tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65486557187859630912024-03-13T09:01:52.922-05:00Reading Rec RoomBooks, books, books! This blog will cover books I've loved from childhood to today. I will post what I am currently reading or what I have read over and over.Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-17717881984027152742013-07-15T18:32:00.001-05:002013-07-15T18:32:46.386-05:00Beautiful Day by Elin HilderbrandSummer Read #5<br />
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I liked the idea behind this book. A mother, dying of ovarian cancer, leaves a written notebook for helping plan her youngest daughter's wedding day. She knows she won't be there to help her, so she writes the notebook before the bride has even met the groom. Seven years after her death, her daughter uses the guide to plan her "beautiful day."<br />
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Hilderbrand writes the book so that you have a chance to see what the main players in the wedding are thinking. You see the mother's notebook, and you get to know the typical dysfunctional families involved in this merger of two families. <br />
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This was an enjoyable read. Is it great literature? No. But I like the fact that it makes me think about what it is I am leaving behind to the people that are most important to me. Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-63831015435789310302013-07-09T21:04:00.000-05:002013-07-09T21:04:20.850-05:00Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by James Dean, Illustrated by Eric LitwinThis is a great read for kids. Better yet, it is a great read aloud for kids. You can youtube the author reading the story. And it will make you smile, if not laugh out loud!<br />
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Pete's white shoes get "dirty." He walks through a blueberry patch, mud, etc. And with each color change in his shoes--he loves them. <br />
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What a great way to teach kids to look at the sunny side of life. <br />
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If this isn't in your little one's library, it should be! Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-65188710345847531812013-07-09T20:57:00.000-05:002013-07-09T20:57:22.175-05:00Island Girls by Nancy ThayerSummer Read #4<br />
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A house on Nantucket Island brings three sisters (OK, two half sisters and one step sister) together after their father/stepfather dies. The stipulation of his will is that they spend the summer together and then sell the house for their inheritance. It is an interesting story of three wives, some deception, and grown single daughters with unresolved issues. <br />
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Best of all is the description of Nantucket life: ferry rides, an old Victorian home, afternoon swims, sailing, a small tourist town, backyard gardens, and the pace of life. This is summer reading the way I love it! Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-53684193632809389742013-07-08T20:21:00.000-05:002013-07-08T20:21:46.840-05:00Sweet Salt Air by Barbara DelinskySummer Read #3-<br />
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This book dealt with two of my favorite things: blogging and writing. The fact that it was set on an island off the Coast of Maine didn't hurt either. One of the bloggers dealt with island recipes and native herbs and produce. <br />
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The story was one of enduring friendship and love and redemption. <br />
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Pretty much every ingredient that I need in a summer read.Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-77522689584560904432013-07-01T20:38:00.000-05:002013-07-01T20:38:01.588-05:00Summer Read #2- The Last Original Wife by Dorothea Benton FrankAnother book I loved. Sometimes, summer reads are quite forgettable. Luckily, this summer that hasn't been the case. <br />
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Younger, trophy wives are the norm with the older men. Only one marriage is intact in this group of friends, and I'm not sure intact is adequate. Leslie falls in a manhole, and her husband and the couple they are with don't realize that she isn't with them until 40 minutes later when they arrive at their destination. Wes, her husband, is an inattentive jerk. He's stingy, rude, and inconsiderate.<br />
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Leslie and Wes have two kids. Their grown daughter is a single mom, who frequently dumps her daughter on Leslie and hangs out in the bars. Their son is in Nepal, calling home for money on a regular basis. <br />
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This book makes you question the enabling parent role. It makes you question the love and attention you give your spouse. It especially makes you think about how you want to spend the "final act" of this play that is your life. A lot of food for thought in this fictional story. Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-56478340715462948572013-06-29T09:16:00.000-05:002013-06-29T10:09:54.534-05:00The Smart One by Jennifer CloseSummer Read #1-<br />
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For a summer read, I really liked this book. As a mother, whose empty nest had been filled up again for awhile, I identify with Weezy. Two daughters who get along, but argue--got 'em. The mother's constant worrying and wanting so much for her kids--check. Weezy's crazy, bordering on rude, mother made me think of some older people I have known. Even the unexpected pregnancy of one of the kids and Weezy's worries and fears for them, seems like another chapter out of my book.<br />
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I loved the fact that the chapters changed narrators, so it was possible to see things from each character's point of view. This wasn't a happily-ever-after-everything-finished-off-neatly ending. Everyone is at a better place by the end of the novel, but things aren't perfect. Hmmm...kind of like life. <br />
