This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel by John Irving
Publisher/Publication Date:Random House, Oct 27, 2009
About the book:In 1954, in the cookhouse of a logging and sawmill settlement in northern New Hampshire, an anxious twelve-year-old boy mistakes the local constable’s girlfriend for a bear. Both the twelve-year-old and his father become fugitives, forced to run from Coos County–to Boston, to southern Vermont, to Toronto–pursued by the implacable constable. Their lone protector is a fiercely libertarian logger, once a river driver, who befriends them.
In a story spanning five decades, Last Night in Twisted River–John Irving’s twelfth novel–depicts the recent half-century in the United States as “a living replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course.” From the novel’s taut opening sentence–“The young Canadian, who could not have been more than fifteen, had hesitated too long”–to its elegiac final chapter, Last Night in Twisted River is written with the historical authenticity and emotional authority of The Cider House Rules and A Prayer for Owen Meany. It is also as violent and disturbing a story as John Irving’s breakthrough bestseller, The World According to Garp.
What further distinguishes Last Night in Twisted River is the author’s unmistakable voice–the inimitable voice of an accomplished storyteller. Near the end of this moving novel, John Irving writes: “We don’t always have a choice how we get to know one another. Sometimes, people fall into our lives cleanly–as if out of the sky, or as if there were a direct flight from Heaven to Earth–the same sudden way we lose people, who once seemed they would always be part of our lives.” (Amazon)
About the author:John Irving published his first novel, Setting Free the Bears, in 1968. He has been nominated for a National Book Award three times–winning once, in 1980, for the novel The World According to Garp. He also received an O. Henry Award, in 1981, for the short story “Interior Space.” In 1992, Mr. Irving was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 2000, he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Cider House Rules–a film with seven Academy Award nominations. In 2001, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Last Night in Twisted River is John Irving’s twelfth novel. (Amazon)
Last Night in Twisted River Publisher/Publication Date: Random House, Oct 27, 2009 ISBN: 978-1400063840 576 pages
Speaking of The Queen's English - I registered my 14 year old daughter for high school a few weeks ago. When we had gone through all the paperwork (residency, physical, etc) stood in all the lines (pictures, Student I.D.'s, etc, etc) and put money out every time I yawned (yearbook, homecoming t-shirt, spirit wear, school pictures, etc, etc, etc), we finally arrived to the last station where we would pick up her schedule and get her textbooks - They hand us the stack and we are looking at them and I don't see an English book. Thinking that is strange, I look at her schedule and discover that she doesn't have a second period class - it skips from 1st to 3rd. Well, I of course, think my daughter is very bright and trustworthy - but am not comfortable allowing her to roam for an entire class period. I ask the personnel working this station - and they send me back down to the counselor's office as they only pass out the stuff - they don't schedule it! So - back down stairs we went to wait in the office until a counselor became free... And, you guessed it - her second period class was English. Her counselor made some crack about my daughter being the first student to ever come looking to take an English class - Unfortunately the next sentence out of my daughter's mouth contained an incorrect form of a verb. . .and the counselor and I had a quick laugh at my daughter's expense (sorry honey!) But I have blathered on enough! On to The Queen's English!
The Queen's English By Caroline Taggart, Author of I Used to Know That: Stuff You Forgot From School
The older generation is always complaining that the young can't speak or write correct English. Mind you, the older generation has always complained that the young can't speak or write correct English. That's because language is constantly changing (that's part of the fun of it) and only the most ardent pedants waste their time trying to stop it. But there are times when correct English matters: when you're writing a school report, for instance, or going for a job interview.
Teaching grammar went out of fashion in the 1960s, so if you are any age from 15 to 50 you may be one of many people who missed out on being taught the rules of your own language. If you sometimes feel a bit at sea about apostrophes and adjectives, comparatives and conjunctions, here's a not-too-serious quiz to help you through some of the pitfalls.
1) Commonly misspelled words: Only one of these four words is spelled correctly. Can you identify it and correct the others?
cematery, definate, embarrass, priviledge
2)Prolix prepositions: Prepositions are little words like at, to, under, on, off, usually used to show where one thing is in relation to another. It's a common mistake to use too many of them. With this in mind, can you correct these two sentences?
I took a day off of work.
Put that book back down on the table.
3) Dangling participles: A clause introduced by a present participle -- that's a word like "walking," "talking", "seeing," "believing" -- should have the same subject as the main clause. So can you correct this sentence?
Walking through the store, the red shoes caught her eye.
4) Restrictions and non-restrictions: Commas may not seem important, but they can make a big difference. What's the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
The trees which had yellow leaves looked beautiful in the sunshine.
The trees, which had yellow leaves, looked beautiful in the sunshine.
5)Apostrophes: They can be used to show that a letter is missing, or to indicate possession. So where do they go in this sentence?
Theres often lots of confusion about an apostrophes position.
6) The media is the message: Some words in English have unusual plural forms, often because they derive from Greek or Latin. Two of these words are plural, the other is singular. Can you give the singular forms of the plurals and vice versa?
formula, criteria, data
7) Too much of a good thing: Tautology and pleonasm are fancy words for saying the same thing twice. What's wrong with these expressions?
