A Reliable Wife

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

Summary

He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for "a reliable wife." She responded, saying that she was "a simple, honest woman." She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved.

What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love.

Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with color and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder.


My thoughts

I had a like/hate relationship with this book. The story pulled me in from the beginning. I thought the writing itself was beautiful. The story was good. And then I realized that the main character, Ralph Truitt was obsessed with sex. There was way too much sex in this book for my taste which ruined the rest of the book for me. I did finish it as I wanted to know how it would all turn out in the end but I had to do much skimming to get through it. If sex in a book doesn't bother you, you may like this story. I just couldn't get past it. It was the first book I purchased on my Nook. I am loving the Nook, this book not so much.

My Favorite Books of 2010

I wanted to post a list of my favorite reads of 2010. These are books I loved and would recommend.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman This was my first read of 2010 and is my very favorite of the year! This is one I will reread again and I don't do that often. If you want a book that you can feel good about, read this! I can't say enough about this book!

Seven Year Switch by Claire Cook I loved this book also. A great beach read. This book was a lot of fun to read.


The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees I am a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott so I knew I wanted to read this book. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate Another good story that you could feel good about reading.

Now for some heavier books that I read and enjoyed. The subjects were not so feel good and happy but I did enjoy these books as well.

The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom I loved reading about this period in time.

Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monninger This was beautifully written.

Every Last One by Anna Quindlin I knew going into this book there was a tragedy that happens but I had no clue what it was. Even though I knew something was going to happen, it threw me for a loop when it did happen and I had to know how it would all turn out.


Still Missing by Chevy Stevens This one was a real page turner for me too. Probably not a book for everyone but it had me from the very beginning.

So that is my list of my favorites this past year. I am looking forward to adding more favorites to my list in the upcoming year! May our new year be full of more great books! Happy New Year!

2010 Reading Challenges

This is a short recap of how horribly I did on last years reading challenges. This year I am signing up and hoping to do better. There are two that ware still ongoing and I hope to complete them also. Even though I failed miserably I do have fun participating.

ARC Reading Challenge 2010-I read 34 Arcs, made the gold level when I was only going for Bronze...not shabby. I will do this one again!


Reading From My Shelves Project I only have posted 11 out of 30 books read, I think I did better but just forgot to keep track, I will most likely do this one again also as I need to clear some books out.


Historical Reading Challenge read 5 out of 12 books

Okra Picks Challenge this one is ongoing until the end of March I have read 0 books for this, hey there is still hope! I only signed up for the Goober level and I hope to read two books.

Read, Remember, Recommend Fiction Reading Challenge I have only read 2 books for this challenge but this challenge doesn't end until April 1 , 2011.

I'll be making decisions today about which challenges to sign up for this next year. All the challenges have been fun and I would like to thank each and every host of all of the challenges. Even when I have done poorly I have had fun!

Mailbox Monday December 27

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ The Printed Page, is on tour! This months hostess is Lady Q at Let Them Read Books. Thank you to Lady Q for hosting. Check out her Mailbox Monday posts for great recipes!

I hope everyone had a very Happy Holiday! Things were crazy and busy here so not much blogging nor reading has been done lately. Last night I was finally able to curl up with my new Nook that Santa surprised me with and read for the first time in a long time. How I missed reading. The hustle and bustle is over and I am looking forward to spending time reading and blogging. The books I received over the past two weeks. All three look very good! I am loving my Nook and have downloaded two books. I had a hard time getting it to work at first but I think it was a server problem as many were having the issue. This morning all was good in Nookland and I was able to buy a book with ease. I didn't think I would enjoy an e-reader as much as I am. I still love paper books but this is a nice addition to my library. I do need a booklight for it but I am unsure which one to get.



The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse (received for review from G.P. Putnam's Sons)

The Hundred Secret Senses by Amy Tan (received for review from Penguin)

The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern (received for review from Harper Collins)

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick (ebook purchased for my Nook)

Falling Home by Karen White (also purchased for my Nook)

All books are linked to Goodreads if you wish to learn more about them.

I hope everyone has a very Happy New Year full of many good books!

Mailbox Monday December 13

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. (Library books don’t count, but eBooks & audiobooks do). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ The Printed Page, is on tour! This months hostess is Lady Q at Let Them Read Books. Be sure to check out Lady Q's blog. She has posted a yummy fudge recipe that has me dying for fudge!



I received one book this past week. The cover sure has me intrigued as does the book summary. See what you think.

Wither by Lauren DeStefano

What if you knew exactly when you would die?

Thanks to modern science, every human being has become a ticking genetic time bomb—males only live to age twenty-five, and females only live to age twenty. In this bleak landscape, young girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to keep the population from dying out.

When sixteen-year-old Rhine Ellery is taken by the Gatherers to become a bride, she enters a world of wealth and privilege. Despite her husband Linden's genuine love for her, and a tenuous trust among her sister wives, Rhine has one purpose: to escape—to find her twin brother and go home.

