghai marks the debut of a sensitive and revelatory writer.

My Review:
This was a wonderful debut novel by Duncan Jepson that gives us a glimpse into the life of Feng, a young Chinese girl. Footbinding is no longer practiced in 1930's Shanghai, but women still do not have many rights. Feng did not plan on having an eventful life, as the family had arranged for her older sister to reap all of the rewards from society.

Feng seemed to be content living her life as the younger sister in the family, not having any expectations and being able to live her life as she wanted when the time was right. She had a special relationship with her grandfather who took the time with her almost every day to walk through the vibrant and colorful gardens to introduce her to all of the flowers.

Young Feng has a rude awakening one day when her life takes a drastic change. For reasons that she doesn't understand, her parents decide to marry her into a wealthy family. She truly enjoyed her simple life and was not prepared for the stress and responsibility that came along with her upcoming nuptuals.

Having to live her new life without the true love that she had hoped for, Feng becomes a bitter woman, looking out only for herself and finding small ways to punish those around her. This bitterness seeps into her heart and soul and will leave a mark on her for the rest of her life.

I really enjoyed this novel as it gives me a glimpse into a specific period in China that was so educational. We watch as the various classes of society change as communism is put into place. It is through this change that Feng is brought back to the roots of the person that she is and is able to come to terms with the person that she has become. With themes of China, communism, family, and obligations this was a great novel and I also think it would make a great book club selection. I do not hesitate in recommending this novel.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher to participate in this blog tour and provide an honest review.

2012 ARC Reading Challenge!

2011-12-31T12:40:00.002-06:00

After much contemplation I decided to sign up for this challenge again for 2012. I wasn't sure how far I would get in 2011, but I ended up finishing better than I had intended. So Many Precious Books, So Little Time will be hosting this challenge again and I love the fact that this is a flexible challenge that allows you to use ebooks or audiobooks as well.

I am going to keep it simple this year and sign up for the Bronze Level as I am trying not to accept as many review copies. You can see all the rules and levels and even sign up yourself if you would like here.

I will list the books below as I read them for this challenge.

1. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings--Completed 1/26/12

2012 Audiobook Challenge

2011-12-30T11:23:00.003-06:00

Since this is one of the challenges that I enjoyed so much last year, I've decided to sign up for this one again! Theresa's Reading Corner is hosting this challenge once again and it sounds like she has a lot of fun stuff planned for 2012! If you are tempted, you can sign up for this challenge yourself here.
Here are the levels for the challenge:

Flirting-Listen to 6 Audio Books
Going Steady- Listen to 12 Audio Books
Lover- Listen to 25 Audio Books
Married-Listen to +++ Audio Books

I have decided to sign up for the Going Steady level. That is probably wimpy of me, but since I listened to 17 audiobooks in 2011 I don't anticipate a problem. Life doesn't seem to be getting any less busy for me so I really want to keep it simple.

I will list the books below as I listen to them.

1. The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings--Completed 1/26/12
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100+ Reading Challenge 2011...Failed Again!

2011-12-29T07:12:00.001-06:00

My Overstuffed Bookshelf hosted this challenge for 2011 and I have to admit that when I signed up for it I really didn't have the intention to read more than a hundred books during the year, but mostly just to keep a running list of the books that I did read. There is so much going on in my life that I actually read less books this year than in 2010! Last year I ended the year with 51 books read while this year the list is only at 43. Here is the list of books that I read and you could click on the title to read my review:

1. Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez--Completed 1/6/2011
2. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens--Completed 1/12/2011
3. The Missionary by William Carmichael and David Lambert--Completed 1/14/2011
4. Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas--Completed 1/31/2011
5. The Brave by Nicholas Evans--Completed 2/1/2011
6. Sweetie by Kathryn Magendie--Completed 2/6/2011
7. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran--Completed 3/4/2011
8. The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader--Completed 3/4/2011
9. An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin--Completed 3/17/2011
10. The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry--Completed 3/23/2011
11. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows--Completed 3/31/2011
12. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay--Completed 3/31/2011
13. Night Road by Kristin Hannah--Completed 4/09/2011
14. Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson--Completed 4/15/2011
15. The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair--Completed 4/24/2011
16. They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti--Completed 5/2/2011
17. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson--Completed 5/9/2011
18. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin--Completed 5/23/2011
19. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley--Completed 5/29/2011
20. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein--Completed 5/31/2011
21. The Good Guy by Dean Koontz--Completed 6/10/11
22. The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson--Completed 6/15/11
23. Too Jewish by Patty Friedmann--Completed 6/27/11
24. Love Over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith--Completed 7/1/11
25. Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore--Completed 7/2/11
26. Dreams of Joy by Lisa See--Completed 7/17/11
27. Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian--Completed 7/25/11
28. The Camel Club by David Baldacci--Completed 8/2/11
29. The Help by Kathryn Stockett--Completed 8/7/11
30. The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent--Completed 8/19/11
31. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard--Completed 8/30/11
32. Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand--Completed 9/6/11
33. The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy--Completed 9/10/11
34. Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard--Completed 9/24/11
35. Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart--Compleed 10/4/11
36. To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal--Completed 10/7/11
37. Testimony by Anita Shreve--Completed 10/16/11
38. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta--Completed 10/31/11
39. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls--Completed 10/31/11
40. One Summer by David Baldacci--Completed 11/12/11
41. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley--Completed 11/15/11
42. House Rules by Jodi Picoult--Completed 12/6/11
43. Iron House by John Hart--Completed 12/14/11
44. Room by Emma Donaghue--Completed 12/20/11
45. The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck--Completed 12/24/11
46. All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson--Completed 12/27/11
47. A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg--Completed 12/30/11

Audiobook Review: Iron House by John Hart

2011-12-28T09:29:00.001-06:00

Title: Iron House

Author: John Hart

Narrator: Scott Sowers

Unabridged Length: 14 hours

Here is a summary of Iron House from the Macmillan website:

An old man is dying.

When the old man is dead they will come for him.
And they will come for her, to make him hurt.

HE WOULD GO TO HELL
At the Iron Mountain Home for Boys, there was nothing but time. Time to burn and time to kill, time for two young orphans to learn that life isn’t won without a fight. Julian survives only because his older brother, Michael, is fearless and fiercely protective. When tensions boil over and a boy is brutally killed, there is only one sacrifice left for Michael to make: He flees the orphanage and takes the blame with him.

TO KEEP HER SAFE
For two decades, Michael has been an enforcer in New York’s world of organized crime, a prince of the streets so widely feared he rarely has to kill anymore. But the life he’s fought to build unravels when he meets Elena, a beautiful innocent who teaches him the meaning and power of love. He wants a fresh start with her, the chance to start a family like the one he and Julian never had. But someone else is holding the strings. And escape is not that easy. . . .

GO TO HELL, AND COME BACK BURNING
The mob boss who gave Michael his blessing to begin anew is dying, and his son is intent on making Michael pay for his betrayal. Determined to protect the ones he loves, Michael spirits Elena—who knows nothing of his past crimes, or the peril he’s laid at her door— back to North Carolina, to the place he was born and the brother he lost so long ago. There, he will encounter a whole new level of danger, a thicket of deceit and violence that leads inexorably to the one place he’s been running from his whole life: Iron House.

My Review:
I have found that I usually do not like to read books from the mystery/suspense genre, but listening to them is a different story! I love the action that these stories provide for my listening pleasure. I have read several great reviews from other bloggers who read this book, so I was looking forward to it. I have to tell you that the audioversion fell a bit short for me though.

Michael and his younger brother Julian were raised at an orphanage in a remote community in North Carolina. When Michael flees the orphanage to make a life of his own, Julian stays on and is eventually adopted by a family that holds substantial political influence. Although Julian grows up with a privileged lifestyle, the ghosts of the Iron House orphanage will haunt him forever.

Michael starts his life over in New York City and finds himself in a lucrative career within the circle of organized crime. A life containing all of the crime and deceit can only last so long, and when it is over, it ends quickly. Michael eventually flees the city and returns to the only home he has ever known in a quest for answers. Little does he know that he will unravel secrets that were never meant to revealed from years ago.

So this audiobook had a great plot, but like I said, it just didn't measure up for me. I found my attention wandering quite often and although I was able to get caught up with the family drama between the two brothers, there were still parts of the book that I missed and just didn't understand certain parts of the storyline because of that. With themes family, love, and crime, this story may be of interest to fans of the thriller genre.

My Rating: 3/5

Disclosure: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday-Dec. 27

2011-12-27T07:09:00.001-06:00

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 All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson:
"No, but if you never let other people see that you're not, and you never admit to anything bad about yourself, then because they won't risk showing you that they are not perfect, they won't challenge you and they'll leave you alone and give you face. Anything less than perfect, though, means you will be treated accordingly."

pg. 26-27
***Please note that this is from an Advanced Reading Copy so the final printing may change.

2011 What's in a Name Challenge...Failure!

2011-12-26T11:52:00.001-06:00

So I finished this challenge in the nick of time last year, but I couldn't do a repeat performance for 2011. I am still thankful to Beth Fish Reads for hosting this challenge once again, and even though I didn't complete it this year I will probably sign up again for 2012. Here are the categories that were needed for the challenge this year and you should be able to click on the title of the book if you would like to read my review:

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
One Summer by David Baldacci--Completed 11/12/11

2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls--Completed 10/31/11

3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
No book read!!!

4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein--Completed 5/31/11

5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent--Completed 8/19/11

6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child
The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair--Completed 4/24/11

I'm not too bummed that I failed this challenge as I made a decision this year to read books for me, not to let review requests and challenges rule my reading decisions. I signed up for the challenge thinking that if I happen to read something that falls into a category then great...otherwise so what! I guess we will see if I do better next year!

2011 E-book Challenge Completed!

2011-12-23T08:15:00.002-06:00

I am pleased to announce that I have officially completed the e-book challenge that was hosted by The Ladybug Reads this year! I signed up to read 6 books on my Kindle this year and so far I have read 9. Here is what I have read so far:

1. Sweetie by Kathryn Magendie--Completed 2/6/2011
2. The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair--Completed 4/24/2011
3. They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti--Completed 5/2/2011
4. Too Jewish by Patty Friedmann--Completed 6/27/11
5. Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore--Completed 7/2/11
6. The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent--Completed 8/19/11
7. Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard--Completed 9/24/11
8. Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart--Completed 10/4/11
9. House Rules by Jodi Picoult--Completed 12/6/11
10. A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg--Completed 12/31/11

I always told people that even if I have a Kindle I will still read regular books, and I guess this proves it! If you are interested you can click on the title of the book for my review.

Teaser Tuesday-Dec. 20

2011-12-20T07:23:00.000-06:00

Mailbox Monday-Dec. 19

2011-12-19T09:14:00.001-06:00

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 see what everyone received over at the Let Them Read Books.

Here is what was in my mailbox recently:

Out of Oz by Gregory Maguire

The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck (audiobook)

I started listening to The Snow Angel right away as I had to go pick my daughter up from college last Friday. I am not quite done yet, but I can tell you that I love this audio! Glenn Beck must be a big softie to write such an emotional story!