"unconfirmed rumor," "free gift", "HIV virus"?
8) Subjects and objects: the subject of a sentence is the person or thing that performs the action; the object is the one that receives it. Pronouns (words like he, she, it which take the place of nouns) take different forms depending on whether they are the subject or the object. So which of these are correct?
My husband and I would like to wish you every happiness.
My husband and me would like to wish you every happiness.
Please accept this small gift from my husband and I.
Please accept this small gift from my husband and me.
ANSWERS
1)Embarrass is correct. The others should be cemetery, definite, privilege.
2)I took a day off work and Put that book back on the table are neater and say exactly the same thing.
3) We all know what is meant by this sentence, but strictly speaking it says that the red shoes are doing the walking. As she was walking through the store, the red shoes caught her eye or Walking through the store, she noticed the red shoes are both grammatically correct.
4) The first version suggests that not all of the trees had yellow leaves (some were a different color) and only the yellow ones looked beautiful. In the second version all the trees have yellow leaves and all look beautiful.
5) There's often lots of confusion about an apostrophe's position. The first apostrophe indicates that "there's" is short for "there is", the second that the position "belongs" to the apostrophe.
6)Formula is a Latin singular, plural formulae. Criteria is from Greek and is the plural of criterion; data is Latin again and is a plural. Although rarely used nowadays, the singular is datum, meaning one piece of information.
7) They all contain an unnecessary word: a rumor is by definition unconfirmed -- once it's confirmed it becomes a story, or a fact, or a piece of news. And a gift is always free: if you have to pay for it, it isn't a gift. In the last example, it's "virus" that is unnecessary: what do you think the V stands for?
8)My husband and I would like to wish you every happiness and Please accept this small gift from my husband and me are correct. "I" is the subject of the verb, "me" is the object. To check this, try taking away "my husband and." You wouldn't say Me would like to wish you or Please accept this small gift from I, now would you?
Title: Summer of Two Wishes Author: Julia London Publisher: Pocket Star
First sentence:The first time two U.S. Army Casualty Notification Officers came looking for Macy, it was to tell her that her husband Finn had died in Afghanistan.
My synopsis: Macy and Finn had the perfect marriage. He had fallen for her the first time he met her - even though they seemed worlds apart. She was a college student studying social work and he was a rancher raising cutting horses. He could not stop thinking of her after their chance meeting and worked up the courage to ask his buddy Mike to track down her number. There had never been anyone else for him. They married and began their life together. Then his buddy Mike was killed in Iraq - this is how why he decided to enlist.
Macy didn't believe in the war and begged Finn not to go - but he insisted that the ranch would run itself and he would be back in no time. No time was right - the officers showed up months later and told Macy that Finn had been killed by a suicide bomber. That they had his charred dogtags and DNA evidence that he had died. Macy drifted - not knowing what she was supposed to do with her life and the ranch now. She tried to keep it running, but she just couldn't, and there wasn't anyone who could help - so she gradually sold off the cattle and the horses and moved into an apartment. Her father introduced her to Wyatt and pressured her to go a date with him to help him with a land deal he was trying to close. Wyatt fell for Macy and helped her to want to live again. Three years and 2 months after Finn left Texas, Macy and Wyatt married.
Seven short months later Army Officers were once again looking for Macy. This time it was to tell her they were so sorry but they had made a mistake. Finn was indeed alive. He had been held captive by the Taliban and had recently escaped and made his way to the coalition forces. Macy is overjoyed to know that Finn is alive. Slowly reality sets in...she is in love with and married, to two men. Either she needs to file divorce papers with Finn to stay married to Wyatt or she needs to file a suit to declare her marriage to Wyatt is void and say married to Finn. Which is the right choice?
My thoughts: I really enjoyed reading this book. Though it dealt with what would be a heartbreaking situation, it was a quick read. The ending was somewhat predictable, but there were some twists in there that kept me turning the pages. During parts of the book I found myself rooting for Finn and Macy - and then I would be a little further along and I would be rooting for Wyatt and Macy - and then the pages would turn and I would be bad mouthing Wyatt again - It was really a lot of fun!
Fearless: Imagine Your Life Without Fear by Max Lucado
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
I received this book from Thomas Nelson Books.
About the book:We fear being sued, finishing last, going broke, the mole on the back, and the sound of the clock as it ticks us closer to the grave. Every season seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.
And it feels dreadful. Fear sucks the life out of the soul, curls us into an embryonic state, and drains us dry of contentment.
Wouldn't it be great to escape it? What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?
According to Jesus, this is possible. The one statement he made more than any other was this: "Don't be afraid." In this book, Max Lucado invites you to consider Jesus' invitation to courage.
Fear will always knock on your door. Just don't invite it in for dinner. And for heaven's sake, don't offer it a bed for the night.
The promise of Christ and the contention of these pages are simple: we can fear less tomorrow than we do today. (book jacket)
About the author:Max Lucado, Minister of Writing and Preaching for the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, is the husband of Denalyn and father of Jenna, Andrea, and Sara. In a good week, he reads a good book, has a few dinners with his wife, and breaks 90 on the golf course. He usually settles for the first two. (book jacket)
About the book: By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it's safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know who to avoid. Like the crazy guy on the corner.