But Rhine has more to contend with than losing her freedom. Linden's eccentric father is bent on finding an antidote to the genetic virus that is getting closer to taking his son, even if it means collecting corpses in order to test his experiments. With the help of Gabriel, a servant Rhine is growing dangerously attracted to, Rhine attempts to break free, in the limited time she has left.

I received this book for my honest review from Simon & Schuster

What wonderful books made their way into your home?

Catching Genius

Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan

Summary from Goodreads

As children, Connie and Estella were best friends-until Estella was discovered to be a math prodigy, which led to the sisters' estrangement. Now, years later, they are forced to reunite on the Gulf Coast of Florida as they pack up their childhood home and ready it for sale. The reunion comes at a time when both Connie and Estella must come to terms with painful revelations and devastating consequences in their own lives. And once again, her sister's genius may alter Connie's life in ways she cannot control.

My Thoughts

This is the second book I have read that was written by Kristy Kiernan. I love finding new authors to read and I am so glad a friend recommended her to me. Catching Genius is a complex story about relationships. The main characters, Connie and Estella are sisters who don't have much of a relationship at all. When the girls were young, Estella was labeled as a math genius. She is sent off to college at age 12. The girls, who were once very close, drifted apart. Now adults, they are forced to close up their mother's beach house before she sells it which makes them both very uncomfortable. They not only have issues with each other but both sisters are dealing with other problems in their lives. The story is told from the viewpoint of both sisters, dealing with their relationship now as well as their past. There are two sides to every story and that is very clear in this book. I look forward to reading more from Kristy.

I received this book from a friend.

Mailbox Monday December 6

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this month's hostess is Lady Q from Let Them Read Books. Be sure to hop on over to Lady Q's blog and check things out! Thank you lady Q for being this month's hostess!

We now have snow and it is very cold. How fast the weather can change. It is great weather for reading though!

I had an awesome mailbox week full of great books. Most of these book come out next year and they all look very good!I'm looking forward to reading them all. I've linked them all to Amazon so you can read a bit about them.




13, rue Thérèse: A Novel by Elena Mauli Shapiro (received from Reagan Arthur Books/Little, Brown and Company)

Amaryllis in Blueberry by Christina Meldrum (received from Inkwell Management)

The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean (received from Five Spot/Hachette Books)

His Other Wife by Deborah Bedford (received from Faithwords/Hachette Books)

The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship by Lisa Verge Higgins (received from 5 spot/Hachette Books)


Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress (received from Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Books)

Rescue by Anita Shreve (received from Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Books) This book is available now.

I think all these books should keep me pretty busy this upcoming year! What wonderful books made their way into your home?

Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan

Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan

Ali and Cora are the best of friends. The type that will do anything for the other. When Ali and her husband, Benny find out they can not conceive a child, Cora comes to the rescue and helps then have the baby they so desperately want. Now that the child is a teenager, Ali is feeling the yearning of wanting another child and there are frozen embryos that could be used to have another child. However, Cora has a secret that could change all of their lives forever.

I am a pansy when it comes to books about friendships. This one I loved! The story is told from three different viewpoints, Cora's, Ali's, and Letty's, Ali and Ben's teenage daughter. It was very interesting to read the story through three very different set of eyes. This story took turns that I did not see coming. This is a book about friendship, mother/daughter relationships and marriage. If you like a good girlfriend story, give this a try. I think you might just like it. It's a very quick read and I had a hard time putting it down.

This book came from my own personal library.

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Synopsis

A long lost letter arrives in the post and Edie Burchill finds herself on a journey to Milderhurst Castle, a great but moldering old house, where the Blythe spinsters live and where her mother was billeted 50 years before as a 13 year old child during WW II. The elder Blythe sisters are twins and have spent most of their lives looking after the third and youngest sister, Juniper, who hasn’t been the same since her fiance jilted her in 1941.

Inside the decaying castle, Edie begins to unravel her mother’s past. But there are other secrets hidden in the stones of Milderhurst, and Edie is about to learn more than she expected. The truth of what happened in ‘the distant hours’ of the past has been waiting a long time for someone to find it.

Morton once again enthralls readers with an atmospheric story featuring unforgettable characters beset by love and circumstance and haunted by memory, that reminds us of the rich power of storytelling.

My Thoughts

This was my first read by Kate Morton. I had no idea what to expect except from all the wonderful reviews I have read from other bloggers on her books. I received an advance readers copy which was a whopping 672 pages long! Quite a chunkster for me! However, I was looking forward to reading it. I dug in with gusto. The story is very detailed and the characters are very complex. The story comes together rather slowly but it does a great job building suspense, at least it did for me. I'm not sure that if the story moved faster you would get the same effect. It is a very layered story.

