WWW Wednesday November 30

Winter has decided to arrive here which puts me in a reading mood. It is too cold to putter outside so now I have more time to read. I finished 4 books over the long weekend. Before you get too impressed, two of them were quick reads. It does feel good to be able to check four books off my tbr list!


WWW Wednesday is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.

To play along, just answer the following three questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

The Winters Bloom by Lisa Tucker
(excuse the small book cover)

What did you recently finish reading?

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood click for my review

How To Save a Life by Sara Zarr- not yet reviewed

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik- not yet reviewed

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston- not yet reviewed

Be sure to keep an eye out for my upcoming reviews!

What do you think you’ll read next?

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

This has to get back to the library and so many readers have recommended this title to me.

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood

Hardcover: 384 pages
Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (June 9, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1594487936
ISBN-13: 978-1594487934

Summary

A debut novel full of heart, in which love, friendship, and charity teach a young woman to live a bigger life.

When Madeline Stone walks away from Chicago and moves five hundred miles north to the coast of Lake Superior, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, she isn't prepared for how much her life will change.

Charged with caring for an aging family friend, Madeline finds herself in the middle of beautiful nowhere with Gladys and Arbutus, two octogenarian sisters-one sharp and stubborn, the other sweeter than sunshine. As Madeline begins to experience the ways of the small, tight-knit town, she is drawn into the lives and dramas of its residents. It's a place where times are tough and debts run deep, but friendship, community, and compassion run deeper. As the story hurtles along-featuring a lost child, a dashed love, a car accident, a wedding, a fire, and a romantic reunion-Gladys, Arbutus, and the rest of the town teach Madeline more about life, love, and goodwill than she's learned in a lifetime.

A heartwarming novel, South of Superior explores the deep reward in caring for others, and shows how one who is poor in pocket can be rich in so many other ways, and how little it often takes to make someone happy.

About the Author
Ellen Airgood runs a diner in Grand Marais, Michigan. This is her first novel.

My Thoughts

As Madeline Stone is grieving the loss of Emmy, the woman who has raised her from a young girl, she tries to figure out where her life should go next. She is set to marry her well to do boyfriend and live in a nice suburb of Chicago. Madeline is approached by Gladys, old girlfriend of her grandfather's to move to McAllaster, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula to help care for Arbutus, her ailing sister. Madeline who is unsure about anything in life, breaks her engagement and treks off to McAllaster. I was sure she was crazy!

When Madeline arrives in McAllaster, she finds herself in a place much different from Chicago. Time seems to have stood still. People live much simpler and are often struggling. The characters seem very real and are very well developed. I could appreciate their struggles and strengths. Mary was one of my very favorite characters. She lives in a house made from two old tool cribs. She is a proud woman who sells syrup and fish that she catches to survive. There are many more interesting people in the tight knit town that you meet within the pages of the book. You really get the feeling of the community in the book.

As Madeline settles in to life in McAllaster, she discovers the sisters own a defunct hotel. The hotel is in need on renovations but the property on which it sits is very valuable. Someone wishes to buy it and tear the old victorian hotel. Madeline uses the hotel as her refuge when she wants to be alone. She has learn quite a bit about her mother, who abandoned her as a child and her grandfather, who refused to take her in. It is a lot for Madeline to take in and she appreciates the solitude she finds in the old hotel. It takes some time, but as Madeline's love for the hotel grows so does her love for the people of McAllaster. There is a love interest in the story but it is not an overpowering storyline. It is very complimentary and fits in the story nicely.

I enjoyed my visit to McAllaster. When I turned the last page, I felt a little sad, kind of how you feel when you leave your favorite vacation spot. The story moved at a slow pace at times but my interest in the characters and town kept me motivated to read on. I highly recommend this debut novel. Ellen Airgood has created characters that stay with you long after the last page. I look forward to seeing what characters Ellen Airgood comes up with next!


I received this book from Riverhead Books/Penguin books through Librarything Early Reviewers Group for my honest opinion, which in no way influenced this review.

Mailbox Monday November 28

It's Monday and we all know what that means! Mailbox Monday! This month Mailbox Monday is back home at Mailbox Monday hosted by Marcia. Thank you Marcia for creating MM! My wish lists wouldn't be the same without you!

Monday is tough after a nice long weekend! I sure wanted to keep on lounging around this morning. It was nice to just hang out with the kids this weekend. I read and they played video games, shopped, watched tv, and slept. We ate the weekend away! Itw as a great weekend. I hope your weekend was great too!

I received two books last week. One I purchased used from a used book seller on Amazon. I'm not sure but I think the pony express may have been involved in the delivery. It took ten days to get here. Kind of a long time for an Amazon seller. It did get here though, so I am grateful. The other book I received for review.

My purchased book

Love Finds You in Victory Heights, Washington by Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Summerside Press (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1609360001
ISBN-13: 978-1609360009

Summary

The Second World War has stolen Rosalie's fiance from her. But rather than wallow, Rosalie throws herself into her work at the Boeing plant in Victory Heights, shooting rivets into the B-17 bombers that will destroy the enemy. A local reporter dubs her Seattle's Own Rosie the Riveter, and her story lends inspiration to women across the country. While Rosalie's strong arms can bear the weight of this new responsibility, her heart cannot handle the intense feelings that begin to surface for Kenny, the handsome reporter. Fear of a second heartbreak is a powerful opponent - but will it claim victory over love?