But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda's mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then a mysterious note arrives, scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:
I am coming to save your friend's life, and my own. I ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.
The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows things no one should know. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she's too late.
This remarkable novel takes place in the real world but holds a fantastic puzzle at its heart. When You Reach Me is an original, and a brilliant and profound delight. (back cover)
About the author:Rebecca Stead is the author of First Light. She grew up in New York City and still lives there, with her husband and their two sons. (inside book)
When You Reach Me Publisher/Publication Date: Wendy Lamb Books, July 2009 ISBN: 978-0-385-73742-5 208 pages
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
So far this is a great book! I am enjoying it as much as I did The Red Siren!
M.L. Tyndall, a Christy Award Finalist, and best-selling author of the Legacy of the King’s Pirates series is known for her adventurous historical romances filled with deep spiritual themes. She holds a degree in Math and worked as a software engineer for fifteen years before testing the waters as a writer. MaryLu currently writes full time and makes her home on the California coast with her husband, six kids, and four cats.
“Gentlemen, what will ye offer for this rare treasure of a lady?” The words crashed over Hope Westcott like bilge water. “Why, she’ll make any of ye a fine wife, a cook, a housemaid”—the man gave a lascivious chuckle—“whate’er ye desire.”
“How ’bout someone to warm me bed at night,” one man bellowed, and a cacophony of chortles gurgled through the air.
Hope slammed her eyes shut against the mob of men who pressed on three sides of the tall wooden platform, shoving one another to get a better peek at her. Something crawled over her foot, and she pried her eyes open, keeping her face lowered. A black spider skittered away. Red scrapes and bruises marred her bare feet. When had she lost her satin shoes—the gold braided ones she’d worn to impress Lord Falkland? She couldn’t recall.
“What d’ye say? How much for this fine young lady?” The man grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back. Pain, like a dozen claws, pierced her skull. “She’s a handsome one, to be sure. And these golden locks.” He attempted to slide his fingers through her matted strands, but before becoming hopelessly entangled in them, he jerked his hand free, wrenching out a clump of her hair. Hope winced. “Have ye seen the likes of them?”
Ribald whistles and groans of agreement spewed over her.
“Two shillings,” one man yelled.
Hope dared to glance across the throng amassing before the auction block. A wild sea of lustful eyes sprayed over her. A band of men dressed in garments stained with dirt and sweat bunched toward the front, yelling out bids. Behind them, other men in velvet waistcoats leaned their heads together, no doubt to discuss the value of this recent offering, while studying her as if she were a breeding mare. Slaves knelt in the dirt along the outskirts of the mob, waiting for their masters. Beyond them, a row of wooden buildings stretched in either direction. Brazen women emerged from a tavern and draped themselves over the railings, watching Hope’s predicament with interest. On the street, ladies in modish gowns averted their eyes as they tugged the men on their arms from the sordid scene.
Hope lowered her head. This can’t be happening. I’m dreaming. I am still on the ship. Just a nightmare. Only a nightmare. Humiliation swept over her with an ever-rising dread as the reality of her situation blasted its way through her mind.
She swallowed hard and tried to drown out the grunts and salacious insults tossed her way by the bartering rabble. Perhaps if she couldn’t hear them, if she couldn’t see them, they would disappear and she would wake up back home, safe in Charles Towne, safe in her bedchamber, safe with her sisters, just like she was before she’d put her trust in a man who betrayed her.
“Egad, man. Two shillings, is it? For this beauty?” The auctioneer spit off to the side. The yellowish glob landed on Hope’s skirt. Her heart felt as though it had liquefied into an equally offensive blob and oozed down beside it.
How did I get here? In her terror, she could not remember. She raised her gaze to the auctioneer. Cold eyes, hard like marbles, met hers, and a sinister grin twisted his lips. He adjusted his tricorn to further shade his chubby face from the burning sun.
“She looks too feeble for any real work,” another man yelled.
The sounds of the crowd dimmed. The men’s fists forged into the air as if pushing through mud. Garbled laughter drained from their yellow-toothed mouths like molasses. Hope’s heart beat slower, and she wished for death.
The gentle lap of waves caressed her ears, their peaceful cadence drawing her away. Tearing her gaze from the nightmarish spectacle, she glanced over her shoulder, past the muscled henchmen who’d escorted her here. Two docks jutted out into a small bay brimming with sparkling turquoise water where several ships rocked back and forth as if shaking their heads at her in pity. Salt and papaya and sun combined in a pleasant aroma that lured her mind away from her present horror.
Her eyes locked upon the glimmering red and gold figurine of Ares at the bow of Lord Falkland’s ship. She blinked back the burning behind her eyes. When she’d boarded it nigh a week past—or was it two weeks—all her hopes and dreams had boarded with her. Somewhere along the way, they had been cast into the depths of the sea. She only wished she had joined them. Although the ship gleamed majestically in the bay, all she had seen of it for weeks had been the four walls of a small cabin below deck.
The roar of the crowd wrenched her mind back to the present and turned her face forward.