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Oh, and I'd kill for their two weeks all together at the beach house every August. So, I guess it wasn't my life. <br />
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Great beginning to the summer of reading. <br />
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PS. Now I want to read Close's first novel: <i>Girls In White Dresses</i>. I like her writing style!Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-37006302616066466942013-01-07T05:42:00.000-06:002013-01-07T05:42:38.558-06:00The Art of Racing In The Rain by Garth SteinI liked this book a lot. The entire story is told from a dog's point of view. I now find myself looking at Baxter and imagining what he is thinking or why he is doing what he is doing. <br />
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Enzo is a dog owned by a race car driver. The driver eventually marries and has a child. This is the story of Denny and his family as understood by Enzo. He's a smart dog--and a thinker.<br />
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I like the view that dogs are reincarnated, and when they are ready-- they return to earth as men. <br />
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This is a story of love, tragedy, and victory. I wiped tears more than once. And best of all, this story will make you love your pets even more. Stein is right: No one knows us in quite the way that they do. <br />
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<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-5245615135489306902012-12-26T13:40:00.000-06:002012-12-26T13:40:53.175-06:00Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A Love Story of Mary and Joseph</div>
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I think Mom loaned me a copy of this book when I was in college, and I have re-read it almost every Christmas Season since. (And is this Mom's book I still have?? I guess I'm not very good at returning things!)</div>
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As a kid it was easy to hear and learn the Christmas story without much thought to the events leading up to the night in the stable. This book makes you realize that there had to be many other people affected by the events leading to that blessed night. </div>
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For example, how did Mary and Joseph come to be a couple to begin with? What did her parents think of her being "with child"? Better yet, what did Joseph think--knowing that he was not the one responsible? What did his parents think? Their town and friends? </div>
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Holmes does a nice job of creating the daily life of the times, and I don't even question God's choice of Mary. Mary's childhood faith and events leading up to the visit from the angel reaffirm that she had to have been born for this purpose. And after, Holmes imagines how the gossips would talk, how hard it would be for Joseph and Mary's parents to believe her "story," and how the events of the Bible are only a tiny part of the whole story. She imagines the torment of Joseph as events unfold. (He's often just a tiny, almost unimportant part in the Christmas story--yet his role in the life of Jesus had to have been huge.) We'll never know the entire story, but Holmes does a good job of imagining it for us. I like seeing their world as Holmes did.</div>
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There is something about this tale that I return to year after year. I think it is the "humanizing" of Mary and Joseph and in a small way, even Jesus. </div>
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The story of Jesus is the story of sacrifice, suffering, and love. And with <i>Two From Galilee, </i>that is also the story of Mary and Joseph.</div>
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Great story.</div>
Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-36172836067801688772012-08-23T21:12:00.002-05:002012-08-23T21:15:14.156-05:00The Selection by Kiera CassA former student who was moving left me a collection of books for my classroom. I was familiar with some of them, but unfamiliar with others. I picked up <i>The Selection </i>by Kiera Cass. I read the blurb and decided to read it. I couldn't put it down--and I knew my students would love it.<br />
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This book is the first in a series by Cass. (And I hope she comes out with the next one pretty darn fast!)<br />
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In a futuristic America, the country is in a caste system and life is controlled by your place in the system.<br />
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However, the prince of their country is of marrying age. One girl is drawn by lottery from each of the 35 provinces. It doesn't matter what caste the girl comes from, she gets a chance to live in the castle and meet Prince Maxon and his parents, the King and Queen. The family of each girl selected receives money for their daughter being one of the selected.<br />
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For the girls, this is like an episode of "The Bachelor." They live in the palace, and Prince Maxon can request private dates, send them home, or group date them. And all the time, the country has groups of people attacking the government/castle.<br />
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America Singer finds herself a selection of her province. She has a secret love who she really doesn't want to leave behind, but the opportunity to provide for her family is too tempting.<br />
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Much like<i> Hunger Games, </i>this book makes you think about the future of our country and how our lives could change. Whereas <i>Hunger Games </i>appealed to both sexes, this book probably appeals more to girls.<br />