Giveaway: Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

2011-12-16T07:49:00.001-06:00

There are many gifted and gracious authors out there and Michelle Moran is definitely one of them. In celebration of the release of the paperback edition of Madame Tussaud she is offering to give away one copy of this book and a pair of earrings! You can see a picture of the earrings below.

Here is a summary of Madame Tussaud from the author's website:
The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire…but who was this woman and how did she become one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous story comes to life as only Michelle Moran could tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin…

Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American Ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, and when word arrives that the royals themselves are coming to see their likenesses, Marie never dreams that the king’s sister will request her presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. Yet when a letter with a gold seal is delivered to her home, Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie becomes acquainted with her pupil, Princess Élisabeth, she is taken to meet both Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen, to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into to a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution…Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more importantly, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

And here are the earrings that the winner will also receive!

Now for the giveaway!

I will be giving away one paperback copy of this book.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

Review: The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley

2011-12-15T08:47:00.000-06:00

Here is a summary of the book from Walter Mosley's website:

At ninety-one years old, Ptolemy Grey is one of the world’s forgotten: by his family, by his friends, by even himself. Marooned in a cluttered Los Angeles apartment overflowing with mementos from his past, Ptolemy sinks deeper into lonely dementia and into a past that’s best left buried. He’s determined to pass the rest of his days with only his memories for company. Until, at his grandnephew’s funeral, he meets Robyn and experiences a seismic shift, in his head, his heart, and his life.

Seventeen and without a family of her own, Robyn is unlike anyone Ptolemy has ever known. She and Ptolemy form an unexpected bond that reinvigorates his world. Robyn will not tolerate the way he has allowed himself to live, skulking in and out of awareness barely long enough to cash his small pension checks, living in fear of his neighbors and the memories that threaten to swallow him. With Robyn’s help, Ptolemy moves from isolation back into the brightness of friendship and desire. But Robyn’s challenges also push Ptolemy to make a life-changing decision that will affect both of them: to recapture the clarity and vigor of his fading mind and unlock the secrets he has carried for decades.

Already an acclaimed and beloved literary voice, Walter Mosley charts new territory in the exploration of the complex tensions at the heart of race in America. A novel that explores the generosity of love, the influence of memory, and our human desire for connection, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is a contemporary classic.

My Review:
Mosley takes us on the end of life journey of Ptolemy Grey, as he is an elderly gentleman whose dementia is getting worse every day. With the book being narrated by Ptolemy we are given a front row seat to his confusion as his thoughts become more scattered. He finds more and more that his distant memories are beginning to be combined with his more current memories so he gets to the point where he is not sure if his memories are actually real.

Ptolemy had a nephew who came to help him with general needs every so often. They would go buy groceries, have lunch, cash his retirement checks, and whatever else might need to be done on any particular visit. Ptolemy can't help but become alarmed when this loving nephew is suddenly murdered. He loved this young man that took such good care of him, and what would become of him now?

At his nephew's funeral, Ptolemy is introduced to a young gal named Robyn, a young woman who appears to be fending for herself in this world, that one of Ptolemy's relatives has taken into their home. Ptolemy and Robin find something special in each other and make a connection that Ptolemy hasn't experienced in years. As he lets Robyn into his life a little more each day, she becomes more than a casual acquaintance, but also a dear friend who truly cares for him.

Things are about to change quickly for Ptolemy as a consultation with a social worker puts him on a path to meet a doctor that will help him with his memory problems. Will the ultimate sacrifice make everything worthwhile for Ptolemy to have vivid memories of his entire life? Ptolemy feels this is the direction that is necessary for him to leave a legacy for all of his loved ones.

This was a beautifully written novel that made me realize how frustrated my 89 year old Grandma must be in her body as she searches for words that came to her easily in the past. I admit that I get frustrated at times listening to the same stories over and over, but I guess this is her way of keeping her memories alive so who I am to put a kabash to that? With themes of race issues, elderly mistreatment, familial obligations, and friendship, this book has much to offer for a various array of readers.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me from the publisher through the Shelf Awareness Newsletter in exchange for an honest review.

Java With Jo

2011-12-14T07:45:00.000-06:00

Life has been kind of crazy the last couple of months, so if you haven't heard or seen much of me on the blogworld it's because of the numerous activities that I am trying to keep up with! You know that everything I participate in is optional, but it is just so much fun! I spent last weekend shopping with some friends in the Twin Cities and we had a marvelous time. Between all of the food, shopping, and fun, I was tuckered out by Sunday night. Did I mention that I also discovered a new Cinnabon location? Ya, I'm a happy camper!

And how about those Green Bay Packers this year! GO PACK GO!!! I also want to take this moment to extend my sympathies to all of the Vikings fans that are reading this. It really is too bad that you are cheering for the wrong team, again. he he

Last week I met with my book club to discuss House Rules by Jodi Picoult. What a great book that was and it definitely sparked an interesting discussion as Picoult tackles another controversial subject.

I am all done with my memoir writing workshop which was a great experience. I picked up some great tips from this class and now I just need to implement these skills into my daily life. Writing is tough and I know that I need to somehow practice my skills on a daily basis. I think I may have too many activities once again, that may prevent me from pursuing a writing project, so how do I decide what to cut back on when everything is so much fun?

Audiobook Review: One Summer by David Baldacci

2011-12-08T11:51:00.000-06:00

Title: One Summer

Author: David Baldacci

Narrators: Ron McClarty and Orlagh Cassidy

Unabridged Length: 8 hrs, 15 mn

Here is a summary of One Summer from the Hachette website:

It's almost Christmas, but there is no joy in the house of terminally ill Jack and his family. With only a short time left to live, he spends his last days preparing to say goodbye to his devoted wife, Lizzie, and their three children. Then, unthinkably, tragedy strikes again: Lizzie is killed in a car accident. With no one able to care for them, the children are separated from each other and sent to live with family members around the country. Just when all seems lost, Jack begins to recover in a miraculous turn of events. He rises from what should have been his deathbed, determined to bring his fractured family back together. Struggling to rebuild their lives after Lizzie's death, he reunites everyone at Lizzie's childhood home on the oceanfront in South Carolina. And there, over one unforgettable summer, Jack will begin to learn to love again, and he and his children will learn how to become a family once more.

My Review:
This novel is so unlike Baldacci's thrillers that we are accustomed to, but it is a welcome change for me. As an audiobook McClarty and Cassidy embraced the listeners by making me want to hear more every day I was in my car. Quite often when I am listening to a book I find that my attention does have a tendency to wander, but I don't think that happened once, and if I happened to miss something I had to rewind it to make sure I didn't miss a thing!

Jack is terminally ill with three children that need parental guidance at home. Knowing his time on earth is limited, he agrees with his mother-in-law as he watches his children being separated to live with various family members, while he lies alone in a hospice center just waiting to take his last breath. He ends up spending a lot of time in the hospice center when he not only lives longer than expected, but suddenly seems to recover. When he is finally given a clean bill of health months after his admittance, the doctors are amazed at the miracle that Jack seems to have spun.

At the hesitance of his family members, Jack is able to get his kids back together again and living with him. Not long after their reunion, when life seems to be getting back to some form of normalcy, the kids maternal great-grandmother passes away and leave a South Carolina beach home to Jack and his family. Jack is surprised that he was chosen to inherit this piece of property, but as a carpenter she figured that Jack is the one who would give the home the care that it needed.

So Jack, his kids, and his best friend Sammy, pack up all of their belongings to go investigate the beach property, that the family has always called 'The Castle'. When they arrive at the castle they are astonished to find The Castle is basically a dilapidated beach house, but the kids have hope that this will not be their permanent residence. Although things look rough on the surface, Jack sees the beautiful home that this could be once again.

A lot happens to Jack and his family during that summer at The Castle. For a bit Jack seems to lose himself in the construction projects, while his kids drift further away from him. When he finally realizes that his priorities are out of whack they all make some changes that bring them back to a family level. The only problem is that it may be too late for these changes.

This was a great audiobook, one that I think I enjoyed more than if I had actually read it. With themes of love, miracles, and family obligations, you will want to hear every word that is spoken. I do not hesitate in recommending this selection in the audioversion.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Dec. 7

2011-12-07T07:07:00.001-06:00

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!

Here are a couple of words I learned while reading the Kindle edition of House Rules by Jodi Picoult:
Bifurcation: A division into two branches; a forking.

Here is how bifurcation was used at location 1855 of 9574:
A bifurcation, then two ridges, then another bifurcation downward.

Dirge: a funeral song or tune, or one expressing mourning in commemoration of the dead.

Here is how dirge was used at location 2615 of 9574:
Maybe this is why funeral dirges are always in a minor key; being on the other side of dead isn't that different from having Asperger's.

Periorbital: of, relating to, occurring in, or being the tissues surrounding or lining the orbit of the eye.

Here is how periorbital was used at location 3018 of 9574:
"In addition to the scapes on her back and contusions on the throat and upper arms, there are some more in the periorbital region-"

This was a great book and I can't wait to discuss it with my book club tonight! Did you learn any new words lately?

New Author Challenge Completed!

2011-12-06T07:57:00.006-06:00

I'm pleased to announce that I have this challenge officially under my belt now also! Literary Escapism hosted this challenge again this year and I think I will definitely be looking forward to this one again next year! I signed up to read 25 new authors this year and as you can see from the list below I have surpassed that goal! You should be able to click on the title of the book if you are interested in reading my review:

1. Dolen Perkins-Valdez--Wench--Completed 1/6/2011
2. Chevy Stevens--Still Missing--Completed 1/12/2011
3. William Carmichael and David Lambert--The Missionary--Completed 1/14/2011
4. Nicholas Evans--The Brave--Completed 2/1/2011
5. Kathryn Magendie--Sweetie--Completed 2/6/2011
6. Eric Van Lustbader--The Bourne Objective--Completed 3/4/2011
7. Steve Martin--An Object of Beauty--Completed 3/17/2011
8. Brunonia Barry--The Map of True Places--Completed 3/23/2011
9. Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows--The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society--Completed 3/31/2011
10. Kamala Nair--The Girl in the Garden--Completed 4/24/2011
11. Cynthia Ruchti--They Almost Always Come Home--Completed 5/2/2011
12. Kate Atkinson--When Will There Be Good News--Completed 5/9/2011
13. Tom Franklin--Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter--Completed 5/23/2011
14. Alan Bradley--The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie--Completed 5/29/2011
15. Garth Stein--The Art of Racing in the Rain--Completed 5/31/2011
16. Ellen Bryson--The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno--Completed 6/15/11
17. Patty Friedmann--Too Jewish--Completed 6/27/11
18. Kristin Gore--Sweet Jiminy--Completed 7/2/11
19. Robert Vivian--Lamb Bright Saviors--Completed 7/25/11
20. Kathryn Stockett--The Help--Completed 8/7/11
21. Margaret Leroy--The Soldier's Wife--Completed 9/10/11
22. Sara Shepard--Everything We Ever Wanted--Completed 9/24/11
23. Ann Gabhart--Angel Sister--Completed 10/4/11
24. Tom McNeal--To Be Sung Underwater--Completed 10/7/11
25. Tom Perrotta--The Leftovers--Completed 10/31/11
26. Jeannette Walls--The Glass Castle--Completed 10/31/11
27. Walter Mosley--The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey--Completed 11/15/11
28. Emma Donaghue--Room--Completed 12/20/11
29. Glenn Beck--The Snow Angel--Completed 12/24/11
30. Duncan Jepson--All the Flowers in Shanghai--Completed 12/27/11
31. Fannie Flagg--A Redbird Christmas--Completed 12/31/11

I will keep adding to this list as I read more new authors for the remainder of the year.