“Five shillings.”
“’Tis robbery, and ye know it,” the auctioneer barked. “Where are any of ye clods goin’ t’ find a real lady like this?”
A stream of perspiration raced down Hope’s back as if seeking escape. But there was no escape. She was about to be sold as a slave, a harlot to one of these cruel and prurient taskmasters. A fate worse than death. A fate her sister had fought hard to keep her from. A fate Hope had brought upon herself. Numbness crept over her even as her eyes filled with tears. Oh God. This can’t be happening.
She gazed upward at the blue sky dusted with thick clouds, hoping for some deliverance, some sign that God had not abandoned her.
The men continued to haggle, their voices booming louder and louder, grating over her like the howls of demons.
Her head felt like it had detached from her body and was floating up to join the clouds. Palm trees danced in the light breeze coming off the bay. Their tall trunks and fronds formed an oscillating blur of green and brown. The buildings, the mob, and the whole heinous scene joined the growing mass and began twirling around Hope. Her legs turned to jelly, and she toppled to the platform.
“Get up!” A sharp crack stung her cheek. Two hands like rough rope clamped over her arms and dragged her to her feet. Pain lanced through her right foot where a splinter had found a home. Holding a hand to her stinging face, Hope sobbed.
The henchman released her with a grunt of disgust.
“I told ye she won’t last a week,” one burly man shouted.
“She ain’t good for nothing but to look at.”
Planting a strained grin upon his lips, the auctioneer swatted her rear end. “Aye, but she’s much more stout than she appears, gentlemen.”
Horrified and no longer caring about the repercussions, Hope slapped the man’s face. He raised his fist, and she cowered. The crowd roared its mirth.
“One pound, then,” a tall man sporting a white wig called out. “I could use me a pretty wench.” Withdrawing a handkerchief, he dabbed at the perspiration on his forehead.
Wench. Slave. Hope shook her head, trying to force herself to accept what her mind kept trying to deny. A sudden surge of courage, based on naught but her instinct to survive, stiffened her spine. She thrust out her chin and faced the auctioneer. “I beg your pardon, sir. There’s been a mistake. I am no slave.”
“Indeed?” He cocked one brow and gave her a patronizing smirk.
Hope searched the horde for a sympathetic face—just one. “My name is Miss Hope Westcott,” she shouted. “My father is Admiral Henry Westcott. I live in Charles Towne with my two sisters.”
“And I’m King George,” a farmer howled, slapping his knee.
“My father will pay handsomely for my safe return.” Hope scanned the leering faces. Not one. Not one look of sympathy or belief or kindness. Fear crawled up her throat. She stomped her foot, sending a shard of pain up her leg. “You must believe me,” she sobbed. “I don’t belong here.”
Ignoring the laughter, Hope spotted a purple plume fluttering in the breeze atop a gold-trimmed hat in the distance. “Arthur!” She darted for the stairs but two hands grabbed her from behind and held her in place. “Don’t leave me! Lord Falkland!” She struggled in her captor’s grasp. His grip tightened, sending a throbbing ache across her back.
Swerving about, Lord Falkland tapped his cane into the dirt and tipped the brim of his hat up, but the distance between them forbade Hope a vision of his expression.
“Tell them who I am, Arthur. Please save me!”
He leaned toward the woman beside him and said something, then coughed into his hand. What is he doing? The man who once professed an undying love for Hope, the man who promised to marry her, to love her forever, the man who bore the responsibility for her being here in the first place. How could he stand there and do nothing while she met such a hideous fate?
The elegant lady beside him turned her nose up at Hope, then, threading her arm through Lord Falkland’s, she wheeled him around and pulled him down the road.
Hope watched him leave, and with each step of his cordovan boots, her heart and her very soul sank deeper into the wood of the auction block beneath her feet.
Nothing made any sense. Had the world gone completely mad?
“Two pounds,” a corpulent man in the back roared.
A memory flashed through Hope’s mind as she gazed across the band of men. A vision of African slaves, women and children, being auctioned off in Charles Towne. How many times had she passed by, ignoring them, uncaring, unconcerned by the proceedings?
Was this God’s way of repaying her for her selfishness, her lack of charity?
“Five pounds.”
Disappointed curses rumbled among the men at the front, who had obviously reached their limit of coin.
The auctioneer’s mouth spread wide, greed dripping from its corners. “Five pounds, gentlemen. Do I hear six for this lovely lady?”
A blast of hot air rolled over Hope, stealing her breath. Human sweat, fish, and horse manure filled her nose and saturated her skin. The unforgiving sun beat a hot hammer atop her head until she felt she would ignite into a burning torch at any moment. Indeed, she prayed she would. Better to be reduced to a pile of ashes than endure what the future held for her.
“Six pounds,” a short man with a round belly and stiff brown wig yelled from the back of the mob in a tone that indicated he knew what he was doing and had no intention of losing his prize. Decked in the a fine damask waistcoat, silk breeches, and a gold-chained pocket watch, which he kept snapping open and shut, he exuded wealth and power from his pores.
Hope’s stomach twisted into a vicious knot, and she clutched her throat to keep from heaving whatever shred of moisture remained in her empty stomach.