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The first student to check out this book, finished it in two days. She stayed up late reading. She passed it off to another quick reader today. And so the book begins its round of Tiny Town High students.<br />
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I'll just make this prediction right now: <i>The Selection</i> series could be the next hot <i>Twilight</i> series. <br />
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Message to Kiera Cass: Please don't make us wait too long for the next one! Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-141359607451097182012-08-18T09:51:00.002-05:002012-08-18T09:52:57.850-05:00Girl In Translation by Jean Kwok: UnforgettableI read a lot of things that I don't remember two hours after I read them. In fact, some I can't even write a post about because I can't remember them. This, however, is not one of them.<br />
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Kim and her mother emigrate from Hong Kong to modern day America. They end up in NYC, working in a sweat shop and living in an apartment with roaches, mice, windows broken out, and no heat. Kim struggles through the American school system. There are relatives that exert power over their lives, and these relatives are jealous and small people, but there are good people on the outer border of their lives who offer a bit of compassion and friendship. I couldn't put this book down.<br />
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Is this a fictionalized account of Jean Kwok's life? I don't know. All I know is that this story of family loyalty, integrity, hard work and the ability to survive under horrific circumstances, which they kept secret from everyone, moved me.<br />
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This book also made me aware of how little I know about conditions in America today. Do kids still work in sweat shops? Do employers still underpay their employees (making it impossible to leave) and force them to work in deplorable conditions? Maybe it is time we all found out.<br />
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Yes, this book is fiction. But... Kwok was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to Brooklyn when she was a child where she worked in a sweatshop. <br />
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I won't be forgetting Kwok's story any time soon.<br />
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Great book.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-52356837100417891742012-07-01T19:22:00.001-05:002012-07-01T19:22:18.033-05:00Another Piece of My Heart by Jane GreenI really hated the title of this one, but loved the book. <br />
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Green wrote about a family complete with father, new wife, ex wife, and two daughters. The oldest daughter manipulates Dad. Ex wife is drinking her way through life, so Dad has the girls most of the time. New wife is having fertility issues. Oldest daughter HATES new wife. Quite a few issues going on here.<br />
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AND...I have taught students just like the oldest daughter who has gone Goth and weird. She hates everyone, but mainly herself. It is interesting to see what she does and how she justifies it. <br />
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I cared about the family, and it mattered what happened to them. Nothing was easy for them. It seemed realistic. I wondered if this was Jane Green's own story.<br />
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I've always loved Jane Green books; this one was no exception. This is an easy read, a good read. More than that, it is worth the time. Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-7222236967973688672012-06-27T09:47:00.000-05:002012-06-27T09:47:17.180-05:00Very Valentine by Adriana TrigianiI love Adriana Trigiani's books. When I finish a book, I am always ready to book my flight for a summer in Italy. (It would take me that long to see everything I wanted to see!) <br />
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Besides writing about Italy and the Italian culture of wine, pasta, shoes, and clothes, Trigiani always writes about women who are vulnerable and yet strong. They don't need a man who doesn't need them. Frequently, she ends a book with the heroine leaving the relationship to concentrate on what she loves and what makes her happy. There is a happily ever after, but it isn't necessarily of the "couple" variety. Smart lady.<br />
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<i>Very Valentine</i> was about a family business in New York City where they had made bridal shoes for the past 70 years or so. Valentine is figuring out how to move the business into financial solvency and maintain the high standards established by her grandfather. There is love, crazy family, wine, NYC skylines, and a month-long trip to Italy. Yes, I pretty much fell in love. <br />
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Adriana Trigiani will not be remembered as a classic author, but when I read for pleasure--there is no one I would rather read. She loves a lot of the things I love and admire. When I close her books, I always feel inspired to pursue the things I love. After all, those are the only things that matter in the end! Obviously, Trigiani knows this.<br />
<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-11133070722422012142012-06-21T05:00:00.000-05:002012-06-21T05:00:12.003-05:00A Good American by Alex GeorgeI don't remember who in blog land suggested this book, but I am so glad that they did. It is quite a tale.<br />
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The novel begins in Germany and ends in Beatrice, Missouri. Two young lovers can't get their parents to accept the idea of marriage, so they get on a ship for America. The ship captain marries them and the family history begins. <br />
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Three generations of family stories are told. There is heartbreak, happiness, poverty, success, and the mundane existence of middle America, all woven into the fabric of American History from 1905 to present day. <br />