Review: The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

2011-11-30T11:43:00.000-06:00

Here is a summary of The Glass Castle from Reading Group Guides:

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette's brilliant and charismatic father captured his children's imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn't want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered.

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing -- a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar, but loyal, family. Jeannette Walls has a story to tell, and tells it brilliantly, without an ounce of self-pity.

My Review:
First, I think that I have to tell you that I usually don't enjoy non-fiction, but this memoir was amazing! Walls gives us a glimpse as to what it was like growing up in a dysfunctional family, I mean honestly, if you thought your family was a bunch of mixed nuts you will feel much better after reading this book!

The Wall's family lived a wandering lifestyle, not wanting to settle in one place for too long. It seemed that when the kids were just getting accustomed to their new home, the parents would decide for whatever reason that it was time to pick up and move on. Knowing that they had to fit all of their belongings in the one car, and probably would not be returning to get anything left behind, the kids were allowed to choose only one or two items for the journey.

Jeannette's mother considered their gypsy lifestyle to be an adventure so she didn't like to stay in one place for any length of time. When Jeannette's grandmother passed away and left them a comfortable home in Phoenix, this probably marked the longest stretch of normalcy for the family. This of course would only last so long as the parents did not seem concerned with the upkeep and maintenance of the beautiful home that was left to them. Before too long they would be about to embark on another adventure to a new destination and home.

Adding to the family's dysfunctional attributes, Jeannette's father was an alcoholic. There were many times throughout this memoir where he had the choice to provide food for his family, or nurse his addiction, and the alcohol won the battle almost every time. It was very heartbreaking to watch these selfish parents as they nursed their personal dreams, goals, and addictions, while leaving these children to fend for themselves in almost every way.

I don't want to give away any more about this memoir, as I really believe that everyone should read it, although I may be the last blogger that has! It made a great book club discussion as all of the ladies in my group enjoyed this book. With themes of family, loyalty, and perseverance, this book will keep you up later as you will be hesitant to set back on the nightstand before going to sleep. I highly recommend this memoir!

My Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: This book was from my personal collection and I read it as a book club selection and for my own entertainment.

Teaser Tuesday- Nov. 29

2011-11-29T11:13:00.000-06:00

Current Giveaways!!!

2011-11-28T20:56:00.001-06:00

Here are some giveaways that I found out in blogland:

Bookin' With Bingo is giving away the audioversion of The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides. Contest ends 11/30.

So Many Precious Books, So Little Time is giving away The Greenhouse by Audur Ava Olafsdottir. Contest ends 12/7.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away Come Back to Me by Melissa Foster. Contest ends 12/17.

If I missed your giveaway please feel free to leave the link in the comment section below.

Have a great week everyone!

Winner of Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard!

2011-11-27T11:30:00.000-06:00

I am very happy to announce that the winner of Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard is .....

Congratulations Ti! I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information so I can get this sent out to you right away. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and entering the contest!

Review: Testimony by Anita Shreve

2011-11-22T07:01:00.001-06:00

Here is a summary of Testimony from the Hachette website:

At a New England boarding school, a sex scandal is about to break. Even more shocking than the sexual acts themselves is the fact that they were caught on videotape. A Pandora's box of revelations, the tape triggers a chorus of voices--those of the men, women, teenagers, and parents involved in the scandal--that details the ways in which lives can be derailed or destroyed in one foolish moment.

Writing with a pace and intensity surpassing even her own greatest work, Anita Shreve delivers in TESTIMONY a gripping emotional drama with the impact of a thriller. No one more compellingly explores the dark impulses that sway the lives of seeming innocents, the needs and fears that drive ordinary men and women into intolerable dilemmas, and the ways in which our best intentions can lead to our worst transgressions.

My Review:
I admit to being a fan of Anita Shreve, but I have to tell you that I had some reservations about this novel after reading so many mixed reviews. It seems that this was a book that people either loved or hated, and I can now be added to the side of people that loved this novel. I am thinking that it is the subject matter of the sex scandal in a private school that caused so many people to be turned off by this novel, but I find this to be a realistic probability and although it wasn't fun to read at times, I found that I couldn't put the book down.

Every chapter of this novel alternates to various characters throughout the book. I usually enjoy books that are written in this format, so this one is not an exception. I think my only complaint about this book is that we are given the perspective of maybe too many characters for my taste. Sometimes at the beginning of a chapter I would have to stop and think about who was narrating and how that specific person was affected by the scandal.

The sex scandal involves a few students of the private high school that come from various walks of life. One is a nice local boy, another is a sharp young man that has already been accepted to a prestigious college, while another is not quite as bright as he had to repeat a year. The older student is able to provide them with alcohol for the evening and for some reason events just spin out of control.

Shreve does a beautiful job of unraveling this disturbing tale that takes us through the events that lead up to the incident. I love the human element of the emotions and feelings of all who were involved and effected by the mistakes that these kids made.

I don't think I can tell you any more about this story without giving too much away so I am going to leave it at that. Even though I know many people have not liked this book, I really believe that it would make a great book club discussion. With themes of deceit, mistakes, and justice, this book could spark quite an interesting discussion.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book came from my personal collection and I read it for my own entertainment.

What Are You Reading?

2011-11-21T07:06:00.000-06:00

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is an ARC that has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time. I just loved this book and have been taking a couple of days to compile my thoughts for a review. Watch for it coming soon!

And what I've started reading on my Kindle:

My book club selection for November is House Rules by Jodi Piccoult. I like this one so far, my only criticism at this point is that the cover does not fit the book!

What's next?

Ok, I'm not positive about this one but I am leaning towards picking up Room by Emma Donaghue. This is another ARC that has been collecting dust on my shelves. I'm trying really hard to not participate in any blog tours or accept any more ARC's until I make a dent in the pile of older ones. Of course that only works until I receive a new Shelf Awareness Newsletter!

2011 Audiobook Challenge Completed!

2011-11-17T07:30:00.005-06:00

Well it looks like I have another challenge under my belt! This time it's the 2011 Audiobook Challenge that was hosted by Theresa's Reading Corner. About five years ago we moved to a more rural location that required me to have a longer commute to work. So I figured if I was going to be spending 30-45 minutes in my car every day, I might as well start listening to audiobooks! I will tell you that I am so glad that I started doing this! Since I've never been able to be a very fast reader at least I have been able to experience more books since I started listening to them.

I signed up for the addicted level, which required me to listen to at least 12 audiobooks and here is what I have listened to so far:

1. Still Missing by Chevy Stevens--Completed 1/12/2011
2. The Brave by Nicholas Evans--Completed 2/1/2011
3. The Bourne Objective by Eric Van Lustbader--Completed 3/4/2011
4. An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin--Completed 3/17/2011
5. A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnday--Completed 3/31/2011
6. Gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson--Completed 4/15/2011
7. When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson--Completed 5/9/2011
8. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley--Completed 5/29/2011
9. The Good Guy by Dean Koontz--Completed 6/10/11
10. Love Over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith--Completed 7/1/11
11. The Camel Club by David Baldacci--Completed 8/2/11
12. Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand--Completed 9/6/11
13. To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal--Completed 10/7/11
14. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta--Completed 10/31/11
15. One Summer by David Baldacci--Completed 11/12/11
16. Iron House by John Hart--Completed 12/14/11
17. The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck--Completed 12/24/11

You should be able to click on the title if my review has been posted already. I hope to keep adding titles to this post as I keep listening to books throughout the rest of the year. I can't wait to see how many I actually finish with!

Audiobook Review: The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta

2011-11-16T12:15:00.000-06:00

Title: The Leftovers

Author: Tom Perrotta

Narrator: Dennis Boutsikaris

Unabridged Length: approx. 11 hrs.

Here is a summary from the Macmillan website:
What if—whoosh, right now, with no explanation—a number of us simply vanished? Would some of us collapse? Would others of us go on, one foot in front of the other, as we did before the world turned upside down?

That’s what the bewildered citizens of Mapleton, who lost many of their neighbors, friends and lovers in the event known as the Sudden Departure, have to figure out. Because nothing has been the same since it happened—not marriages, not friendships, not even the relationships between parents and children.

Kevin Garvey, Mapleton’s new mayor, wants to speed up the healing process, to bring a sense of renewed hope and purpose to his traumatized community. Kevin’s own family has fallen apart in the wake of the disaster: his wife, Laurie, has left to join the Guilty Remnant, a homegrown cult whose members take a vow of silence; his son, Tom, is gone, too, dropping out of college to follow a sketchy prophet named Holy Wayne. Only Kevin’s teenaged daughter, Jill, remains, and she’s definitely not the sweet “A” student she used to be. Kevin wants to help her, but he’s distracted by his growing relationship with Nora Durst, a woman who lost her entire family on October 14th and is still reeling from the tragedy, even as she struggles to move beyond it and make a new start.

With heart, intelligence and a rare ability to illuminate the struggles inherent in ordinary lives, Tom Perrotta has written a startling, thought-provoking novel about love, connection and loss.

My Review:
What an interesting book this was that sets us in a town after a portion of it's citizens have disappeared. The people that were left behind struggle with reasons as to why they weren't taken and where exactly the missing people went. They were here one second and gone the next...but gone where?

Kevin is the mayor of Mapleton and although his family weathered the Sudden Departure, it definitely left them all broken in their own way. Kevin's wife Laurie does not think that the way they are living is benefiting society, so she joins a group that believes they are fulfilling a greater purpose. His son Tom was in college when the Departure took place, so after losing half of his classmates to this event, he withdrew from school to follow an odd character who also thought had all the answers. Kevin's high school daughter Jill still lives at home, along with her best friend that moved in, but high school has been elevated to a new level since the Departure.

We follow all of these characters lives throughout the novel, as we get a closer look at their hopes and fears. They are all trying to move on with their lives, but find themselves stalled as there is so much uncertainty in the world where they live. Half of the population is gone and who is to say that the rest of us won't be gone tomorrow?

There is so much to contemplate within this novel and I really feel that I shouldn't disclose any more about it that would ruin the story for you. I love stories that make me stop and think, "How would I react in this situation?" That is the type of book this is and the narrator did a great job of keeping the listener's attention. With themes of end times, forgiveness, love and redemption, this book will give the reader or listener plenty to ponder long after you have turned the last page or listened to the last track.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me through the Audiobook Jukebox reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.

Mailbox Monday-Nov. 14

2011-11-14T13:36:00.000-06:00

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 see what everyone received over at the Mailbox Monday Blog.

Here is what was in my mailbox:

How Clarissa Burden Learned to Fly by Connie May Fowler

Well that's all that was in my mailbox last week. I'm kind of thankful that I only received the one book, because I am getting a bit stressed out trying to fit everything into my day! There are so many things that I want to accomplish lately and only so much time available.