I was very curious about Milderhurst and the sister's who lived in the castle. I was very curious about the letter that caused such a reaction for Edith's mother and how everything tied into the castle and the sisters. There are so many questions I had when reading the book. As more of the mystery is revealed, I found myself wondering how in the world it was all going to resolve itself. Ironically, I found the ending when the whole story finally comes together a bit rushed and I ended up reading it three times. I think at that point the suspense was killing me and I was reading it much too fast. Take your time with the ending. It is a very good one and you don't want to miss one bit of it's goodness. I will be reading Kate's other books as I think she is a wonderful storyteller. She is quite descriptive which left me with both beautiful and dark images of Milderhurst. This is a story of family, lost love, mystery and intrigue. I found myself wanting to both hurry through the story to find out the ending and wanting to savor every morsel of the story. I have never had a book do that before. I highly recommend this book.

Mailbox Monday November 29 and Thankfully Reading Weekend Wrap Up

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is Julie from Knitting and Sundries. Thank you Julie for hosting! Next months hostess is Lady Q at Let Them Read Books

I received three books this week all of which I am very excited about.



The book blurbs are borrowed from Goodreads.

The Brave by Nicholas Evans

There's little love in eight-year-old Tom Bedford's life. His parents are old and remote and the boarding school they've sent him to bristles with bullies and sadistic staff. The only comfort he gets is from his fantasy world of Cowboys and Indians. But when his sister Diane, a rising star of stage and screen, falls in love with one of his idols, the suave TV cowboy Ray Montane, Tom's life is transformed. They move to Hollywood and all his dreams seem to have come true. Soon, however, the sinister side of Tinseltown casts its shadow and a shocking act of violence changes their lives forever.

What happened all those years ago remains a secret that corrodes Tom's life and wrecks his marriage. Only when his estranged son, a US Marine, is charged with murder do the events resurface, forcing him to confront his demons. As he struggles to save his son's life, he will learn the true meaning of bravery.

Powerfully written and intensely moving, The Brave traces the legacy of violence behind the myth of the American West and explores our quest for love and identity, the fallibility of heroes and the devastating effects of family secrets.

I received this book for review from Little Brown and Company/Hachette books

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Jude Farraday is a happily married, stay-at-home mom who puts everyone’s needs above her own. Her twins, Mia and Zach, are bright and happy teenagers. When Lexi Baill enters their lives, no one is more supportive than Jude. A former foster child with a dark past, Lexi quickly becomes Mia’s best friend. Then Zach falls in love with Lexi and the three become inseparable. But senior year of high school brings unexpected dangers and one night, Jude’s worst fears are confirmed: there is an accident. In an instant, her idyllic life is shattered and her close-knit community is torn apart. People and Jude demand justice, and when the finger of blame is pointed, it lands solely on eighteen-year-old Lexi Baill. In a heartbeat, their love for each other will be shattered, the family broken. Lexi gives up everything that matters to her the boy she loves, her place in the family, the best friend she ever had while Jude loses even more. When Lexi returns, older and wiser, she demands a reckoning. Long buried feelings will rise again, and Jude will finally have to face the woman she has become. She must decide whether to remain broken or try to forgive both Lexi and herself. Night Road is a vivid, emotionally complex novel that raises profound questions about motherhood, loss, identity, and forgiveness. It is an exquisite, heartbreaking novel that speaks to women everywhere about the things that matter most.

I received this book from the publisher through Librarythings Early Reviewers

Blind Your Ponies by Stanley Gordon West

Hope is hard to come by in the hard-luck town of Willow Creek. Sam Pickett and five young men are about to change that.

Sam Pickett never expected to settle in this dried-up shell of a town on the western edge of the world. He's come here to hide from the violence and madness that have shattered his life, but what he finds is what he least expects. There's a spirit that endures in Willow Cree, Montana. It seems that every inhabitant of this forgotten outpost has a story, a reason for taking a detour to this place--or a reason for staying.

As the coach of the hapless high school basketball team (zero wins, ninety-three losses), Sam can't help but be moved by the bravery he witnesses in the everyday lives of people--including his own young players--bearing their sorrows and broken dreams. How do they carry on, believing in a future that seems to be based on the flimsiest of promises? Drawing on the strength of the boys on the team, sharing the hope they display despite insurmountable odds, Sam finally begins to see a future worth living.

Author Stanley Gordon West has filled the town of Willow Creek with characters so vividly cast that they become real as relatives, and their stories--so full of humor and passion, loss and determination--illuminate a path into the human heart.

I received this book from Algonquin Books through Shelf Awareness

What wonderful books made their way into your home?



This past weekend I participated in Thankfully Reading Weekend. I did pretty good. I didn't set any huge goals..just to read and relax. I read Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan and really enjoyed it. I started The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore and also started Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan. I wish there were more reading weekends like this. There were a few easy mini challenges that were fun. It was very enjoyable! I would definitely participate next year.

Thankfully Reading Weekend Mini-Challenge #3

Mini-Challenge #3 is being hosted by Jen at Devourer of Books. Here is what hse has to say:

I hope you’ve been having a great weekend reading so far. Have you been using the #thankfulreading hashtag on Twitter? Reading is a solitary activity, but it is something that is even better when you have a reading community surrounding you, which is part of the reason that many of us started blogging in the first place.

So what I want to know, is what reading community are you thankful for, and why? Are you thankful for book bloggers? The book community on Twitter? Your spouse or family that lets you ramble on and on about what you’re reading and doesn’t complain (at least not too much) about the myriad of books flowing into the house?