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If we were willing to research our family histories, listening closely to the stories of our grandparents and having access to private letters and journals, what a story we could probably tell. <br />
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And that is exactly what George does. For the most part, he makes it seem like this fictional work really could be the stories of one family. <br />
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<i>A Good American</i> made for interesting reading. Sometimes it is easy to forget the struggles of our ancestors, but this book reminds us of the sacrifices made for the next generation to succeed. Some links of family are broken forever, and others stand the test of time. <br />
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Heartwarming story. One of the best books that I have read in awhile. Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-29687766795438484432012-06-20T14:19:00.000-05:002012-06-20T14:19:32.301-05:00Summers At Blue Lake by Jill Althouse-WoodYou can tell it is summer. Everything I read has a lake or beach in the title. Crazy. <br />
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I'm not sure why I bought this one on Nook. Probably the cheapskate in me again. I also figured it was one book the girls might like. <br />
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<i>Summers At Blue Lake</i> was an interesting summer read. Barbara Jean is the narrator, so this is her story. Recently separated from her husband who has a new pregnant girlfriend, she escapes to the house on Blue Lake where she had spent summers as a child. The first part of the story jumps between her childhood at the lake and her life today.<br />
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As a child, she went to the lake to spend time with her lesbian grandmothers. (It was their house.) As an adult, she is working her way through her broken marriage and the broken marriages of her past. Her parents divorced and her grandmothers had broken relationships also. She is incorporating the diamonds from the engagement rings of those broken relationships into her art. (She makes her living as an artist.) Those broken relationships are tightly wrapped up in her own.<br />
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The 2nd half of the story is her discovery of her grandmothers as girls and the experiences that brought them together. She learns a lot she never knew, and it explains some of the mystery of her childhood. <br />
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Usually, I can figure out the ending of the book. This one caught me off guard. It was an enjoyable, interesting read, though I will admit to being a bit disappointed with the ending. I can't say anything more without spoiling it. When you finish the book, we'll talk. <br />
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Need a summer read? This would be a good one.Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-80237061553562657082012-06-11T05:00:00.000-05:002012-06-11T05:00:01.338-05:00A Time To Love by Barbara CameronThis was the Free Friday book for Nook at Barnes and Noble. It is also part of the Lancaster Quilt Series. <br />
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<i>A Time To Love</i> is a quick summer read about the Amish community. A former librarian used to love any books about the Amish and frequently passed them on to me. Some of them were really good, and some of them were quite forgettable. It got to the point where if I read one or two, they became a formula and there weren't many surprises.<br />
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Barbara Cameron's <i>A Time To Love</i> falls into this category. By the end of the 2nd or 3rd chapter, I knew exactly where it was headed. It took me less than two hours to read and was a pleasant diversion. It didn't require much thinking, and I doubt that I will remember it. I am awfully glad it was free. Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-62445161466012120102012-06-10T08:28:00.001-05:002012-06-10T08:28:42.873-05:00Stieg Larsson- The Millenium Series<i>The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, </i>and<i> The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest</i>. These books are known as <i>The Millenium Trilogy.</i><br />
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I had heard about these books long before I read them. I'm not much of a mystery reader, and so many people told me they started the books but couldn't get past the first 100 pages. Last summer, Cousin M sent me the first one. <br />
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Contrary to many others, I was sucked in from the start. A journalist is in jail for not giving up his sources. I couldn't put it down. <br />
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All three of these books were excellent. I didn't want to put any of them down. My only complaint was that I needed a list to keep track of the characters and who was who. There were many names that were similar. I would frequently find myself turning back to previous chapters to figure out who someone was. That, however, is my only complaint. <br />
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Lisabeth Salander is an unforgettable character. Her appearance, her intelligence, the limited knowledge we're given of her past, and her inability to trust anyone add intrigue to the novels. Thankfully, there is a satisfying conclusion to the series with the answers I needed.<br />
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I say thankfully; Stieg Larsson died, so there will be no more books. I hope he lived long enough to see his books succeed. He told a good story; one I will never forget.<br />
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I have yet to see the movie, but that is next on my list.Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-1386041389182181402012-06-01T05:00:00.000-05:002012-06-01T05:00:16.775-05:00Sandra Boynton Books for Little Ones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lately, I've been reading a few more books for babies. I had never read the Sandra Boynton books until a cousin sent several to the Lady Bug. What a great author of books for tiny ones. They rhyme. They move. AND...(the biggest plus) they are as much fun for the reader to read, as they are for the child.<br />