For review courtesy of Viking/Penguin

Drifting House by Krys Lee

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult (February 2, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0670023256
ISBN-13: 978-0670023257

Summary

An unflinching portrayal of the Korean immigrant experience from an extraordinary new talent in fiction.

Spanning Korea and the United States, from the postwar era to contemporary times, Krys Lee's stunning fiction debut, Drifting House, illuminates a people torn between the traumas of their collective past and the indignities and sorrows of their present.

In the title story, children escaping famine in North Korea are forced to make unthinkable sacrifices to survive. The tales set in America reveal the immigrants' unmoored existence, playing out in cramped apartments and Koreatown strip malls. A makeshift family is fractured when a shaman from the old country moves in next door. An abandoned wife enters into a fake marriage in order to find her kidnapped daughter.

In the tradition of Chang-rae Lee's Native Speaker and Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies, Drifting House is an unforgettable work by a gifted new writer.


What wonderful reads made their way into your home?

Thankfully Reading Weekend Wrap Up

I managed to finish 4 books! That sounds impressive but two were books that were extremely quick reads. Still I am happy with what I finished. Now I just need to get the reviews written. Thank you Jenn for hosting!

I finished

How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik

The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt by Caroline Preston

Not a bad book in the bunch!

Thankfully Reading Weekend -What Book Are You Thankful For?

I have been thinking about this question since it was posted. I think I finally narrowed it down to three books that I am truly thankful for. The list was quite extensive before I whittled it down to these three books which probably have had a huge influence on my becoming the reader I am today.

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

I fell in love with Ingalls family long before they became a tv show. I still keep a set of the series on my bookshelves.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

I so love this book. I have several different editions. I used to tell people I was named for Beth. I was not but a young girl can always fantasize, right?

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I can't even tell you how many times I have read this. Such a strong spirit.

These are the books that I am thankful for. These are the books I read and reread over and over again.

Weekend Cooking- Betty Crocker-The Big Book of Slow Cooker, Casseroles & More

This is one of my go to cookbooks! I have made several recipes out of this cookbook. The ingredients used for the recipes are ones that are readily available, either in my pantry and in a regular grocery store. There are some great full page pictures in the cookbook but not every recipe has a picture. I love that each recipe has nutritional information listed at the bottom. That came in handy when my mom was living with us. She had sodium restrictions so it was nice to know how much sodium was in each serving. Some recipes that we have tried and loved include; New Potatoes and Spring Vegetables, Mixed Vegetable Bake, Apricot Glazed Carrots, Cheesy Potato Soup, Parmesan-Butternut Squash Gratin, and Ultimate Slow Cooker Potatoes. We have many more recipes we want to try in the cookbook. There is a moment's notice menu planner and a metric conversion guide in the book. This is a great cookbook for the everyday cook.

This is one of our very favorite recipes out of the book. My kids request these potatoes quite a bit. You could make these healthier also by using fat free or low fat milk, sour cream and cream cheese. This recipe comes from page 292 of Betty Crocker The Big Book of Slow Cooker, Casseroles & More

Ultimate Slow Cooker Potatoes

prep time: 15 minutes start to finish:1 hour 45 minutes 12 servings(2/3 cup each)

3 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 package(8 oz)cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cups plain mashed potato mix(dry)
Gravy or chopped fresh parsley, if desired.

1. Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, mix water, milk, butter, sour cream, and cream cheese with whisk until blended. Add garlic salt, pepper, and mashed potatoes(dry); mix just until blended.

2. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring once after 1 hour.

3. Before serving, stir potatoes. Serve immediately, or hold in slow cooker on Low heat setting up to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. If Potatoes become too thick, stir in additional milk, a couple tablespoons at a time. Serve with gravy or sprinkle with chopped parsley.

1 serving: Calories 250; Total Fat 17g(Saturated Fat 11g; Trans Fat 0.5g); Cholesterol 50mg; Sodium 230mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g(Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 5g EXCHANGES: 1 1/2 Starch, 3 Fat CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES: 1

Weekend Cooking is a weekly meme sponsored by Beth Fish Reads.
Weekend Cooking is a chance to share the food love. Be sure to check out all the yummy cooking posts on Beth's blog.

Thankfully Reading Weekend 2011 Edition! Kick-Off!

How was your Thanksgiving? I hope you all had a wonderful day! I am roasting a turkey today or tomorrow depending on when it thaws. It has been in our little fridge since Sunday! Apparently our little fridge is well insulated! We ate at my sister's yesterday. We like leftover turkey so I make one so we can enjoy turkey sandwiches all weekend. At some point I will be going shopping for our Christmas tree. I figure we will get it now and keep it outside or in the garden shed in some water. The kids have requested we get the tree before the wind chill falls below 0! It sounds like a good plan!

The time has come for the Thankfully Reading Weekend! Yay! I have a stack of books ready and will be starting shortly. I am keeping this readathon relaxed and won't be keeping track of pages or minutes read. Below is my stack of books. I won't get through them all. Two are half read, two are quick reads, and two are books I have been meaning to get to. I have been looking forward to this! Let the reading begin!

South of Superior by Ellen Airgood
How To Save a Life by Sara Zarr
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznik
The Winters in Bloom by Lisa Tucker
The Scrapbook of Frankie Pratt: A Novel in Pictures by Caroline Preston
Exposure by Therese Fowler

Check out the kick off post here.