I love the book blogging community. I was a lurker for many years. I never thought in a million years that I would join in and create a blog since I am pretty shy and quiet. I jumped in and have never regretted it! I appreciate every one of my followers and fellow book bloggers. I love being able to share what I have read with others and I love reading what others have to say about the books they read. My family is not into books like I am so my book blogging family is super important to me and I love everyone one of you! I also have a friend who I share books with and she with me. It's fun to discuss them after we have both read them, I just wish we lived closer to each other so we could get together over a cup of tea in person to chat about books!

Thankfully Reading Weekend Day 3 and Mini- Challenge #2

I have loved participating in this event. I like how relaxed it is with plenty of time for reading and a few mini-challenges for those times I need my blogging fix. I finished only one book so far...Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan. It was my first Kristy Kiernan read and I loved it! I will be starting a new book in a bit. Not sure which one yet. I have three I really want to read and having a hard time choosing which one will win out.

Mini-Challenge #2 is hosted by Candace of Beth Fish Reads. We were to photograph our TBR pile or a bookshelf or several as the case may be for some. Like me. I only photographed one of my many bookshelves because we are in desperate need of a new camera. After fighting with it, I did get one picture out of the old camera. My son then gave me the ads and said "we need a new camera!" Any who...I have 3 small bookshelves around the house and I still have stacks of books stashed here and there. My name is Beth and I am a bookaholic! Below is one of my many TBR bookshelves. Ignore the dust...it's the maids weekend off..I hear she is reading. Oh wait... that's me. I'll get right on that...maybe... tomorrow.

Thankfully Reading Weekend Day 2

I didn't get quite as much reading done as hoped. I weather proofed a few windows yesterday and it took me longer than I had anticipated. That and I had over 400 posts to glance through on my google reader so I did a bit of speed reading on those. I am working on Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan and I did manage to get over 100 pages read. It is very good and so far I highly recommend it. I am hoping to finish it today. If my eyes weren't so heavy last night, I would have stayed up and finished it. I kept dozing and dropping the book, so I finally gave in and went to sleep.

How is your reading going this weekend?

Thankfully Reading Mini-Challenge #1: What Book Are You Most Thankful For?

The first mini-challenge is being hosted by Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves. Jenn has asked us what book we are most thankful for. Aftre giving this much thought I chose...



Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This was the book that really helped me become the reader I am today. I read the whole series and reread the whole series many times. I just couldn't get enough of the Laura and the whole Ingalls family. I remember the time I spent with them fondly.

Thankfully Reading Weekend Kick Off

It's time for the reading to begin...yay! I have been looking forward to this all week! This is my stack of books that I will be reading from.



I will be only getting one or two books read probably but I wanted an assortment handy. My son made me a wonderful breakfast and did the dishes. Now that my tummy is full and the teapot is on I am reading to dig in!

I will be starting with Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan and maybe throwing in a few chapters of The Heroine's Bookshelf: Life Lessons, from Jane Austen to Laura Ingalls Wilder by Erin Blakemore . Join in the fun. It's a very relaxed reading weekend and should be alot of fun!

Thankfully Reading Weekend

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Now that the turkey is put away I am going to spend the long weekend doing what I love best. Hanging out with my family and reading, Leftovers will be in the plan too. It's very cold outside so cuddling up with a throw, my favorite slippers, a cup of tea or coffee and a good book sounds divine! When I saw the Thankfully Reading Weekend posts going up on several blogs I knew I had to join in the fun.

Last year, Candace from Beth Fish Reads, Jen from Devourer of Books & Jenn from Jenn's Bookshelves unveiled Thankfully Reading Weekend. They are hosting it again this year and I am looking forward to participating.

Here are the details:

There are no rules to the weekend, we’re simply hoping to devote a good amount of time to reading, and perhaps meeting some of our reading challenges and goals for 2010. We thought it’d be fun if we cheered each other on a bit. If you think you can join in, grab the button and sign on to Mr. Linky. If you don’t have a blog, use the comments!

I have quite a few books in mind to read this weekend, some have been waiting for quite sometime. There will be reading, eating and some blogging involved for me. This weekend is all about catching up for me. And maybe a bit of Wii with the kids.

Mailbox Monday November 22

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is Julie from Knitting and Sundries. Thank you Julie for hosting!

I received two books this week. Both are very different but both look very good. The book descriptions and pictures were borrowed from Goodreads.



The Dressmaker by Posie Graeme-Evans

Ellen Gowan is the only surviving child of a scholarly village minister and a charming girl disowned by her family when she married for love. Growing up in rural Norfolk, Ellen’s childhood was poor but blessed with affection. Resilience, spirit, and one great talent will carry her far from such humble beginnings. In time, she will become the witty, celebrated, and very beautiful Madame Ellen, dressmaker to the nobility of England, the Great Six Hundred.