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Need a gift for a newborn? I highly recommend any of Sandra Boynton's books. <i>Let's Dance, Little Pookie</i> has inspired one of the Bug's nicknames. Though I'm not sure if Daddy called her that before or after the book. I also love <i>Barnyard Dance! </i>and <i>The Going To Bed Book.</i><br />
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You can't go wrong with Boynton.<i> </i>Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-40086447045690794942012-05-31T08:19:00.000-05:002012-05-31T08:19:29.187-05:00Explosive Eighteen by Janet EvanovichI have been an Evanovich fan since discovering this series. I found myself not able to read her books during advisory time at school. It was too hard to explain why I was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down my face. <br />
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The situations are crazy. Stephanie Plum is a disaster of a modern day bounty hunger in New Jersey. Her ugly apartment can't be destroyed, but she goes through cars (on the average 2-3 per book) regularly. She only nabs the bad guys by dumb luck. <br />
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The characters are unforgettable. She has the gun toting Grandma in spandex, whose highlight of her days are funeral visitations. (She's been known to open coffins at closed casket visitations.) Another is Lulu, the former ho, who squeezes her large self into spandex mini skirts and plunging necklines. Oh, and there are a couple of hot guys--always, the hot guys.<br />
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So, I am either tiring of the series, or it is time for Evanovich to step up her game. I found <i>Explosive Eighteen</i> to be...ho hum. Maybe it is time for some new characters without losing the old ones. It seems like the same situations keep reappearing in each book. The last time I found myself laughing hysterically was with Book Fifteen and the BBQ cook off. That was a completely different crime situation and led to a lot of great laughs. I think there is a lesson to be learned there, Ms. Evanovich.<br />
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If you've read the others, you can skip <i>Explosive Eighteen. </i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>As for the movie that hit the big screen this year: ugh! I love Katherine Heigel, but her Jersey accent was dreadful. I almost couldn't enjoy the movie.</b></span> </i> <br />
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<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-86797559310304040072012-05-30T11:19:00.000-05:002012-06-21T19:46:54.384-05:003 Quick Summer Reads On The NookEvery summer, I find myself "junk" reading for the first few weeks of the summer. I guess my mind needs a bit of a break.<br />
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This year's choices were based entirely on cost. I haven't been to the library yet, so I bought two of these for probably about $4.00 total and the other was free. (Big spender, I know.)<br />
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Oh, and I have to confess that I had to go back and look at them to remember the character's names--and on one of them, the storyline. My memory isn't great, so you might take that into consideration. But, this is your reader beware!<br />
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<u>On The Island</u> by Tracey Garvis-Graves. I liked this first read of the summer. A teacher is tutoring a young cancer patient for the summer, when the plane they are in crashes. (His family had gone ahead to Belize or some exotic location, and they were joining up with them.) They end up stranded on a deserted island. Besides the challenge of trying to survive, the teacher also worries the student's cancer will return. Their survival depends on their intelligence and their ability to physically and psychologically endure. This will never be one of the great novels of all time, but it interested me enough that I had trouble putting it down.<br />
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<u>Pillow Talk</u> by Freya North. Barnes and Noble has one selection a week that their members can download for free. This was one. The story is set in London, where Petra is a sleep walker by night and a jeweler by day. Her sleep walking is extreme and is wrecking her life. Essentially, the story is Petra's rising career, her love life, and her coming to discover how the sleep walking started to begin with. Again, another read that I couldn't put down.<br />
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<u>One Reckless Summer</u> by Toni Blake. This was another inexpensive purchase. I guess I was in the mood for beach stories this summer. After a painful divorce, Jenny heads back to her hometown and her parent's house on the lake. She's always been the "perfect" girl. The community still sees her that way, and then she ends up helping to hide a dying criminal. This was probably my least favorite of the three, and I still couldn't put it down either. (Maybe that was because I was on a 22 hour car trip???)<br />
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If you are a summer reader, one of these books might be just what you are looking for. You won't feel more intelligent after reading them, but you might have a few hours of entertainment where you can shut out the world around you. And for me, that is what the summer "junk" reading is about.Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-30052604995277782222012-05-11T21:23:00.000-05:002012-05-12T08:54:02.558-05:00Mrs. Kennedy and Me by Clint HillMy oldest daughter has always been crazy about Jackie Kennedy. (Well, all things Kennedy for that matter.) She begged me to buy this book, so I did.<br />