Teaser Tuesday-Nov. 8

2011-11-07T07:17:00.000-06:00

What Are You Reading?

2011-11-07T07:07:00.000-06:00

Last week I finished reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. This was actually our last book club selection and I can confidently tell you that all of the ladies enjoyed this book. You will have to watch for my review of this one.

Reading now:

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley has been on my review pile for close to a year. In an effort to get caught up with some of my ARC's I picked this one up. Although it is sad, it is also a very good story.

Next up:

For the month of November my book club has chosen House Rules by Jodi Picoult. I have only read a couple of Picoult's books, but have enjoyed them both so I am looking forward to this one.

That is what my reading agenda looks like. How about you? What are you looking forward to immersing yourself into this week?

Review: Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart

2011-11-03T07:24:00.001-05:00

Here is a summary of Angel Sister from the author's website:

It is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine, works hard to keep her family together. Her father slowly slips into alcoholism and his business suffers during the Great Depression. As her mother tries to come to grips with their situation and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to any problems, it is Kate who must shoulder the emotional load. Who could imagine that a dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what the Merritts need?

This richly textured novel reveals the power of true love, the freedom of forgiveness, and the strength to persevere through troubled times. Multidimensional characters face real and trenchant problems while maintaining their family bonds, all against the backdrop of a sultry Kentucky summer.

My Review:
When this book was chosen as a book club selection, not one of us ladies realized that it was actually Christian fiction. Although I am a Christian, I have found that much Christian fiction I read just ends up being a bit too unrealistic for my taste. I can tell you that most of the ladies in my group loved this novel, while my final thoughts tend to be a bit more reserved.

Although I didn't enjoy this story as much as the other ladies, I did find appreciation within the story itself. We are brought to a small community in Kentucky during the Great Depression to follow the lives of the Merritt family. We are shown glimpses of past events that all of the family members have been avoiding, but now realize that they must confront these demons if their lives are going to continue without hurting one another.

Victor and Nadine fell in love long ago, and it was very touching as they both reflected on their love and lives together as they were struggling to keep their marriage intact. They were so young and in love that I don't think either one of them realized how they got to this place in their marriage where they no longer recognized each other. But Nadine kept her faith in the Lord and her husband and once Victor admitted to Nadine that he needed help, she embraced him and offered him her support.

Kate is the middle sister of the Merritt family and for some reason has taken the weight of the family's problems on her own shoulders. When Kate discovers a young girl that appears to be left on the church doorstep her motherly instincts take over and she takes young Lorena Birdsong under her wing. When Kate brings Lorena home everyone is smitten with her, but little do they know the fight that is ahead of them if they intend to try to offer a home to her in the future. This little girl's presence within the Merritt household ignites a tenacity within the household that is needed if they are going to stay together.

I don't want to give away any more of the story in the event that you read it yourself. As I indicated earlier, I did enjoy the story but there were snippets of the writing I did not enjoy. The book is told in third person, but every now and then a phrase was in there that was from a first person viewpoint. I also had a problem with the timeline throughout the novel. Very often a character was reflecting on past events and I found that the flow from past to present to be confusing. I found myself having to stop reading once and awhile and go back over the last couple of pages just to be sure I was following the story correctly.

Besides my few problems with this novel, I did find enjoyment from reading it. The ladies in my book club loved it and it created great discussions with themes of love, forgiveness, war, and familial relationships.

My Rating: 3/5

Disclosure: This book is from my personal collection and I read it as a book club selection.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Nov. 2

2011-11-02T07:17:00.000-05:00

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!

Here are a couple of new words that I learned while reading The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls:

Gypsum: a colourless or white mineral sometimes tinted by impurities, found in beds as an evaporite. It is used in the manufacture of plaster of Paris, cement, paint, school chalk, glass, and fertilizer.

Here is how gypsum was used on page 19:
Dad would get a job as an electrician or engineer in a gypsum or copper mine.

Centrifugal: moving or directed outward from the center.

Here is how centrifugal was used on page 74:
They'd stick their heads into her classroom and see the students playing tag and throwing erasers while Mom was up front, spinning like a top and letting pieces of chalk fly from her hands to demonstrate centrifugal force.

Well that is it for my new words this week...did you come across anything new? I can't believe I've never heard of gypsum before! First time for everything I guess!

Winners of my Blogiversary Contest!

2011-11-01T07:28:00.002-05:00

I have 3 winners to share with you all today! First of all, the winner of the $20 Amazon gift card is....

amandadawk

And the runners up who get their choice of books are:

petite

stacybuckeye

Congratulations to the winners!

Mailbox Monday-Oct. 31

2011-10-31T07:18:00.000-05:00

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 Savvy Verse and Wit so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!

I only received one book in my mailbox this week:

The World We Found by Thrity Umrigar

I haven't read anything by Umrigar yet, so I am looking forward to this one! How about you...any surprises in your mailbox?

Audiobook Review: To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal

2011-10-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

Title: To Be Sung Underwater
Author: Tom McNeal
Narrator: Susan Boyce
Unabridged Length: 15 hrs, 15 mn.

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

Judith Whitman always believed in the kind of love that "picks you up in Akron and sets you down in Rio." Long ago, she once experienced that love. Willy Blunt was a carpenter with a dry wit and a steadfast sense of honor. Marrying him seemed like a natural thing to promise. But Willy Blunt was not a person you could pick up in Nebraska and transport to Stanford. When Judith left home, she didn't look back.

Twenty years later, Judith's marriage is hazy with secrets. In her hand is what may be the phone number for the man who believed she meant it when she said she loved him. If she called, what would he say?

TO BE SUNG UNDERWATER is the epic love story of a woman trying to remember, and the man who could not even begin to forget.

My Review:
When this audiobook starts out, it seems that Judith is unhappy with the direction that her life has taken her. She appears to have a beautiful family after marrying her college sweetheart and having a lovely daughter. But after suspecting that her husband is having an affair she can't help but wonder if she passed up her one chance for true love long ago.

Although this story takes place in present day, Judith reflects back on her teenage years when she met young Willy Blunt. We find out how her relationship with her parents helped to shape her into the person that she has become. After her parents divorce, Judith seems to lose touch with her mother when it seems that living with her father would be in her best interests.

It is during the time that Judith is living with her father when paths cross with Willy. They fall in love at such a young age and while Willy seems to already have a life for himself in a small town, Judith is thinking about college and where that life may take her. She just isn't sure if she can live with herself if she doesn't move forward to a prospective future.

I don't want to give any more of this audiobook away, but I will tell you that Judith was not happy with the person that she has become. It seemed to me that she even tried to reinvent herself, which was a part of the story that I just did not understand and found a bit unnecessary. But Judith finds that she must confront her past and accept the decisions that she has made in order to move on with her life.

This audiobook was narrated by Susan Boyce, who I feel did not attribute much to the story itself. As I was listening to the story I thought to myself several times that this may be a book that I would have enjoyed actually "reading" rather than listening to. Overall I did enjoy this novel with themes of true love, secrets, and family obligations.

My Rating: 3/5

Disclosure: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday-Oct. 25

2011-10-25T07:19:00.000-05:00

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 Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls:
Mom had read somewhere that mayonnaise was good for our hair, and the morning the photographer was coming to school, she slathered a few spoonfuls on mine. She didn't realize you were supposed to wash out the mayonnaise, and in the picture that year I was peering out from under one stiff shingle of hair.

pg. 76

Winners of The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent!

2011-10-24T15:11:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited to share with you all the winners of the Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent!

First of all, the winner of both The Heretic's Daughter and The Traitor's Wife is.....

Leslie

And then I also have two more lucky winners that have won a copy of The Traitor's Wife:

Beachreader

traveler

Congratulation to all of the winners and thank you to all who stopped by to enter! I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward to the publisher.

Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard

2011-10-20T07:13:00.001-05:00

First of all I need to thank Trish once again from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour. Isn't the cover of this book beautiful? I must admit to you that even though I hate Fall, I would love to be walking down this lane with the leaves crunching under my feet. I'm even giving a copy of this book away at the end of this post.

Here is a summary of the novel from the Harper Collins website:
A recently widowed mother of two, Sylvie Bates-McAllister finds her life upended by a late-night phone call from the headmaster of the prestigious private school founded by her grandfather where her adopted son Scott teaches. Allegations of Scott's involvement in a hazing scandal cause a ripple effect, throwing the entire family into chaos. For Charles, Sylvie's biological son, it dredges up a ghost from the past who is suddenly painfully present. For his wife Joanna, it forces her to reevaluate everything she's hoped for in the golden Bates-McAllisters. And for Scott, it illuminates harsh truths about a world he has never truly felt himself a part of.

But for all the Bates-McAllisters, the call exposes a tangled web of secrets that ties the family together: the mystery of the school hazing, the event that tore Charles and Scott apart the night of their high school awards ceremony, and the intended recipient of a certain bracelet. The quest to unravel the truth takes the family on individual journeys across state lines, into hospitals, through the Pennsylvania woods, and face-to-face with the long-dormant question: what if the life you always planned for and dreamed of isn't what you want after all?

My Review:
This story brings us into the lives of a privileged American family as they are struggling to try to hold onto the life that they know. Sylvie was fortunate enough to inherit her grandfather's mansion early on in her marriage, but I don't think that she realized how this windfall would impact her family life. Her grandfather worked hard building the family business and making a name for himself and was quite an asset to the local community. When the private high school was about to shut down, he bailed them out, resulting in becoming the lead shareholder from the endeavor.

It seemed to me that the family's involvement with the private school, Swithin, was where many of the problems unfolded for this family. Sylvie always said that if it weren't for her grandfather, Swithin would not even be here today. She finds herself becoming troubled when she hears of how her grandfather treated the less privileged people in their community. She has to come to terms with the fact that her grandfather was not the upstanding citizen that she always thought.

As Sylvie is dealing with the new revelations about her grandfather, she is also still mourning the loss of her husband. It hasn't been that long since he passed away in such a quick and swift manner, and it seemed that they left so many things unspoken and unanswered. Sylvie had suspected that he was having an affair but she really had no idea who he was seeing or even the extent of their relationship.

Sylvie's sons seemed to have suffered the most growing up under the McAllister name. Scott was adopted by the Bates-McAllister's at a young age and their father seemed to show more love and understanding to him than to their older son Charles. This created turmoil between the two brothers throughout their lives that they never seemed to be able to overcome. All of their relationships are pushed to the boiling point during a high school celebration when Scott uncovers a secret that leaves their relationships torn and tattered.

After that high school blow out all of the family members just seem to be living life day to day, without plans of improving themselves or moving on in any way. It was so sad to see this family stuck in a kind of limbo that wouldn't allow them to experience any happiness. When Scott finds himself the center of an investigation at the Swithin private school, each of the family members start to evaluate their lives and the events that have happened since that long ago afternoon. Confronting the past and their own demons will help each of them move on to being the people that they really want to be.

This was a good story, but there was something within the pages that I just didn't love. It certainly isn't a feel good book, but that has not prevented me from enjoying stories in the past. Maybe it was the fact that I have always believed that if you just give children whatever they want in life, you are helping them to fail. This family obviously had everything handed to them on a silver platter, and their lives may have looked fine and dandy from the outside, but from the inside they were being ripped to shreds. I only touched on a few of the relationship issues that were apparent in this novel, but even though I didn't love it, I still think that this novel would make a good book club discussion with themes of families, secrets, and revelations.