The auctioneer gaped at her, obviously shocked she could command such a price. Rumblings overtook the crowd as the short man pushed his way through to claim his prize. The closer he came, the faster Hope’s chest heaved and the lighter her head became. Blood pounded in her ears, drowning out the groans of the mob. No, God. No.
“Do I hear seven?” the auctioneer bellowed. “She’s young and will breed you some fine sons.”
“Just what I’ll be needing.” The man halted at the platform, glanced over the crowd for any possible competitors, then took the stairs to Hope’s right. He halted beside her too close for propriety’s sake and assailed her with the stench of lard and tobacco. A long purple scar crossed his bloated, red face as his eyes grazed over her like a stallion on a breeding mare. Hope shuddered and gasped for a breath of air. Her palms broke out in a sweat, and she rubbed them on her already moist gown.
The auctioneer threw a hand to his hip and gazed over the crowd.
The man squeezed her arms, and Hope snapped from his grasp and took a step back, abhorred at his audacity. He chuckled. “Not much muscle on her, but she’s got pluck.”
He belched, placed his watch back into the fob pocket of his breeches, and removed a leather pouch from his belt. “Six pounds it is.”
The silver tip of a sword hung at his side. If Hope were quick about it, perhaps she could grab it and, with some luck, fight her way out of here. She clenched her teeth. Who was she trying to fool? Where was her pirate sister when she needed her? Surely Faith would know exactly what to do. Yet what did it matter? Hope would rather die trying to escape than become this loathsome man’s slave.
As the man counted out the coins into the auctioneer’s greedy hands, Hope reached for the sword.
Title: One Scream Away Author: Kate Brady Publisher: Forever
First sentence:A chilly night with just a wedge of moon, mist brewing on the water and congealing in gullies. (from an uncorrected proof of book)
I finished this book a while back but had only posted a partial review - so I am here to update it!
Chevy Bankes is a killer with a mission - and it begins and ends with Beth Denison. She is the "one victim" that got away from him 7 years before and he is out to correct that mistake now.
Since the night she was attacked, Beth's life has changed. She now has a young daughter to watch over. Her husband left her while she was pregnant and was killed in a plane crash not long after.
Neil Sheridan is the ex-FBI agent that was investigating some murders years before when his wife and son were killed. He has never been the same since and left the FBI because of it. Murders that begin happening again are similar to those from years earlier and he is called in on the case "unofficially". Even though both he and Beth have built up defensive walls because of their pasts, they grow closer and are able to begin to trust each other. How far will that trust take them before the nightmare is over?
Well, if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, then you know that I love thrillers. This one was no exception. I was 1/2 way through the book when I felt like it was reaching the climax - only to realize I still had 200 pages to go! This book built the tension up numerous times as it continued to give you pieces to the puzzle - it definitely kept me up reading later many nights than I should have been!
One Scream Away Publisher/Publication Date: Forever, July 2009 ISBN: 978-0-446-54152-7 464 pages
Title: Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz: A Quinceañera Club Novel Author: Belinda Acosta Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
First sentence: Ana was finishing her coffee when she saw the full-page ad in the morning paper:
Everything you need for the ultimate teen birthday party!
My synopsis: I have been having a hard time trying to figure out how to sum this story up - so sorry if it comes out sounding a little disjointed.
Ana is coping with her husband, Esteban's unfaithfulness and the fact that he has moved out. Her 14-year-old daughter, Carmen, blames her for making her dad leave, when in reality - he is the one who moved out. Ana is trying to protect her daughter and her son, Diego, from their father's affair. When she sees the above ad, she decides that Carmen needs a traditional quinceañera - not so much for the tradition - but because she thinks it will help her and Carmen become close again.
Beatriz, Ana's niece, jumps in to help with the planning - even designing the dresses that Carmen and the damas will wear. She is living with Ana and her kids as her own father is traveling for business and her mother is in a mental hospital - a fact that Beatriz is having to come to terms with on her own.
Ana's son seems to be the calm, rational one when he is really as torn up as Carmen about his dad's leaving but feels his mom needs their support - especially after he starts hearing rumors about what his dad has done.
So, as you can see, this is a multi-layered story with Beatriz and her mom; Ana and her daughter, Carmen; and Ana herself - and the decisions she needs to make about her future with or without Esteban.
My thoughts: To be honest, I almost gave up on this book in the beginning. It had some Spanish phrases in it and I wondered how much of the meaning I was losing. But after reading a review that said the you could get enough of the gist of the Spanish phrases without knowing Spanish and still understand the book, I kept going. I am glad that I did.
I really enjoyed Damas, Dramas, and Ana Ruiz as it portrayed not just one strong woman - Ana, but a strong 'young' woman - Beatriz, and a girl becoming a woman - Carmen. I also have a daughter turning 15 in 2 1/2 weeks so can kind of see the emotions that Carmen was experiencing - and definitely get to see the drama! (a quinceañera is a celebration for a young woman when they turn 15)
About the Book:When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.
Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.
Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.
Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.(Amazon)
About the author:James Dashner lives and writes in Utah.