Yet Ellen has secrets. At fifteen she falls for Raoul de Valentin, the dangerous descendant of French aristocrats. Raoul marries Ellen for her brilliance as a designer but abandons his wife when she becomes pregnant. Determined that she and her daughter will survive, Ellen begins her long climb to success. Toiling first in a clothing sweat shop, she later opens her own salon in fashionable Berkeley Square though she tells the world – and her daughter - she’s a widow. One single dress, a ballgown created for the enigmatic Countess of Hawksmoor, the leader of London society, transforms Ellen’s fortunes, and as the years pass, business thrives. But then Raoul de Valentin returns and threatens to destroy all that Ellen has achieved.

In The Dressmaker, the romance of Jane Austen, the social commentary of Charles Dickens and the very contemporary voice of Posie Graeme-Evans combine to plunge the reader deep into the opulent, sinister world of teeming Victorian England. And if the beautiful Madame Ellen is not quite what she seems, the strength of her will sees her through to the truth, and love, at last.

I received this book from Atria Books for my honest review.



Three Seconds by Roslund & Hellstrom

Piet Hoffmann is the best undercover operative in the Swedish police force, but only one other man is even aware of his existence. After a drug deal he is involved in goes badly wrong, he must face the hardest mission of his life - infiltrating Sweden's most infamous maximum-security prison.

Detective Inspector Ewert Grens is charged with investigating the drug-related killing. Unaware of Hoffmann's real identity, he believes himself to be on the trail of a dangerous psychopath. But he cannot escape the feeling that vital information pertaining to the case has been withheld or manipulated.

Hoffmann has his insurance: wiretap recordings that implicate some of Sweden's most prominent politicians in a corrupt conspiracy. But in Ewert Grens they might just have found the perfect weapon to eliminate him.

I received this book as part of the Barnes and Noble First Look Book Club.

I am hoping to get back to blogging a bit regularly again. This time of year seems to get crazy around here so I am hoping that maybe things can quiet down a bit. I have seen there is a readathon going on somewhere in the blogosphere this coming weekend and I really want to participate. I have much reading to catch up on. I just have to find where I saw it. I'm not a Black Friday shopper so staying tucked in with a stack of books sounds like heaven to me!

What wonderful books made their way into your home?

Mailbox Monday November 15

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is Julie from Knitting and Sundries. Thank you Julie for hosting!

This week I received two books for review, two books I bought for the Okra Picks Challenge and one book that my mom passed on to me. All books have been linked back to Goodreads if you wish to read more about them.



1. Southern Plate by Christy Jordan (Okra Picks Challenge)-I glanced through this when it came and there are many easy comfort recipes I will be anxious to try out and Christy Jordan is a doll!

2. I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg (Okra Picks Challenge)Fannie Flagg! Need I say more? I think not!

3. The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens For review from Alfred A. Knopf Books to be released on April 5, 2011. This looks like an excellent children's series.

4. The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore For review from Harper Books through a member's giveaway on Librarything. I'm looking forward to reading about my favorite authors and their characters.

5. Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury This is from my mother. She told me not to pick it up until I could read it straight through. She says I won't want to put it down.

I have been reading The Distant Hours by Kate Morton for what seems like forever. I hope to get it done this week. It is good but it is a bit more involved than some of my usual reads. I'm finding I need to read it a bit more slowly.

So what treasures made their way into your home?

Mailbox Monday November 8

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is Julie from Knitting and Sundries. Thank you Julie for hosting!

This week my mailbox was empty! Nada, nothing, zip! All's good though..I have more than enough to read here. I thought I would share these titles with you. I snuck these books into my library a couple of weeks ago when I found out a local bookstore was closing it's doors. It's always sad to see a bookstore close. Things were 60% off on the last day they were open, so I picked up a few deals.



1. Lemon Meringue Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke
2. The Outermost House by Henry Beston
3. Multiple Choice by Claire Cook
4. The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser
5. Stealing Lumby by Gail Fraser
6. Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas

So what new treasures came into your house last week?

Okra Picks Challenge

Kathy at Bermudaonion is hosting a fabulous challenge, The Okra Picks Challenge. Now I really don't need another challenge to participate in. but when I saw the titles that were included in this challenge I was sold! I love a good southern story so this challenge is right up my alley. Here are the particulars for the challenge as posted by Kathy:

To make this challenge fun for everyone, I’m going to include four different levels:

1-3 Books: Goober
4-6 Books: Tater
7-9 Books: Peach
10-13 Books: Okra

Details:

The Okra Picks Challenge will run from October 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011. To join this challenge, all you have to do is pick your level of participation (you can always go up levels, but not down.) Then after you read any of the books, write a review to share your thoughts with others!

I am going to go for the Goober level...gotta love the name! I know I want to buy this book for sure so I will be reading this:



I may also add a title or two more. Go on over to Bermudaonion's Blog and check it out! You too can be a Goober...and that's a good thing!