My Rating: 3/5

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

Now for the giveaway!
I will be giving away one trade paperback copy of this book to give away.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

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 November 10th to enter and I will draw for a winner on or after November 11th.

Good luck Everyone!

**This giveaway is closed.**

My Blogiversary Giveaway!

2011-10-19T07:39:00.000-05:00

I'm so happy to share with everyone that this week marks three years that I have been blogging and sharing my thoughts about all of the books that I read. When I think back to that first post so long ago, I must admit that I really didn't know what was in store for me. I can tell you that everyone in the blogging community has been amazing! I am thankful to all of you-readers, publishers, fellow bloggers, authors, and publicists. Blogs would mean nothing without any of you!

I know that since I started my new job in March I haven't had the opportunity to visit many of your blogs as often as I would like. Rest assured that I do make it over there eventually, even if it is a delayed arrival! I have been trying to do a little housekeeping over here at Jo-Jo Loves to Read!!! I'm working on cleaning up my blogroll by deleting some links that just aren't there any longer, and updating the actual link address for those of you that changed where your blog is actually located. I actually even stopped following a few blogs that didn't have any activity within the last year. Harsh, I know, but changes need to be made!

I'm planning on starting a writing workshop this week to hopefully help me compile my thoughts in a more organized manner. Sometimes I read what I posted at a later date and say to myself "What were you thinking!" Maybe I will even share with all of you the progress that I make with this workshop.

In celebration of the occasion today I think it is only appropriate to have a GIVEAWAY! Fun, fun, fun!

The 1st place winner will win a $20 gift card from Amazon!

The 2nd and 3rd place winners will have their choice of one of the following gently read ARC's from my shelf:

The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry

Guernica by Dave Boling

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

The Life O'Reilly by Brian Cohen

Well I think this is a pretty good assortment of books for the giveaway. So here is how you can enter:
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 October 27th to enter and I will draw for winners on or after October 28th. I'm making this a short giveaway so whoever wins the Amazon gift card can take advantage of the specials that are offered through Harper this month. You can find out more about that here.

Good luck everyone!

October E-Book Specials From Harper!

2011-10-18T07:37:00.000-05:00

Did you all know that all of these E-Books are available through the month of October for only $2.99? This is a fabulous price and I personally will be jumping on this bargain! Harper is running this special in honor of National Reading Month and you can find out more about how you can participate in this event here.

I also suggest heading over to Book Club Girl to see how she is helping to celebrate this event!

And just an FYI, these books are available from Amazon, B&N, the ibookstore, the Google bookstore, and from all indies that sell e-books through Google. Happy shopping!

Mailbox Monday-Oct. 17

2011-10-17T07:20:00.000-05:00

GO PACK GO!!!!!!

Another win under the belt of the Packers...Woohoo!!!! Anyway, on to the mailbox!

The Things We Cherished by Pam Jenoff

I'm kind of excited to only have received one book in the mail as I am planning on catching up on some of the review copies that I already have. I've made a decision not to accept any more review requests for the rest of this year, or even participate in blog tours. This should help me get back on track anyway. So how about you? Was there anything fun in your mailbox?

Audiobook Review: Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

2011-10-13T08:04:00.000-05:00

Title: Silver Girl
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Narrators: Janet Metzger, Marianne Fraulo
Unabridged Length: 14 hrs, 28 mn.

Here is a summary of Silver Girl from the Hachette website:
Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing - because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars.

Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie's had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can't offer complete escape, and they're plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie's brother Toby - Meredith's high school boyfriend - arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.

Set against the backdrop of a Nantucket summer, Elin Hilderbrand delivers a suspenseful story of the power of friendship, the pull of love, and the beauty of forgiveness.

My Review:
This is the second Hilderbrand novel that I have listened to as an audiobook, so can I just start by saying that I really would love to spend a summer vacation in Nantucket! Whether her characters are living in a beautiful mansion or a rustic cabin, Hilderbrand brings out the dynamics of family and friends in a way that makes my heart yearn for more.

Meredith and Connie had a rift in their friendship years ago, but when Meredith finds she has no-one else to turn to, she takes a chance by escaping from her trauma with the only person that hasn't shunned her. As Connie is getting ready to spend the summer in her beautiful Nantucket home, she invites Meredith to join her. Since Connie has still been mourning the loss of her husband, she is nervous about all the publicity that could come along with her new roommate so they try to keep Meredith's presence known from as many people as possible.

There is still tension between Meredith and Connie as their broken friendship never really had a chance to recover earlier on. While both of these women are dealing with their own demons and issues, they must once again learn to trust and confide in each other so they both can move on with their lives. The men they both loved and trusted have been ripped away from them and it seems that they need to come to terms with their lives and friendship before they can open their hearts again.

As both of these women come to terms with their lives, we find out exactly how they got to the place that has caused so much turmoil. Meredith recalls periods of her life with Freddy and even though she fell in love with him, she slowly learns that most of Freddy's attention to her was just a front to get him further ahead with his investors. Connie misses and loves her husband, but she can't seem to stop blaming herself for his death and the fractured relationship that she has with her daughter. Since Meredith and Connie both feel alone in their misery they really do not have any other choice than to seek comfort from each other.

I love novels that show how important it is to have strong female relationships. With themes of love, friends, heartbreak, and loss this novel really does have a lot to offer. And within the story Connie even gives Meredith a couple of cooking lessons that leave you salivating! I would have loved to read this book while lounging on a beach somewhere, but I also think it would make a great book club selection.

My Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Oct. 12

2011-10-12T07:52:00.000-05:00

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!

Here are a few new words I learned while reading Testimony by Anita Shreve:

Paroxysmal: any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion.

Here is how paroxysmal was used on page 6:
Mike closed his eyes, not wanting to watch this particular boy have his own paroxysmal seizure.

Raconteur: a person who is skilled in relating stories and anecdotes interestingly.

Here is how raconteur was used on page 63:
Owen was a raconteur and could hold forth on any number of topics.

Provenance: place or source of origin.

Here is how provenance was used on page 93:
Back in his den, Mike stood up from the couch, intending to retrieve the small cassette from the movie camera and then to summon Arlene and Kasia to his office so that he could question them about the provenance of the tape.

Phalanx: a number of individuals, especially persons united for a common purpose.

Here is how phalanx was used on page 116:
When January 21 rolls around in about a month's time, there will be a phalanx of media trucks parked on the quad, and reporters will be interviewing every student willing to talk to them.

Well I must say that this is quite an abundance of new words that I have learned from this book so far, and I'm only halfway through it!

Teaser Tuesday-Oct. 11

2011-10-11T07:50:00.000-05:00

What Are You Reading?

2011-10-10T07:28:00.000-05:00

Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart was our latest book club selection. I finished this novel on Tuesday night and our group met on Wednesday night to discuss it. I will be posting my review later, but I can tell you that most of the ladies in my group loved this one. I, on the other hand, did not love this one as it seemed just a bit "too sweet" for me.

So I decided to start reading this one:

Anita Shreve is one of my favorite authors and after just reading Angel Sister, I think that Testimony is just what the doctor ordered. I love how Shreve doesn't sugar coat her stories and this one sure delivers a punch right off the bat.

Next up will be:

My next book club selection is The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. I figure I better get an early start on this one because it looks like it's going to be a pretty tense read.

Well that is what's keeping me busy lately. I'm hoping to go see The Help in the next day or so with a couple of friends. My devastating news last week was that I was informed that Club Read has been cancelled. Man, I am just sooo bummed about this. Do you know how much I was looking forward to attending my very first book event? Well, it looks like it won't happen for at least another year now. Oh well, Lord knows I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime!

Historical Fiction Challenge Completed!

2011-10-07T08:04:00.003-05:00

I am pleased to announce that I have completed the Historical Fiction Challenge this year that was hosted by Historical Tapestry!

I signed up for the challenge intending to read at least 5 historical fiction novels and as of today's date I have surpassed that goal. If I happen to read more novels that fit into this challenge I will add the titles to this post. You should be able to click on the title below to read my review if you are interested. Here are the books that I read for the challenge:

1. Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez--Completed 1/6/2011
2. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran--Completed 3/4/2011
3. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows--Completed 3/31/2011
4. Too Jewish by Patty Friedmann--Completed 6/27/11
5. Dreams of Joy by Lisa See--Completed 7/17/11
6. The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent--Completed 8/19/11
7. The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy--Completed 9/10/11
8. All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson--Completed 12/27/11

So even though I am concerned that I may not be able to finish one or two other challenges, at least this one is under my belt! Did you happen to join this challenge or read any of the books I have listed here? I am curious to hear how you are coming along in the challenge or what you thought of these titles. I have to admit to you that I loved all of these books!

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-10-05T07:07:00.003-05:00

Here is a summary of the book from Kathryn Stockett's website:

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women--mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends--view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.

My Review:
This was such a wonderful story and I am so glad that I waited to read it as a book club selection, because I know that all of the ladies loved this novel so it is sure to be an eventful evening! The story is told from the perspective of three different women in Jackson, Mississippi, when segregation in other parts of the United States is coming to an end, it is alive and in full force in Jackson.

Miss Skeeter is one of our narrators who is an aspiring journalist that recently finished her college education. A small door is opened for Miss Skeeter as she is offered to write a column for the local newspaper. Although this is a step in the right direction she has so many more dreams for her writing career. She just doesn't think those dreams will ever be realized if she can't ever get out of Jackson. Skeeter has more liberal views than most of her family and friends so quite often she finds herself not being invited to social gatherings and before you know it is considered an outcast. Her friends' attitudes help to spark the idea for a project that will get out the stories of the negro population in Jackson that will show the truth to the entire country.

Aibileen is a maid that works for a close friend of Skeeters and happens to be the first person that Skeeter turns to for help in her project. Knowing that they could get in a heap of trouble Aibileen is hesitant to become involved in this endeavor as people have been beaten and killed for doing things much less threatening. Aibileen is a strong woman with an amazing heart who lives alone as her son was killed in a terrible accident years ago. I don't think that anyone could help but love Aibleen's character.

Minny is another maid who is also a good friend of Aibileen's. Minny is another fabulous character who is an amazing woman but cannot seem to hold onto a job because her sassy mouth usually intervenes. She is a hoot as she just tells things like they are. Minny is especially nervous about helping out Skeeter as most of Jackson already has her blackballed because of her behavior.

There are some strong women that really put themselves out there for a cause that they truly believe in. Skeeter earns the confidence of not only Aibleen and Minny, but also many of their friends. As Skeeter makes choices both about her project and where her life is leading, she cuts herself off more from her lifelong friends. Before you know it the only friends that Skeeter has left are the women that are helping her with her project. Everyone else has deserted her, which only gives her more courage to do what she is doing.

This book gives us a glimpse of what it was like for the negro population during this difficult time for our country. We are all human beings and no-one deserves to be treated like a second class citizen. With themes of civil rights, courage, and friendship this book has so much to offer. I honestly believe that every book club out there, male or female, young or old, should read this novel as it has something to offer for everyone! I highly recommend this novel.

My Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: This book is from my personal collection and I read it for my own entertainment.

You can read more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Theme Thursday...on Tuesday!

2011-10-04T07:09:00.001-05:00

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 sorry/forgiveness and I found something that fits the bill while reading Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart:
Instead he had reached out to Kate with gentleness and forgiveness. Two things Nadine had not often seen in her father. Nadine wondered if he knew why Kate had asked for forgiveness.
pg. 189

Well I have to admit that I didn't get very far in reading this book on my day off yesterday. Hopefully I get it done before book club tomorrow night!

Mailbox Monday-Oct. 3

2011-10-03T09:29:00.000-05:00

Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shephard

Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos

The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

The Descendants was actually an unexpected surprise, but hey, I'm not sending it back! And since I already read Everything We Ever Wanted on my Kindle you can look forward to me giving this copy away when I post my review on October 20th.

Well I really need to try to get some reading done today as our book club meets on Wednesday and I'm not even halfway through our book...Yikes!

Java With Jo

2011-09-29T07:25:00.000-05:00

Well life has certainly been busy this Fall for our household! Things seem to be settling down to a sense of normalcy after we brought my daughter back to college earlier in the month. Our puppy has even been doing better with her potty training...Thank You Lord! Princess Isabella...AKA 'Izzy', is now 6 months old and she is such a little sweetie. She is a morkie and I must admit that I really wasn't expecting her to have quite so much attitude. I think that our older dog Scarlett is enjoying having the opportunity to put her in her place though.

Our ladies bowling season is underway and my scores have once again been all over the place. I just started using my new ball last week so I'm hoping that will make a difference for me. I can already tell how much less effort it takes when you use a ball that has been drilled specifically for you.

On the reading front, I am soooo looking forward to attending Club Read next month! I get to meet some great authors and also some bloggers that I already feel that I have a friendship with. It will be so nice to finally meet some of these ladies in person! For some reason I felt that I have been reading more this year than last, but when I compared the 100+ Reading Challenge from last year to this year, I am at about the very same spot. I just don't think that I am meant to read 100 books within one year at this time of my life. That's ok...I will keep track of what I have read and that will be it!

I just realized that I am up to date on my scheduled reviews and blog tours! Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of ARC's on my shelf at home that are awaiting reviews, but nothing scheduled! After I am done with my current book club selection, I may have to wander to my book shelf and pick up a book just for kicks! Doesn't that sound like fun?

Well that is what I have been up to. It may not seem like much, but some weeks it seems that I only have one night without an obligation! So what has been keeping you busy this Fall?

Review: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy

2011-09-28T07:51:00.001-05:00

Here is a summary of The Soldier's Wife from the Goodreads website:

A novel full of grand passion and intensity, The Soldier's Wife asks "What would you do for your family?" "What should you do for a stranger?" and "What would you do for love?"

As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship and her family safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.

My Review:
I can't tell you how thrilled I was to receive this ARC in the mail. After reading a previous novel that took place during the German Occupation on the Island of Guernsey, I couldn't wait to return there through the pages of The Soldier's Wife. We follow Vivienne's life during this hard time after making a life-changing decision to stay on the Island when so many others are fleeing.

Vivienne lives in a more rural area of Guernsey, but not far from a village that contains all of their basic needs. Since her husband has joined the army and has left to fight against the Germans, she finds herself having to spend all of her energy and strength over the next couple of years to care for her aging mother-in-law and her two young daughters. I found admiration in my heart for Vivienne as she raises these girls, one on the verge of becoming a young lady, during such turbulent times. Raising children is a hard job and I can only imagine what it would be like without the support of a husband and father by your side. Not only for emotional needs, but for basic survival needs as well.

The Germans take over the Island in such a brutal and swift manner that leaves many fatalities including some of her close friends. Once the Germans have control Vivienne seems to be unsure of the intentions of this enemy, as she sees many of them shopping in the same stores that she shops, and some even dating friends of her teenage daughter. This seems to send a mixed message to Vivienne and as she has problems understanding where her loyalty actually lies.

Since many of the Island residents have deserted their homes in a search for safety, it is easy for the Germans to find random houses to occupy during this period of time. It just so happens that the home right next to Vivienne's becomes occupied by a squad of German soldiers. As she catches glimpses of these soldiers from time to time she seems to let down her guard against them as she is able to see that they are actually human just like her. Before you know it she develops a special friendship with Gunther, a German captain, and they begin to count on each other for companionship.

I must admit to you that when I first started this book I was not appreciating the story that was unfolding before me. But then I realized that although I didn't enjoy the premise of the novel, I couldn't put it down! I let my mind explore what this situation would be like for a young woman caring for an elderly woman and two young children. A person does what one needs to do in order to survive, even if it is seeking solitude and comfort from the most unlikely of strangers.

This novel turned out to be so much more than I expected it to be. Vivienne must find the strength and courage to do things that put both her reputation and her life at risk. Some readers may find that many of her actions were wrong, but when it counted, she did what needed to be done. I found myself enjoying this novel, although it did leave me a bit unsettled, but I feel that good books will do that to you from time to time. With themes of love, courage, war, and perseverance I believe that this book would be great for a book club discussion or for personal leisure.

Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program.

You can check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Teaser Tuesday-Sep. 27

2011-09-27T07:21:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday-Sep. 26

2011-09-26T07:58:00.000-05:00

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 Amused By Books so head on over there to see what everyone else received or to play along!

Here is what arrived in my mailbox most recently:

Cross Currents by John Shors

The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta (audiobook)

Well I haven't received too much in the mail lately but since both of these authors are new to me I'm very excited to get started on them. I've really had my eye on John Shors novels lately so this was a timely delivery!

I'm off to the dentist this afternoon so wish me luck everyone!

ARC 2011 Reading Challenge Completed!

2011-09-21T07:35:00.014-05:00

Well I am very excited to share with you all that I have completed the ARC Reading Challenge for 2011! Although I only signed up for the Bronze Level, which is the lowest level possible, I am still happy to have completed it! I want to give a special Thank You to So Many Precious Books, So Little Time for hosting this challenge this year. So even though I signed up for the Bronze Level, I'm hoping to finish at a higher level as I will keep adding books to this post that are acceptable for this challenge. Here is the list of books that I have read for the challenge and you should be able to click on the title if you would like to read my review:

1. Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez--Completed 1/6/2011
2. The Missionary by William Carmichael and David Lambert--Completed 1/14/2011
3. The Brave by Nicholas Evans--Completed 2/1/2011
4. Sweetie by Kathryn Magendie--Completed 2/6/2011
5. An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin--Completed 3/17/2011
6. The Map of True Places by Brunonia Barry--Completed 3/22/2011
7. Night Road by Kristin Hannah--Completed 4/09/2011
8. The Girl in the Garden by Kamala Nair--Completed 4/24/2011
9. Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin--Completed 5/23/2011
10. The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson--Completed 6/15/11
11. Too Jewish by Patty Friedmann--Completed 6/27/11
12. Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore--Completed 7/2/11
13. Dreams of Joy by Lisa See--Completed 7/17/11
14. Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian--Completed 7/25/11
15. The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent--Completed 8/19/11
16. The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard--Completed 8/30/11
17. Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand--Completed 9/6/11
18. The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy--Completed 9/10/11
19. Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard--Completed 9/24/11
20. To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal--Completed 10/7/11
21. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta--Completed 10/31/11
22. One Summer by David Baldacci--Completed 11/12/11
23. The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley--Completed 11/15/11
24. Iron House by John Hart--Completed 12/14/11
25. Room by Emma Donaghue--Completed 12/20/11
26. The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck--Completed 12/24/11
27. All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson--Completed 12/27/11

Blog Tour-Giveaway and Guest Post by Kathleen Kent!

2011-09-20T08:30:00.002-05:00

I could hardly contain myself when Kathleen Kent offered to submit a Guest Post for Jo-Jo Loves to Read!!! I was asked to think of an interesting subject for Kathleen to share with us. I pondered the idea for a bit and then it came to me that I was curious to find out what it would be like to learn that one of your descendents was prosecuted as a witch during the Salem Witch Trials. This brought about my idea for a guest post entitled Embracing Your Family Heritage. Here are Kathleen's thoughts on the subject:

For quite a few people, discovering their heritage and history comes later in life. School, career, and raising children will often take precedence over the time and resources necessary to pour over genealogy charts, family bibles or even old photographs. Our extended families becomes scattered geographically and generations tend to live apart. Older relatives, repositories of a wealth of details of life gone by, pass away, and when the storyteller is gone, often, too, is their story.

I was incredibly fortunate then that my grandparents gave to me at an early age family stories about Martha Carrier, my grandmother back nine generations and one of the nineteen men and women hanged as a witch in Salem in 1692. Some of those stories were taken from documented history of the trials, but some of them were a recounting of rustic life in 17^th century New England, passed down through generations of Carriers for over three hundred years. In both my novels The Heretic’s Daughter, and the newly published The Traitor’s Wife, I incorporate many of those tales in tribute to my colonial ancestors.

The first time I remember hearing about Martha was when I was a child, visiting my grandparents’ house in Pennsylvania for the summer. I sat at the kitchen table listening to my mother and grandmother talking about family members, some of them long dead. I hadn’t been paying them much attention until I heard my grandmother say something about a relative who had been hanged as a witch. Intrigued, I asked her if Martha Carrier was truly a witch, and she said, “Sweetheart, there are no such things as witches, merely ferocious women.”

From that moment on, at every family gathering, I asked my grandparents and great aunts and uncles for stories about Martha Carrier, and of her husband, Thomas, who has his own fascinating history. From them I learned that Martha was indeed a ferocious woman; courageous, outspoken and steadfast in denying being a witch. She is perhaps the only person recorded during the witch trials who called her judges to task for giving credence to the accusing girls’ testimony by saying, “It is a shame that you should listen to these folks who are out of their wits.”

Thomas Carrier, Martha’s husband, was a man who, according to my grandparents, lived to 109 years of age, stood seven feet tall and was one of the executioners of King Charles I of England. My book research substantiated the first two claims. As to the rumor that Thomas was involved in a king’s death, the story may never be proved, but it has, to date, not been disproved either. Following the publishing of The Heretic’s Daughter, I was contacted by many fellow Carrier descendents, most of whom I had never met before, who told me that they also had grown up hearing the same legends about this remarkable man.

Embracing my family history from such an early age helped define who I am. It instilled in me pride in the bravery and steadfastness of the family that came before me, who suffered and overcame so much injury from social intolerance and superstitious dread. Looking at the “ferocious women” in my family helped to nurture my own sense of the value of passionate hard work and perseverance. It also gave me a profound love for history, especially early American history, and for the settlers who risked so much for the ideals of individual freedoms. Those family stories were a gift; a gift which I hope to pass on to the generations that come after me.

Now for the giveaway!
I will be giving away one book for every 10 entries with a maximum of three books to give away. The first name drawn will also receive a copy of The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent.

Winners will be subject to the one copy per household, which means if you win the same title on another blog you will receive only one copy of the title.

To enter this contest you must be at least 18 and live in the U.S. or Canada. No PO Boxes please.

For one entry leave me a comment including your email address below.

For another entry share something interesting about your personal family history.

Good luck everyone!