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I'm still kind of in limbo about what I thought of it. <br />
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Clint Hill (aided by Lisa McCubbin) wrote his memories of being part of (and eventually the head of) Jackie Kennedy's Secret Service detail during her years as First Lady and for the first year after the assassination. <br />
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He called her Mrs. Kennedy, but that didn't diminish the fact that he seemed totally infatuated with her. He is always respectful when talking about the President, but seems jealous of the first head of Jackie's Secret Service detail until he takes over that position.Who knew there was such competition between members of the Secret Service detail? Hill really wanted to be Mrs. Kennedy's numero uno.<br />
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I have no doubt that their relationship was professional; however, his descriptions of her reminded me (at times) of a high school boy admiring and longing for the popular girl. I know Jackie Kennedy had faults. I'm not sure Clint Hill knew that. Perhaps she was so alluring he chose to overlook them. Or maybe he was trying too hard not to anger Caroline Kennedy with this book.<br />
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Hill had a front row seat for an incredible part of our nation's history. The one part of the book that almost moved me was his description of that day in Dallas. I don't think he ever recovered from that day.<br />
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This whole book was quite matter of fact, almost standoffish. I felt like part of the Secret Service myself. I was standing back and watching something incredible that I was never part of. The Kennedy saga is moving, but I wasn't very moved by this book. <br />
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I learned a lot about our Secret Service people. They are paid poorly, or they were in those days. They never spend holidays with their families. In fact, they spend little time with their families. Deployments for the military last for a year or so. The Secret Service "deployment" is more like four to eight years. <br />
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Is it any wonder that Hill's marriage ended? Besides never being home with his wife and young sons, knowing that my husband was so besotted with such a well-known celebrity would probably have done me in, too. <br />
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Mainly, I closed the book feeling sorry for Mrs. Hill. <br />
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I wanted to like this book. It was OK, but I probably wouldn't pick it up again. <br />
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(K borrowed my Nook to read it. I will be interested to hear her opinion.)Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-30929220233429164482012-04-23T06:07:00.001-05:002012-04-23T06:07:57.906-05:00Bloom by Kelle HamptonI just finished <i>Bloom: Finding Beauty in the Unexpected</i>. When Kelle Hampton gave birth to her 2nd daughter, she was unprepared for a Down Syndrome baby. This is her story. <br />
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Hampton's reaction is understandable--and she is horrified by it. The rest of her book is coming to grips with being a Down Syndrome Mom and how that will change her family.<br />
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Maybe more than that, this is a good lesson in choosing our attitude and choosing to live with purpose. If you're looking for a shot of "change your attitude" mixed with a little "live deliberately" this is the book for you. Prepare yourself to feel like you don't do celebrations the way you should. (Hampton makes our celebrations on Easy Street look pathetic by comparison.)<br />
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Finally, this is a book about the friendship of women. Hampton's girlfriends are a big part of the birth and the coming to grips with what life is going to be like now. I guess we expect family to be there for us. (Hampton's family is an important part of her support group.) We should all be so lucky to have the girlfriends that Hampton relies on. <br />
<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-60530077463574605642012-04-17T17:54:00.000-05:002012-04-17T21:26:42.781-05:00Fifty Shades of GreyI confess. I've read it. <i>Fifty Shades of Grey</i> was suggested because the book is "all the rage." I can understand why it is: Sex sells.<br />
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Did I like it? Not especially.<br />
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I know there was a plot in there somewhere; there's a story longing to be told. <br />
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I'm guessing that if I bought the sequels (this is the first of a trilogy), I might find out a bit more about how the main character came to be like he is. The trouble is that E.L. James spends so much time describing the strange bondage sex lives of the main characters that she forgets to concentrate on what is actually important--the story.<br />
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I was disappointed. I don't plan to waste my reading time on the rest of the trilogy.<br />
<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-83680205463588346092012-04-12T05:00:00.000-05:002012-04-12T16:04:36.979-05:00Wild By StrayedI finished the book <i>Wild</i> by Cheryl Strayed. I liked it, and I'm ready to pack my backpack and hike a long trail. (Except for her description of her feet. Eww...!)<br />
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She includes the books that she read along the Pacific Crest Trail. She had them mailed to her along the route. I loved the fact that besides food, money, and clothes, she needed great books to read. (Though she burned them when she finished them, so she could lighten her pack. I understand, but it still killed me.)<br />
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There is also a soundtrack running through Strayed's thoughts on her trek. Music is a part of her hike in several ways. <br />