How To Be an American Housewife

How To Be an American Housewife by Margaret Dilloway

Summary from Goodreads

How to Be an American Housewife is a novel about mothers and daughters, and the pull of tradition. It tells the story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who married an American GI, and her grown daughter, Sue, a divorced mother whose life as an American housewife hasn't been what she'd expected. When illness prevents Shoko from traveling to Japan, she asks Sue to go in her place. The trip reveals family secrets that change their lives in dramatic and unforeseen ways. Offering an entertaining glimpse into American and Japanese family lives and their potent aspirations, this is a warm and engaging novel full of unexpected insight.

My Thoughts

This is a wonderful debut novel from Margaret Dilloway. The first half of the book is told through Shoko's eyes as she grows up in Japan and eventually becomes a war bride. Shoko moves to America with her husband where they raise a family. There is much conflict in the lives of Shoko and her children due to the differences in cultures. Eventually as she grows older she wants to go home to make amends with her brother. Due to an illness she can no longer travel, so in her place she sends her daughter, Sue and granddaughter, Helena. The second part of the book is told through Sue's eyes as she travels to Japan with her daughter, Helena in search of Taro, Shoko's estranged brother. The descriptions of Japan are beautiful. The characters in the book are well developed and intriguing. This is a great story of family and the secrets they can sometimes hold, of the bonds between mother and daughter, and also a story of forgiveness. In the beginning of each chapter is a little blurb from a fictional book called How To Be An American Housewife. Dilloway based this on a book she found that her father had given to her mother entitled The American Way of Housekeeping. I found these little blurbs quite amusing and a great introduction to each chapter. Margaret Dilloway is great story teller and I hope she will be writing more stories like this. This is a beautiful story and I highly recommend it!

I received this book for my honest opinion from Putnam through LT Early Reviewers.

Mailbox Monday November 1

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is Julie from Knitting and Sundries. Thank you Julie for hosting!

Can you believe it is November! Geesh, time flies quickly these days! I only received one book for review last week. That's okay as I am doing some much needed catching up on books I already have. When I read the description of this book I knew I had to read it. I always tell the family we should really unplug for a week. They grumble and moan and tell me I would be lost without my shuffle (can't vacuum without it) and my computer and tv(I'd die without Survivor and Amazing Race). The sad thing is they are probably right but it still would be interesting to try for a short time. The family in this book unplugged for 6 months! I'm wondering if they made the whole 6 months. Guess I'll find out when I read the book. The book is due out in January 2011. That'll be here before you know it! And I'll probably still be plugged in myself.




The Winter of Our Disconnect by Susan Maushart

Summary from Goodreads

They did it. Could you? For any parent who has ever IM-ed their child to the dinner table - or yanked the modem from its socket in a show of primal parental rage - this account of one family's self-imposed exile from the Information Age will leave you ROFLing (Roll on the Floor Laughing) with recognition. But it will also challenge you to take stock of your own family connections, to create a media ecology that encourages kids - and parents - to thrive. At the simplest level, "The Winter of Our Disconnect" is the story of how one family survived six months of wandering through the desert - digitally speaking - and the lessons learned about themselves and technology along the way. At the same time, their story is a channel to a wider view - into the impact of new media on the lives of families, into the very heart of the meaning of home.

I received this book for my honest review from Tarcher/Penguin through Shelf Awareness

So what goodies did you find in your mailbox?

Crescendo

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick

Summary from Amazon

The sequel to the New York Times Best selling phenomenon, Hush, Hush!

Nora should have know her life was far from perfect. Despite starting a relationship with her guardian angel, Patch (who, title aside, can be described anything but angelic), and surviving an attempt on her life, things are not looking up. Patch is starting to pull away and Nora can't figure out if it's for her best interest or if his interest has shifted to her arch-enemy Marcie Millar. Not to mention that Nora is haunted by images of her father and she becomes obsessed with finding out what really happened to him that night he left for Portland and never came home.

The farther Nora delves into the mystery of her father's death, the more she comes to question if her Nephilim blood line has something to do with it as well as why she seems to be in danger more than the average girl. Since Patch isn't answering her questions and seems to be standing in her way, she has to start finding the answers on her own. Relying too heavily on the fact that she has a guardian angel puts Nora at risk again and again. But can she really count on Patch or is he hiding secrets darker than she can even imagine?

My Thoughts

Before it was published I received an ARC of Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. I wasn't sure why I received it but I decided to read it anyway. I usually don't find myself reading paranormal, angel, vampire or young adult novels. This was definitely out of my comfort zone. I found myself whizzing through Hush, Hush only to find out the ending was different than the ending in my ARC because there would be a sequel! Inside I was quite happy because I thoroughly enjoyed the book and was looking forward to more to the story. When I saw Barnes and Noble had a Sneak Peek for Crescendo in their book clubs I jumped right on it.

Crescendo continues the story of Nora and Patch which seems to get more complex and complicated. The series continues with it's dark romance between Patch and Nora which of course cannot go smoothly. Nora's friend, Vee adds some humor to the story with her quirky ways. Marcie Millar is the typical teenage bully that we all love to hate. The story takes some unexpected twist and turns which kept me very interested. I found myself liking this second book in the series even more than I liked Hush, Hush. I found it very suspenseful and found myself thinking about the book when I wasn't reading it. Crescendo was the perfect name for this book! This story just keeps building and building! I am looking forward to the third installment, Tempest. I'm just sad that I will have to wait awhile for it.