**This giveaway is closed**

Blog Tour and Review: The Traitor's Wife by Kathleen Kent

2011-09-20T07:22:00.000-05:00

I was very excited to be a part of this blog tour as I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Heretic's Daughter by Kathleen Kent. Even though The Traitor's Wife is the second novel by Kent, it is actually a prequel to The Heretic's Daughter. I also want to give a special Thank You to Anna from Hachette for inviting me to be a part of this special blog tour!

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

In the harsh wilderness of colonial Massachusetts, Martha Allen works as a servant in her cousin's household, taking charge and locking wills with everyone. Thomas Carrier labors for the family and is known both for his immense strength and size and his mysterious past. The two begin a courtship that suits their independent natures, with Thomas slowly revealing the story of the role he played in the English Civil War. But in the rugged new world they inhabit, danger is ever present, whether it be from the assassins sent from London to kill the executioner of Charles I or the wolves-in many forms-who hunt for blood. At once a love story and a tale of courage, The Traitor's Wife confirms Kathleen Kent's ability to craft powerful stories from the dramatic background of America's earliest days.

My Review:
In The Traitor's Wife, Kent takes us back even further in history than she did in The Heretic's Daughter. We are taken back to 1649 England in an effort to help us understand why Thomas Carrier fled from that country and tried to live as secretly as possible when arriving in America.

Martha Allen is already living in America with her family, and as a young woman her father only hopes that she will marry soon. He sends her away to help her pregnant cousin Patience maintain her household, but little does Martha know that she will be treated like a common slave upon her arrival. It is at her cousin's home where Martha crosses paths with Thomas Carrier, and it is only a matter of time until they become one anothers friend and confidant.

A good portion of this story is about Thomas Carrier and the secret of his past that will follow him for the rest of his life. I will not give this part of the story away, except to say that it really was sad that this conspiracy against Thomas would always follow him. I couldn't help recalling the story of The Heretic's Daughter and realizing that Thomas' secrecy, along with Martha's no-frills attitude and her home remedies, helped persuade all of the neighbors to convict her as a witch.

Life for Martha was hard as she tried to help her cousin the best that she could. Patience very quickly makes it known that she is the woman of the house and everyone will abide by her rules. When Martha makes suggestions or blends a special concoction of herbs to make the pregnancy easier for Patience, she finds that Patience no longer trusts her and even thinks that Martha may be harboring ill feelings or spells towards her. I can only imagine how hard life was back then and to add a long and cold winter on top of it, yikes! I'm sure it wouldn't take much for tempers to flare.

I loved how this story was written in a way that showed how gentle, but yet strong Thomas was. Although we know the hardships that Martha endured during this time, I feel that I came to know Thomas more for some reason. This was a great story with themes of love, secrecy, and loyalty that would make for either a great book club selection or to read for personal leisure.

My Rating: 4/5

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

Winner of Southern Fried Women!

2011-09-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

How exciting to announce the winner of Southern Fried Women by Pamela King Cable is.........

traveler

Congratulations traveler! I will be emailing you shortly to get your mailing information to forward on to the publisher to send out your book. Thanks to all who entered!

Audiobook Review: The Camel Club by David Baldacci

2011-09-15T07:57:00.000-05:00

Title: The Camel Club
Author: David Baldacci
Narrator: Jonathan Davis
Unabridged Length: 16 hrs, 10 mn.

Here is a summary of book from the Hachette website:

Welcome to THE CAMEL CLUB.Existing at the fringes of Washington, D.C., the Club consists of four eccentric members. Led by a mysterious man known as "Oliver Stone," they study conspiracy theories, current events, and the machinations of government to discover the "truth" behind the country's actions.Their efforts bear little fruit-until the group witnesses a shocking murder...and become embroiled in an astounding, far-reaching conspiracy. Now the Club must join forces with a Secret Service agent to confront one of the most chilling spectacles ever to take place on American soil-an event that may trigger the ultimate war between two different worlds. And all that stands in the way of this apocalypse is five unexpected heroes.

My Review:
The Camel Club is the first novel in a series by David Baldacci that introduces us to an extraordinary group of individuals that have their own way of trying to keep our country safe, even from people that would not usually be suspected. Jonathan Davis narrated this audiobook and did a great job of building the action and suspense within the novel.

There are many characters that are introduced within the book, but Oliver Stone, who also leads the Camel Club is the character that we get to know the most. Stone is quite a mysterious man as he doesn't seem to have a past but yet knows many of the in's and out's of secret government issues. When the Camel Club gathers for a meeting in the beginning of the novel, they unfortunately witness a murder, which lands them knee deep in the middle of a conspiracy that will add excitement to all of their lives.

Shortly after the murder takes place, we learn about a plot to kidnap the President of the United States. Plans have been in place by a terrorist organization that include people that have been working as nannies to medical doctors. Once the President is kidnapped the Secret Service picks up a trail that somehow leads them right in the path of Oliver Stone and the rest of the Camel Club.

These events are somehow linked to the conspiracy and the Camel Club finds themselves working with the Secret Service to unravel the mystery. As I indicated, this audiobook is full of action and suspense to keep your attention through most of the book. I did find my attention wavering in a few parts, which is why I am going to give this audiobook just an average rating. I'm sure that Baldacci fans will eat this one up though!

My Rating: 3/5

Disclosure: I borrowed this audiobook from my local library and listened to it for my own entertainment.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Sept. 14

2011-09-14T07:07:00.000-05:00

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!

Last week I learned a couple of new words while reading an Advanced Reader's Edition of The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy:

Kestrel: a common small falcon.

Here is how kestrel was used on page 88:
I think of his face, which has the sharpness of a kestrel, his gaze, which looks right into you, and his twisted body, the way he drags his right foot.

Eiderdown: a thick warm cover for a bed, made of two layers of material enclosing a soft filling.

Here is how eiderdown was used on page 267:
I fetch her eiderdown and make her a bed on the sofa, with her Buckingham Palace jigsaw on a tray.

Well that is it for my new words this week. I have heard of goosedown but eiderdown was a new one to me!

Teaser Tuesday-Sept. 13

2011-09-13T07:41:00.000-05:00

What Are You Reading?

2011-09-12T09:20:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed spending the month of August listening to Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand. How I would love to spend a summer in Nantucket! You will have to watch for my review of this audiobook.

What I'm reading now:

I decided to get a start on Everything We Ever Wanted by Sara Shepard for a TLC Blog Tour that I am a part of in October. This one I decided to read on my Kindle.

And next is:

When I meet with my book club in October we will be discussing Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart so I'm thinking this should be the next book I read. I really like the cover of this one!

I hope you all have a great Monday! I'm having a Pampered Chef party tonight so I had better start getting things ready for that.

On another note, I know the BBAW is starting and I must have missed signing up for it this year! How on earth could I let that happen! Oh well, I will have fun stopping by all of your blogs and helping you celebrate anyway.

Blog Tour and Review: The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

2011-09-08T21:45:00.001-05:00

I'm very thankful once again to Trish from TLC Book Tours for inviting me to be a part of this tour for the newest novel by Joyce Maynard. Maynard has proven once again to me that she is an exceptional author. Here is a summary of The Good Daughters from the Harper Collins website:

They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike.

Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations.

Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness.

Different in nearly every way, Ruth and Dana share a need to make sense of who they are and to find their places in a world in which neither has ever truly felt she belonged. They also share a love for Dana's wild and beautiful older brother, Ray, who will leave an indelible mark on both their hearts.

Told in the alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, The Good Daughters follows these "birthday sisters" as they make their way from the 1950s to the present. Master storyteller Joyce Maynard chronicles the unlikely ways the two women's lives parallel and intersect—from childhood and adolescence to first loves, first sex, marriage, and parenthood; from the deaths of parents to divorce, the loss of home, and the loss of a beloved partner—until past secrets and forgotten memories unexpectedly come to light, forcing them to reevaluate themselves and each other.

Moving from rural New Hampshire to a remote island in British Columbia to the '70s Boston art-school scene, The Good Daughters is an unforgettable story about the ties of home and family, the devastating force of love, the healing power of forgiveness, and the desire to know who we are.

My Review:
When I first read the summary of The Good Daughters I figured it would end up being a 'switched at birth' plot, but really it turned out to be a story that focuses on two girls lives as they struggle trying to find their places in the world. The chapters alternate between Ruth and Dana, through love, secrets, and loss, as we follow them through their adult lives.

Ruth Plank was born into a family that owned a lucrative farm. With just her and her sisters, her parents no longer had any hope of passing the farm down to a son as was the custom with previous Plank generations. Her father accepted this outcome and loved all of his girls equally and was not shy in showing his pride for his lovely family of daughters. Ruth just cannot understand why her relationship with her mother is such a struggle through her whole life.

Dana Dickerson is born to a family that cannot seem to put roots down in any one area. She finds herself longing for stability and a place to call home. The Plank family seems to show up at their doorstep for a visit at least once a year and although the Dickerson's don't look forward to these visits, Dana does enjoy spending time with Edwin, Ruth's father, as he is always generous in sharing agricultural information with her.

As much as Dana enjoys agriculture, Ruth finds an artistic side of her just waiting to burst out of her skin. She has no desire at all to join her sisters in the farmwork, except for managing the small roadside vegetable stand. Through the work that she does in the stand she finds a special place in her heart for the farm that helps her develop a closer relationship with her father.

As truths and secrets are revealed in the book I found myself getting angry with Ruth's parents, Edwin and Connie Plank. Before I knew it, I was all upset with the story as I couldn't imagine the path that Edwin and Connie decided to take. Connie especially frustrated me as she appeared to be such a God-fearing and strong-willed woman, but then I came to understand why her character reacted the way that she did. Everything did come full circle for me in this novel that let me find the appreciation that this book deserves.

I think this book would make a great book club selection with themes of love, family, secrets, and loss. As I was reading it I could only imagine the different comments that would be made from various members of my group. I did enjoy this novel and I'm confident that many of you would also!

My Rating: 4/5

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

Club Read Anyone?

2011-09-08T07:30:00.001-05:00

Oh, I am soooo excited to share with you all that I have officially registered and purchased my airline ticket for Club Read that will be held in Virginia next month! I know that many of you have been to BEA or other book events, but this is the first major book event for me!

Not only do I get a chance to meet some bloggers out there that I have been wanting to meet since Day One, but these are the authors that are planning to attend:

Adriana Trigiani
Joyce Maynard
Sena Jeter Naslund
Gretchen Rubin
Jessica Anya Blau
Amy Stolls
Matthew Norman
Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Heather Newton
Greg Olear
Caroline Todd (of Charles Todd)
Susan Henderson

Have I mentioned that I am excited for this event? I can't wait for the opportunity to sit down and chat with a couple of my favorite authors! So I am curious, are any of you planning on attending Club Read? Please let me know if you are because I would LOVE the opportunity to meet up with you also!

Another Year of Sweet Connections!

2011-09-07T07:55:00.000-05:00

I know that most of you are aware of how much I love my book club! As we are about to start our eight year together I can't help but get a little excited about the books that we have selected for our upcoming meetings. Over the few years we have lost a couple of ladies, but then we have also gained a couple of new members. All of the ladies that have been a part of our group including past, recent, and even new members are such an important part of my life and I'm so glad that they are a part of it!