The Maze Runner Publisher/Publication Date: Delacorte Books for Young Readers, Oct 6, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-385-73794-4 384 pages
I received this book for a First Wild Card Tour in September.
About the book:In this sequel to Jennifer’s award-winning debut novel Fireflies in December, Jessilyn Lassiter and her best friend Gemma Teague have survived prejudice and heartache in their lifelong friendship, but the summer of 1936 threatens to tear them apart yet again. Gemma’s job with the wealthy Hadley family leads to a crush on their youngest son. But Jessilyn’s insistence that he’s no good and that no rich white man would ever truly fall for a poor black girl like Gemma puts them at odds. Tragedy strikes when Jessilyn’s cherished neighbor girl is hit by a car and killed. Things get worse when an elderly friend is falsely accused of the crime, and the only way to clear his name is to put her family’s livelihood in jeopardy. For Jessilyn, this is a choice too hard to bear and she wonders where to turn for answers, especially when an angry mob threatens vigilante justice. Jennifer’s third book, Catching Moondrops,releases in Fall 2010. (Amazon)
About the author:Jennifer Erin Valent is the winner of the Christian Writers Guild's 2007 Operation First Novel contest for Fireflies in December, her first published novel. She lives in Central Virginia, where she has worked as a nanny for over fifteen years. A lifelong resident of the South, her surroundings help to color the scenes and characters she writes. (back cover)
Happy Sunday Everyone! I hope that everybody is enjoying what is left of summer. My middle daughter has her first day of high school on Wednesday, so we don't have much summer left here. (Be sure to check out the You Tube Video at the end!) It has been pretty gorgeous all week though so we have spent a lot of time outside! We went to a local festival the last two nights- Friday we got to watch Escape To Witch Mountain on a 40 foot screen in the park and last night we saw some awesome fireworks! Of course my son has been over-tired and sugared up, so he was usually completely wound by the time we got home. Tomorrow we end the weekend with church and then a parade. It is supposed to rain tomorrow though, so hopefully it will hold off until the parade is over.
Let's talk about comments - When you leave a comment on someone's blog do you like to get a response back? And if you do, do you look for that response in your email or back under the comments? I am always unsure as to whether I should leave an answer in the comments or email the person directly. I would love to hear what everyone out there thinks about this.
Ok - let's see. I want to take a minute to thank the Park Avenue Princess for the wonderful award she gave me awhile back. It is the Heartfelt Blogger Award. Thank you so much!
Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when you're relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know that feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea or a hot toddy? That is what the Heartfelt award is all about: feeling warm inside!
The Rules:
Put the logo on your blog/post. Nominate up to 9 blogs which make you feel comfy or warm inside. Be sure to link to your nominees within the post. Let them know about the award by commenting on their blog. Remember to link to the person from whom you received your award.
My list could go on and on and on! If you haven't checked these blogs out, make it a point to do so soon!
What is everyone reading this weekend? I am reading The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndale - I lover the first book to this series The Red Siren and am gobbling this one up too! I have also started The Summer of Two Wishes by Julia London - It is about a woman who is told that her husband has been killed overseas - only to find out three years later that the army was mistaken - he had been a POW and had finally escaped. Only now she is remarried to someone else. Which love does she pick? Can you imagine having to do that? Having 2 husbands that you love and having to pick one? That would be a nightmare - but so far the book is really good!
I am going to leave you all with this YouTube video that they showed at my daughter's freshman orientation that we attended this week. It is an eye opener and really gives you a lot to think about!
Title: The Friends We Keep Author: Sarah Zacharias Davis Publisher: Waterbrook Press
First sentence: My eyes flooded with tears that began rolling down my face.
My synopsis: This book was about - you guessed it - friends. But not just any friends - women and their friends. Why we need them, how we make them, how we keep them, and even why we lose them.
Each chapter shared some one's story that was relevant to the point that the author was trying to make. A lot of the stories I could relate to, or at the very least, knew someone who would fit in it. She explores a lot of the different sides to friendships, like the different ways we can love a friend, why we might need a particular friend - or why that friend might need us. What we get from a relationship - do we give or take from it? The book ends with how and why we need to be friends with our self.
The chapter I really like was titled "The Lesson of Lucy Van Pelt". I am sure that many of you remember Lucy from the Peanuts comic strip and what we are talking about here is gossip. This is something that I know I am guilty of and it is so easy to fall into gossiping about someone else. We can cover it up by making it look like we are really just "inquiring" because we are worried about someone or we try to cover up our gossip by "sugarcoating" it.
If you're not from the south, it goes something like this: "Since Anne Marie put on all that weight, she just looks poured into those pants. Someone needs to tell her those look terrible, bless her heart." Or, "Poor Donna Jo's husband has been cheating on her with his secretary, though I can't say I'm surprised. Men like women who cook for them, and she was always a dreadful cook, bless her heart." Add the word "little" and you can get away with saying even worse. "Shelby's wedding was sweet. Such a shame it will never last, bless her little heart." You get the idea. (The Friends We Keep, p44)
She ends this chapter with a story about a woman who had a casual friend that she had known for years. They weren't particularly close, and had really only kept in contact through mutual friends. When the woman was having a tough time in her life she was confiding her problems in only her close friends. This casual friend and her husband were at a dinner party when someone asked about how she was doing. This casual friend immediately jumped in and said that it was not appropriate for dinner conversation, and stopped any story telling that might have occurred. The woman relates "I felt a connection to her, instantly closer than I ever had in all the years I'd known her." (p48) This really touched me and made me take a closer look at things I may or may not have said over the years.