I received this ARC as part of Barnes and Noble Sneak Peek Program which in no way influenced my review.

Waiting On Wednesday October 27

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

As soon as I saw this cover and heard the title I knew this book would go on my wish list! Sadly, I cannot find a description of the book anywhere yet.



The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen
Product Details
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Bantam (March 22, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0553807226
ISBN-13: 978-0553807226

What books are you "waiting on?"

The Love Goddess' Cooking School

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate

Summary from Goodreads

Holly Maguire's grandmother was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine–a Milanese fortune teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can't make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that's why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla's Cucinotta, she's determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother's legacy.

But Holly's four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla's chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter's heart. Juliet, Holly's childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can't find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend.

As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla's essential ingredients of wishes and memories into every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed–and tested. Especially when Holly falls hard for Liam . . . and learns a thing or two about finding her own recipe for happiness.

My Thoughts

This was my first taste of reading a book by Melissa Senate. I have to say she has the recipe for a great, feel good story down to a tee! From page one this book had me! The book starts off with Holly making sa cordula otherwise known as lamb intestines to her boyfriend of two years. If he doesn't like it, it means he is not the love of her life according to her grandmother. Of course he hates it and Holly goes home to Maine to be with her grandmother. When her grandmother passes, Holly takes over her business teaching Italian cooking. One problem..Holly can't cook. Holly soon learns that there is more to cooking than following a recipe. She learns more about her grandmother through her grandmother's diaries. Holly's students each have their own story also. I like when secondary characters are given a side storyline. It gives them a life, I think. Makes them a bit more real. I became involved in their stories as well as Holly's. I loved Holly and her grandmother. They had a very special relationship and it was heartwarming to read about. Will Holly be able to keep her grandmother's business going? Will she ever find a man who likes sa cordula? Melissa Senate even included some recipes from the class in the back of the book which I hope to soon try out. If you read this book you will want to try them out too. I was wishing I could reach into the book during the cooking classes and sample the recipes myself except of course for the sa cordula. This book is one that will leave you feeling good and fulfilled at the end. I absolutely adored this book! If you like a warm, charming story than this is the book for you. It is as comforting as the food that was made in the book.

I give this book 5 stars


I received this arc for my honest review from Inkwell Management. Thank you Rose Marie!

Mailbox Monday October 25

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is the delightful Avis of She Reads and Reads. Thank you Avis for hosting this month!

I can't believe that October is almost over! Where did the month go? I didn't receive any review books this week but I am okay with that. I did get a couple books from Amazon, one book that jumped into my cart at Target, and I hit our library sale on Saturday and picked up a few goodies.



The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson (this was the book from Target)
The Girl With The Dragon tattoo by Stieg Larsson
(I felt like I was the only person not to have read these books so I decided to pick them up)
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin (I bought this used on Amazon but it actually ended up being a brand new book)
My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira (this has been on my wish list for quite some time)




These are my library sale finds. They were each a dollar so I only spent $5 and I got a few books that have been on my wish list. There weren't too many donated books this time. Most items were withdrawn from the library.

Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon (audiobook)
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
A Matter of Class by Mary Balogh
Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson
The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

Now I am off to see what wonderful books made their way into your home!

Waiting On Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This is my first WOW post. I am anxiously and not so patiently waiting for the following book to be published:




I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flagg

To be released November 9

A major new novel--the first in four years!--by the irresistible bestselling author of Can't Wait to Get to Heaven, Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, and Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.

Though her friends think Maggie has the perfect life, she's actually perfectly miserable. The former Miss Alabama is worried about how her life has turned out--she's given up on her dream of living in a beautiful home like Crestview, and instead is a real estate agent in Birmingham. But just when Maggie begins to wonder if there's much point in going on, her life takes a wild turn, and she finds herself catapulted into one surprising discovery after the next. As Maggie learns valuable lessons about the nature of friendship, the challenges of modern life, and the dangers of impossible dreams, she starts to see how much more there is to life than what can be listed in a Miss Alabama bio. Bestselling author Fannie Flagg's trademark comic flair is out in full force in this fabulous new novel about the unpredictability of life.

I love Fannie Flagg and I can't wait to get my hands on this book!

What books are you anxiously waiting for?

Backseat Saints

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson

Summary from Goodreads

Rose Mae Lolley is a fierce and dirty girl, long-suppressed under flowery skirts and bow-trimmed ballet flats. As "Mrs. Ro Grandee" she's trapped in a marriage that's thick with love and sick with abuse. Her true self has been bound in the chains of marital bliss in rural Texas, letting "Ro" make eggs, iron shirts, and take her punches. She seems doomed to spend the rest of her life battered outside by her husband and inside by her former self, until fate throws her in the path of an airport gypsy---one who shares her past and knows her future. The tarot cards foretell that Rose's beautiful, abusive husband is going to kill her. Unless she kills him first.