Our schedule actually follows the school year so our first meeting after our summer break is tonight and I can't wait to sit down and talk about The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I know that most of the ladies loved this book as much as I did. I just wanted to share with you our list of book club selections for the next year:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Angel Sister by Ann Gabhart
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
House Rules by Jodi Piccoult
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith
The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Night Road by Kristin Hannah

We usually read a Holiday themed book during the month of December and I think this year we will be reading A Redbird Christmas by Fannie Flagg, but I don't know if that's official yet. I haven't read anything by Flagg yet, so I sure hope we do. I think we have a pretty good selection ahead of us so I can't really say that there is one in particular that I am looking forward to. Whether we like the book or not we always have a good time together anyway!

If you are interested you can see a complete list of all of our past book club selections here. So is there anything that you are looking forward to reading with your book club soon?

Theme Thursday

2011-09-06T07:51:00.000-05:00

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 school so here is the snippet that I found while reading The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy:
"We'll be all right, sweetheart," I say. "It doesn't matter that much. We can manage without the china dogs, and the silver eggcups were such a nuisance to clean. At least they haven't taken our books..."
pg. 28

Mailbox Monday-Sep. 5

2011-09-05T11:11:00.000-05:00

The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker

This one was quite a surprise last week as I had kind of given up hope on receiving it! I'm very excited to read this one. How about you...anything new and exciting in your mailbox?

Review: Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian

2011-09-01T07:51:00.000-05:00

Here is a summary of the book from the publisher's website:

Lamb Bright Saviors begins as an apocalyptically inclined itinerant preacher staggers across the Nebraska prairie. With his young assistant, Mady, in tow hauling a wagon stacked with bibles, it’s not long before the preacher finds he’s come to the final fulfillment of his self-proclaimed life’s work: to die in front of a group of strangers. Odd as his own end-of-days might be, the lives and struggles of the strangers attending this deathbed scene are even odder. As the dying preacher unleashes a barrage of hallucinatory ramblings and rantings in the hope of imparting wisdom, each ragtag member of this unlikely congregation must reckon with his or her own dark past. And, through it all, the irrepressible Mady lends the preacher’s strange performance a surprising and unforgettable dignity and humor.

My Review:
If you are looking for a book that is full of beautiful writing that you really need to think about as you are reading every word, then this fictional story is for you. We are introduced to several characters within this novel that committed a crime against a helpless woman years ago, and now their lives have come full circle as they are all gathered in her home for a very unlikely event.

As a travelling preacher suddenly finds himself on death's doorstep, the young girl that travels with him seeks the help of some local residents in rural Nebraska in hopes that the preacher's passing will be swift and painless. The men that she runs into are men that haven't seen each other since many years ago, but have been harboring a deep, dark secret since then.

These men have felt guilty for the crimes they have committed and seem to be able to move on with their lives as the crime has been unpunished up til this day. One man has been released from prison for another crime, another has just returned from Iraq, and another has just been living an unfulfilled life in Point Blank, Nebraska.

As I mentioned this is a beautifully written story that is full of symbolism and hidden meanings, like the name of the town being Point Blank, and even the deficiency of the helpless woman. There is so much to contemplate within this small novel that it would make for a great literary analysis for a college course or any English major. For a person like me that just enjoys a great story that is written well, this book just didn't appeal to me. There was very limited dialogue within the book and what there was you really had to search for as it wasn't obvious. There was also a substantial amount of harsh language in this novel that I really thought was unnecessary. I may have enjoyed the story more without some of the profanity.

So with that said I think you can tell that this novel was not appreciated by me, but that's not to say that you will not enjoy it. This book is laced with themes, including but not limited to war, forgiveness, and death. If you are looking for a story that you need to continually concentrate on while reading then this one is for you!

My Rating: 2/5

Disclosure: This book was provided to me by the publicist in exchange for an honest review.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Aug. 31

2011-08-31T07:32:00.000-05:00

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?

Theme Thursday-Aug. 30

2011-08-30T09:35:00.000-05:00

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.

Winner of my Birthday Giveaway!

2011-08-30T07:29:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited to announce that the winner of my birthday giveaway is.........

Red Headed Book Child!!!

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!

What Are You Reading?

2011-08-29T08:02:00.000-05:00

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?

Guest Post by Quinn Barrett, Author of Invisible Snow

2011-08-25T07:40:00.003-05:00

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!

Audiobook Review: Love Over Scotland by Alexander McCall Smith

2011-08-24T07:46:00.002-05:00

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.

Teaser Tuesday-Aug. 23

2011-08-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

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.

pg. 2

Review: Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore

2011-08-17T08:45:00.002-05:00

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.

Current Giveaways!!!

2011-08-16T09:18:00.000-05:00

Here are a few giveaways that I found recently that you may be interested in also:

Red Lady's Reading Room is giving away To Be Sung Underwater by Tom McNeal--Contest ends 8/18.

Laura's Reviews is giving away Remember me by Cheryl Robinson--Contest ends 8/19.

Peeking Between the Pages is giving away Yankee Doodle Dixie by Lisa Patton--Contest ends 8/20.

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-August 15

2011-08-15T08:15:00.001-05:00

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

This one came for a blog tour that I am participating in next month. I loved Labor Day so I can't wait to get started on this one!

Review: The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

2011-08-10T07:52:00.001-05:00

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.

Check out more great book reviews over at Cym Lowell's Book Review Party Wednesday!

Giveaway: Southern Fried Women by Pamela King Cable

2011-08-09T08:00:00.001-05:00

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.

**This giveaway is closed.**

Winner of Night Train!

2011-08-08T19:00:00.000-05:00

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-Aug. 8

2011-08-08T08:33:00.000-05:00

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!

Summer in the South by Cathy Holton

I read and loved Beach Trip by Cathy Holton so I can't wait to get started on this one! Were there any nice surprises in your mailbox this week?

My Birthday Giveaway!

2011-08-06T11:41:00.001-05:00

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:

Guernica by Dave Boling

Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas

How to be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway

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.

Good luck everyone!

**This giveaway is closed.**

No Audiobook Review for The Good Guy by Dean Koontz

2011-08-04T08:18:00.001-05:00

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.

Hmmmm....I think I need to check out Audible.com.

Wondrous Words Wednesday-Aug. 3

2011-08-03T08:19:00.000-05:00

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: performed with a gliding effect by sliding one or more fingers rapidly over the keys of a piano or strings of a harp.

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.

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 64:

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?

Teaser Tuesday-Aug. 2

2011-08-02T08:15:00.000-05:00

Mailbox Monday-Aug. 1

2011-08-01T08:01:00.000-05:00

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!

Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand (audiobook)

One Summer by David Baldacci (audiobook)

Burnt Mountain by Anne Rivers Siddons (audiobook)

Iron House by John Hart (audiobook)

I'm thinking this will be plenty to keep me busy in my car for quite some time! So did anything new come in your mailbox?

Review: Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

2011-07-28T07:28:00.001-05:00

Here is a summary of Dreams of Joy from Lisa See's website:

In her beloved New York Times bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and, most recently, Shanghai Girls, Lisa See has brilliantly illuminated the potent bonds of mother love, romantic love, and love of country. Now, in DREAMS OF JOY, she returns to these timeless themes, continuing the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl’s strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy.

Reeling from newly uncovered family secrets, and anger at her mother and aunt for keeping them from her, Joy runs away to Shanghai in early 1957 to find her birth father—the artist Z.G. Li, with whom both May and Pearl were once in love. Dazzled by him, and blinded by idealism and defiance, Joy throws herself into the New Society of Red China, heedless of the dangers in the communist regime and the Great Leap Forward.

Devastated by Joy’s flight and terrified for her safety, Pearl is determined to save her daughter, no matter the personal cost. From the crowded city to remote villages, Pearl confronts old demons and almost insurmountable challenges as she follows Joy, hoping for reconciliation. Yet even as Joy’s and Pearl’s separate journeys converge, one of the most tragic episodes in China’s history threatens their very lives.

Acclaimed for her richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling, Lisa See once again renders a family challenged by tragedy and time, yet ultimately united by the resilience of love.

My Review:
Lisa See continues to amaze me in her novels that are always so rich and honest within the culture and time that she writes about. Although Dreams of Joy is a sequel to Shanghai Girls, I do not think that you need to read Shanghai Girls to understand and comprehend this beautiful novel. If you missed my review of Shanghai Girls you can still view it here.

Dreams of Joy opens after family secrets are finally revealed to Joy at the end of Shanghai Girls. Joy feels that the life she has been living is a lie so she sets out to China to find her true self. Chairman Mao has just taken over China and is implementing new laws and regulations that will make the country a better place for all to live. Joy believes in Chairman Mao's politics and is very excited to be able to help with the rebuilding of China.

When Joy gets to China, it doesn't take her long to find Z.G., the artist who long ago painted her mother and aunt for the widely known Beautiful Girls posters. Z.G. is really unsure as to what Joy expects from him so he decides to take him with her to the countryside where he is to embark on a political campaign to teach artwork to peasants.

While Joy is fullfilling her dream by helping to rebuild China in the countryside, she finds herself falling in love with a young artist who is a resident of the village where she and Z.G. are staying. As her relationship with Tao grows, Joy has no idea how this young love will affect her future. Her life changes in a way that she could never imagine.

Lisa See gives us a vivid picture of what it was like for all involved during the birth of communism in China. It is sad to think of all of the resources that were wasted during this time when they would perform their Sputniks as a way to prove that they could produce mass quantities of work in short periods of time. The quality and final outcome were never considered during these projects, only the amount of work completed. Many crops were left to spoil from the Sputniks, which only helped to increase the famine that would spread throughout the country. This was a devastating part of the novel for me as I really had limited knowledge of this time period in China.

Pearl has more of an appearance in this novel than May does, as Pearl follows Joy to China to hopefully bring her back home to the United States. When Pearl discovers a new China that is not very friendly to her she finds her way back to her family home in Shanghai where she is welcomed with open arms. Although many items in the home are now gone, her bedroom was just as she left it. It is during this time in Shanghai that Pearl comes to terms with the decisions that she has made in her life. By letting go of past hurts, Pearl is able to open herself up to a future filled with happiness.

I think you can tell that I absolutely loved this novel that includes themes of communism, love, forgiveness, and sisterly bonds. I highly recommend this novel as either a book club selection or for personal leisure.

My Rating: 5/5

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

Teaser Tuesday-July 26

2011-07-26T07:29:00.000-05:00

What Are You Reading?

2011-07-25T08:13:00.000-05:00

Dreams of Joy was another fabulous novel by Lisa See! I would like to post my review of this amazing novel this week, but we will see if I can arrange my thoughts in a way that will only serve justice to this piece of work.

And then I decided to sneak this smaller novel into my schedule:

I was asked to review Lamb Bright Saviors by Robert Vivian over a year ago but just have been unable to squeeze it into my reading schedule. Since it is a smaller book I decided to delve into this one before I start our summer book club selection.

And next, for our summer book club selection I will be finally reading:

I know that I meant to start reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett last week, but I changed my mind, and I have a right to do that! I am definitely looking forward to the movie adaptation of this one!

So how about you? What kind of reading has been keeping you busy lately?