What if connection becomes greater by keeping secrets and sharing something personal to you rather than sharing what is personal to an absent other? What if power comes from empowering others rather than dominating them? What if friendship is cemented by rescuing a friend's reputation when it may be on the line? What if the glue that holds us together is discretion, no disclosure? (p48-49)
My thoughts: This book made me take a closer look at why I feel I don't have a lot of close friends. Even as a teen, I had just a handful of girls that I would call actually friends. I grew up in a small town, where we knew everybody - but I didn't feel like I fit in well with most of them. This feeling continued in college where I still only can recall 3-4 real girlfriends. It did make me see how I could benefit from having more friends, and that I should work on these relationships. Any thing worthwhile does take time. I was surprised by how many responses I have gotten on my give away for this book from women who said that they also did not have many friends, or had trouble making friends. (Giveaway for The Friends We Keep ends August 31)
The Friends We Keep Publisher/Publication Date: Waterbrook Press, July 2009 ISBN: 978-1-4000-7439-6 224 pages
I am excited to bring you another giveaway from Hachette Books! - How to Tame a Modern Rogue by Diana Holquist!
About the book: Ally Giordano’s beloved grandmother actually believes that she's living in her favorite romance novel in Regency England and Ally doesn't have the heart to set her straight. But now Granny Donny's last wish is for a retreat to the country and Ally can't refuse her...until she demands that Sam Carson accompany them. And though his smiles turn her knees into jelly, Ally knows better than to trust a playboy...and she definitely knows better than to try to change one. Or does she? (Hachette)
Here are some Fun Facts about the book from Hachette:
1. Because Granny Donny thinks she’s living in a regency romance novel, I had to research modern-day horse-and-carriages in New York City. I spent a whole day riding with Daisy, a sweet black Percheron with a thing for carrots.
2. I needed a modern-day equivalent of sword fighting so the men could show their honor and courage. Naturally, I chose soccer. I wrote each soccer scene as if it was an old-fashioned fight to the death.
3. The sub-plot of the carriage driver Mateo was based on a true story. I won’t tell the story here (no spoilers!), but when you read Rogue you might recognize it.
4. In a former life, I used to work in advertising in New York City. We sometimes had low-budget clients, and we had to bend all sorts of rules to “get the shot.” The story of the carriage crossing the Brooklyn Bridge is based on one of those shoots gone terribly wrong.
5. The scene of waltzing at midnight in Central Park is also based on a true story, except that I wasn’t one of the brave souls dancing. I was in a cab, driving through the park. The cab driver was so impressed, he pulled over and we watched. It was a sight (and sound) I swore I’d never forget.
+2 if you are a new or old follower - but please let me know.
+3 if you post this on any social network - (limit of 6 entries for this one - so you can post it as many places as you would like, but only 2 will count). If you post on Twitter - please use @kherbrand.
+3 for referrals of NEW followers - if you already follow, you will not get entries for saying someone referred you - you can however get entries for referring new people...
Shake the Devil Off: A True Story of Murder that Rocked New Orleans by Ethan Brown
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
About the book:A charismatic young soldier meets a tragic end in this moving and mesmerizing account of the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, and no-safety-net America
Zackery Bowen was thrust into two of America’s largest recent debacles. He was one of the first soldiers to encounter the fledgling insurgency in Iraq. After years of military service he returned to New Orleans to tend bar and deliver groceries. In the weeks before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, he met Addie Hall, a pretty and high-spirited bartender. Their improvised, hard-partying endurance during and after the storm had news outlets around the world featuring the couple as the personification of what so many want to believe is the indomitable spirit of New Orleans.
But in October 2006, Bowen leaped from the rooftop bar of a French Quarter hotel. A note in his pocket directed the police to the body of Addie Hall. It was, according to NOPD veterans, one of the most gruesome crimes in the city’s history. How had this popular, handsome father of two done this horrible thing?
Journalist Ethan Brown moved from New York City to the French Quarter in order to investigate this question. Among the newsworthy elements in the book is Brown’s discovery that this tragedy—like so many others—could have been avoided if the military had simply not, in the words of Paul Sullivan, executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, “absolutely and completely failed this soldier.” Shake the Devil Off is a mesmerizing tribute to these lives lost. (Barnes and Noble)
About the author:Ethan Brown has written for New York magazine, The New York Observer, Wired, Vibe, The Independent, GQ, Rolling Stone, Details, The Guardian, and The Village Voice, among other publications. He is the author of two previous books, Queens Reigns Supreme and Snitch. He lives with his wife in New Orleans. (Barnes and Noble)
By Blood We Live edited by John Joseph Adams
Publisher: Night Shade Books
About the book:Vampires. They are the most elegant of monsters--ancient, seductive, doomed, deadly. They lurk in the shadows, at your window, in your dreams. They are beautiful as anything you've ever seen, but their flesh is cold as the grave, and their lips taste of blood. From Dracula to Twilight, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to True Blood, many have fallen under their spell. Now acclaimed editor John Joseph Adams brings you 33 of the most haunting vampire stories of the past three decades, from some of today s most renowned authors of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.