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I was scared for Strayed several times on the trail. A single woman on an 1,100+ trip, alone? Yes, there was danger. My fears for her are the fears I would have for myself, hiking alone. Yet, she meets interesting people along the PCT. She introduces us to the culture and camaraderie of the trail hikers and those who run the campgrounds and resorts along the trail.<br />
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Strayed's story is told about 15 years after her actual hike. I wonder how her story would have differed had it been told six months after her trek. What did she leave out that she might have included had she been blogging as she hiked? Though truth be told, Strayed doesn't seem to leave out even some personal information that I probably wouldn't have shared.<br />
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<i>Wild</i> was a good read. And now I'm off to hunt <i>The Dream of a Common Language </i>by Adrienne Rich, the one book Strayed carried the entire trip and didn't burn.<br />
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<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-89558075568082671112012-04-11T05:52:00.000-05:002012-04-18T18:03:59.220-05:00To Kill A MockingbirdMy favorite book of all time is <i>To Kill A Mockingbird.</i> (TKAM) How fortunate am I to teach that novel every year? I never tire of it. Best.job.ever.<br />
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What do I love about TKAM?<br />
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Two plot lines that seem unrelated mesh to form one of the best endings of a book that I have ever read.<br />
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All of the hatred and racism is seen through the eyes of children. And because of that, the novel is funny and heartwarming. (Scout takes up cussing to avoid going to school: "Pass the damn ham." They watch a neighbor pee off of his porch, and the boys start having contests to see who can go further. They roll in tires, make up games, and try to peek in the window of the neighborhood recluse.) Such a serious subject is still serious, and maybe more so because they are kids trying to understand an unspeakable situation and it is intermingled with their childish ways. <br />
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The view of a "one size fits all" education didn't work in the 1930's, and it doesn't work today. (And when will the Powers That Be realize that?)<br />
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Organized religion doesn't fair much better than education. The Christians of the town don't act very Christian, and most of the problems with one local family are probably directly tied to the father's austere view of how life should be lived according to his religion. The ladies of the missionary circle are vicious, gossipy, and blind to the needy in their own community. <br />
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Atticus Finch. He is the most unforgettable character in the book and the movie, and maybe the most unforgettable character in modern literature. He is the parent every parent wishes that they could be. Actually, he is the person we all aspire to be. <br />
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TKAM is a finely crafted novel. Every chapter has a conflict and a resolution. Each of those chapters are creating the two major conflicts of the novel that lead to a resolution that pulls it all together. I am amazed every time I finish reading it. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">All that being said, I am not a huge fan of the movie. I love Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus, but other than that I think the ending of the movie is far less believable than the book. They left out too many things to make it plausible</span>. </i></span> <br />
<br />Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6548655718785963091.post-76403611949539802642012-04-10T05:39:00.000-05:002012-04-10T06:10:42.281-05:00Two Books On This TuesdaySo what am I reading right now? Actually, two books.<br />
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Cousin H suggested the book<i> Wild</i> by Cheryl Strayed. She said the story line reminded her a bit of Peter Jenkins' book <i>Walk Across America. </i>I loved that book, and it marked the beginning of a lifelong love of nonfiction.<br />
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I'm reading <i>Wild</i> on my Nook eReader. I love it. I cried through the early chapters, but I admire Strayed's courage in attacking this journey on the Pacific Crest Trail. I find myself wishing I could plan a long hiking trip. I'm only six chapters in, and I am enjoying the description of her trip and coming to grip with her demons.<br />
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Last summer, cousin M sent me the <i>Girl With the Dragon Tattoo </i>books<i>, </i>the Stieg Larsson trilogy. It has been a hectic school year, but I am finally reading <i>The Girl Who Played With Fire.</i> I am glad to finally have time to read; I am completely sucked into this second book. <br />
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I usually hate mysteries. Often, they spend time trying to scare the reader. (Fear is highly overrated for this reader. I don't like being afraid. I avoid horror movies for this reason.) Larsson writes a mystery of intrigue. I like his characters, and I especially like the fact that I can't figure out how the story is going to end. He isn't predictable.<br />
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Cousin M, I hope to finish the 2nd and move on to the 3rd so I can return your books by summer. Thanks for your generous loan, and I'm sorry I am so slow.<br />
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So, this is what is on my end table today. Two great books at one time-- that doesn't happen every day!Mrs. Ehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09281364500907238463noreply@blogger.com1