Hot-blooded Rose Mae escapes from under Ro's perky compliance and emerges with a gun and a plan to beat the hand she's been dealt. Following messages that her long-missing mother has left hidden for her in graffiti and behind paintings, Rose and her dog Gretel set out from Amarillo, TX back to her hometown of Fruiton, AL, and then on to California, unearthing a host of family secrets as she goes. Running for her life, she realizes that she must face her past in order to overcome her fate---death by marriage---and become a girl who is strong enough to save herself from the one who loves her best.

My Thoughts

This is the second Joshilyn Jackson book I have read. I must say I like that her characters are well developed and most have a quirkiness about them. This cover caught my attention right off the bat. There had to be a great story as to why this woman would cut off her beautiful hair and hold it in front of herself while looking down. As I read and got acquainted with Rose Mae Lolley, I found myself having a love/hate relationship with her. There were times I wanted hug her and tell her everything was going to be all right. Other times she did things that were absolutely crazy. The story does deal with domestic violence and while it is a heavy subject, there were times I found myself laughing at some of the antics in the book. Rose Mae Lolley was quite the character and needless to say so were the people who were part of her life. This book took me on a roller coaster ride and in the end gave me one final twist which was a doozy! There are some pretty graphic scenes in the book, some sexual and some violent. Just a warning for those who don't wish to read that sort of thing. I hope to read more of Joshilyn Jackson's novels. I have all ready picked up a few more of her books.

Fall Into Reading Question #4

I am participating in the Fall Into Reading Challenge. Every week Katrina at Callapidder Days has posted a question for us to answer. It's fun to see what everyone's reading habits are. This weeks question is:

Do you ever dog-ear the corners of book pages to mark your spot? Or are you a faithful bookmark user, refusing to damage the pages of your books? OR do you have another way to keep track of where you are in a book?

I do not dog ear books now but that was not always the case in my teenage years. Now I just can't bring myself to do that. I have many bookmarks, some which have been given to me by friends that are very dear to me. If I don't have a bookmark handy I will use a scrap of paper or whatever is handy until I can get to my bookmarks.

Now for my progress on the FIR Challenge. I have finished 4 out of the 10 books I have listed. Not bad at this stage of the game.

Do you dog-ear or are you a bookmark user?

Mailbox Monday October 18

Mailbox Monday is meme created by Marcia from The Printed Page. Marcia says,"Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists." Mailbox Monday is on tour and this months hostess is the delightful Avis of She Reads and Reads. Thank you Avis for hosting this month!




I have an amazing stack of books this week! I received one book for review. The rest are books that I got from swapping books with a book loving friend!

First off I received The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate. I am excited to read this book. It seems like I book I will enjoy. Thank you to Rose Marie from Inkwell Management.

Holly Maguire's grandmother was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine–a Milanese fortune teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can't make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that's why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla's Cucinotta, she's determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother's legacy.

But Holly's four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla's chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter's heart. Juliet, Holly's childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can't find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend.

As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla's essential ingredients of wishes and memories into every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed–and tested. Especially when Holly falls hard for Liam . . . and learns a thing or two about finding her own recipe for happiness.

The rest are the book I received from my book angel! Thank you book angel! I hope you enjoy the books I sent to you too.

Summer's Child by Diane Chamberlain
A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand
True Colors by Kristin Hannah
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
Summer People by Elin Hilderbrand
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Something Blue by Emily Giffin
The Last Child by John Hart
The Last Will of Moira Leahy by Therese Walsh
Catching Genius by Kristy Kiernan
Matters of Faith by Kristy Kiernan

What books made their way into your home?

Somewhere Inside; One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home

Somewhere Inside; One Sister's Captivity in North Korea and the Other's Fight to Bring Her Home by Laura Ling & Lisa Ling
I have been a huge fan of Lisa Ling ever since she was on The View. In fact when she left I pretty much stopped watching it. I liked how she would bring stories to our attention that I never knew were going on. When the story of how her sister Laura Ling and her colleague, Euna Lee had been captured and were being held prisoner in North Korea broke, I was surprised to learn that she had a sister in the same field as she. I was very concerned for Laura and Euna Lee and prayed for them. The two were working on a documentary about North Korean defectors who had fled the terrible conditions in their country only to end up in some terrible situations in China. While near the China- North Korean border the girls were captured by North Korean soldiers and dragged into North Korea where they were imprisoned. The book is told alternately through both Laura's eyes and Lisa's eyes. Laura tells of her ordeal in prison and being tried in North Korea. She was determined to survive and find a way out of what seemed to be a no-win situation. Lisa tells of what it was like waiting and wondering and how she diligently worked to find a way to bring her sister home. I don't think two sister's could be any closer to each other. You will want to hug your sister tightly after reading this book.

I also have Euna Lee's book The World Is Bigger Now and am looking forward to reading it as Laura and Euna Lee were separated for most of their imprisonment. I am wondering how Euna Lee was treated and what her experience was like.

I borrowed this book from my local public library. I would give it 5 stars.