Charming gentlemen with the manners of a prior age. Savage killing machines who surge screaming from hidden vaults. Cute little girls frozen forever in slender bodies. Long-buried loved ones who scratch at the door, begging to be let in. Nowhere is safe, not mist-shrouded Transylvania or the Italian Riviera or even a sleepy town in Maine. This is a hidden world, an eternal world, where nothing is forbidden...as long as you re willing to pay the price.
Edited by John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live is 245,000 words of the best in vampire fiction. Thirsty? By Blood We Live will satisfy your darkest cravings... (Amazon)
About the author: John Joseph Adams is the editor of the anthologies By Blood We Live, Federations, The Improbable Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Living Dead, Seeds of Change, and Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse. Forthcoming work includes the anthologies Brave New Worlds, The Living Dead 2, The Mad Scientist s Guide to World Domination, and The Way of the Wizard. He is also the assistant editor at The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.
He is a columnist for Tor.com and has written reviews for Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Orson Scott Card s Intergalactic Medicine Show. His non-fiction has also appeared in: Amazing Stories, The Internet Review of Science Fiction, Locus Magazine, Novel & Short Story Writers Market, Science Fiction Weekly, SCI FI Wire, Shimmer, Strange Horizons, Subterranean Magazine, and Writer s Digest.
He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Central Florida in December 2000. He currently lives in New Jersey. (Amazon)
Aunt Dimity: Vampire Hunter by Nancy Atherton
Publisher: Penguin
About the book:The original paranormal detective returns in the latest installment of a beloved mystery series
Lori Shepherd's life in England couldn't be more tranquil or more satisfying— except for one thing. Her five- year-old twins have started school, and Lori fears they'll catch everything from the flu to fleas. What they do come home with, however, is worse: a report of a pale, cloaked figure with bloodstained lips lurking in the woods.
Lori is skeptical at first but soon grows concerned enough to consult with her late (but not entirely departed) Aunt Dimity and her dear friend Kit Smith. The vampire-hunting trail leads to Leo, a charismatic vagabond who just returned to England after a self-imposed exile, a bitter old crone named Lizzie Black, and finally to Aldercot Hall, where a mysterious murder took place forty years ago. With Kit and Aunt Dimity's help, Lori uncovers the secret that will shock everyone—including herself—about the true identity of the twins' vampire.
With its placid English countryside setting, eccentric characters, and lighthearted charm, Atherton's newest novel will enchant cozy mystery aficionados and the many loyal readers of the Aunt Dimity series. (Barnes and Noble)
About the author:Nancy Atherton is the author of twelve other Aunt Dimity mysteries, many of them bestsellers. The first book in the series, Aunt Dimity's Death, was voted "One of the Century's 100 Favorite Mysteries" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. (Barnes and Noble)
What great books did you find this week?? Stop over at Should Be Reading and share yours!
Cult Insanity: A Memoir of Polygamy, Prophets, and Blood Atonement by Irene Spencer
Publisher: Center Street
About the book:In Shattered Dreams, Irene Spencer told the devastating story of her arduous life in a polygamous fundamentalist Mormon sect, sharing her husband with nine other women (and fifty-six children) in abject poverty and intense mental and emotional anguish. As harrowing as the story was, it was only just the beginning.
Cult Insanity delves deeper into her story, focusing on the terrifying acts of ErvilLeBaron, her brother-in-law and a self-proclaimed prophet who determined he had been called to set the house of God in order.
The older brother of Irene's husband, Verlan, ErvilLeBaron had a zeal for living and teaching that was at first admired but soon took on a sinister tone. Ervil's ambitions quickly turned lethal when he uncovered a doctrine concerning blood atonement--the act of redeeming a sinner's soul by taking his or her life. Seeing himself as God's avenger, he used the role as a means to terrorize and destroy those who challenged him.
Irene quickly became enveloped in a dark cloud of fear and anguish. Survival for herself and her ever-growing family turned into a constant flight from one desert camp to another across the harsh badlands of Baja, California. Food was scarce and living conditions abhorrent. Irene didn't see her husband for months, never knowing if Ervil would make good on his vow to kill him.(book jacket)
About the author: Irene Spencer resides in Northern California with her husband of twenty-one years, Hector J. Spencer. During the twenty-eight years of her first marriage to a polygamous husband, Irene gave birth to thirteen children (all single births). She additionally adopted a newborn girl, who became her ninth child.
Irene has 123 grandchildren and 60 great-grandchildren. Among her many talents, she is an accomplished seamstress, is a great cook, and is fluent in Spanish, and she has traveled to twenty-three countries and twenty-three states speaking on polygamy and related issues. (book jacket)
Cult Insanity Publisher/Publication Date: Center Street, August 12, 2009 ISBN: 978-0-446-53819-0 352 pages
This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
