tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26373671740883638202024-03-05T00:06:18.808-06:00Yes, I read a lot!This blog is full of book reviews and suggestions from a Mom of four boys. There will be ideas on how to squeeze in some reading time as well as how to get reluctant readers on board.Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-73018504267379957352012-03-29T18:55:00.000-05:002012-03-29T18:55:45.397-05:00Book to movie review - The Hunger Games<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://encrypted.google.com/books?id=Yz8Fnw0PlEQC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&source=ge-web-market" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://encrypted.google.com/books?id=Yz8Fnw0PlEQC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1&source=ge-web-market" width="212" /></a></div>This is my take on the conversion of the book The Hunger Games, into the movie The Hunger Games. <b>STOP READING THIS NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOVIE!!!!</b> Ok, continue at your own risk....<br />
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I REALLY liked the movie. Yes, there has been lots of hype about it. Yes, they have compared it to Twilight (gag!) and yes, it is a book that is labeled for the "Young Adult " age group. It doesn't matter. They did a fabulous job putting the story on the screen.<br />
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I was a bit worried about their pick for Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). At the time they announced it, she was a blonde and that just didn't work for me. Next time I checked, she had dark hair and during the movie I would have sworn that her Katniss was what inspired the book! Bravo to that choice.<br />
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I didn't like the actor selected to play Peeta, Josh Hutcherson. I imagine Peeta to be kind of socially awkward and have a physique like the Pillsbury Doughboy and Josh did not. He did a good job, he just wasn't what I expected.<br />
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Other great picks were Woody Harrelson for Haymitch, Lenny Kravitz for Cinna and Donald Sutherland as President Snow. I thought Cinna could have had a more flamboyant personality, but he still was great.<br />
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As far as the plot went, it stayed true to the book. They used a hand held camera which helped portray the frenetic activity during the battles. The shakiness usually gets on my nerves, but I thought it did a good job of showing how fast things moved and it also kept the bloodiness to a minimum. I thought there could have been more explanation on Katniss's life - what happened to her father and her mother's reaction - but my hubby had a good observation on that. The movie is over 2 hours and there just wasn't enough time to get into that kind of detail.<br />
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I could write much more on this, but you need to do your own comparison! I am anxiously awaiting the next movie, Catching Fire!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-21800151987273481392012-01-05T14:56:00.000-06:002012-01-05T14:56:00.032-06:00Apple Turnover Murder by Joanne Fluke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=AN7SXV4rWikC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=AN7SXV4rWikC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="198" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=AN7SXV4rWikC&dq=apple%20turnover%20murder&as_brr=5&ei=GeTGTo_YB5LkNavmqJwO&source=webstore_bookcard">Apple Turnover Murder</a> was really a fun book to read. The main character, Hannah, has a bakery called The Cookie Jar and the book has quite a few recipes in it. This book reminded me of one by Diane Mott Davidson. Her books have Goldy, a caterer, as the main character and there are recipes in those as well.<br />
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I tried one of the recipes which is called Chocolate Crack. It's graham crackers with butter, brown sugar and chocolate on top of it. You can't stop eating it! Good for my boys, not so good for my hips.<br />
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Anyway, this story is about a murder and Hannah works outside of the justice system to solve it. Hannah seems to have access to lots of information through her connections at the bakery. Usually she catches people off guard by offering them some cookies. Then while they are chowing down, she starts to grill them. I think that is a great strategy!<br />
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I'm looking forward to reading another one <a href="http://murdershebaked.com/">Joanne Fluke</a>'s books as well as trying more recipes. If I make that chocolate crack again, I better hide it so I don't eat it all!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-36664394571169947222011-12-23T07:23:00.000-06:002011-12-23T07:23:48.584-06:00The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks3.books.google.com/ebooks?id=-9F9WaXUhRYC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks3.books.google.com/ebooks?id=-9F9WaXUhRYC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="211" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=-9F9WaXUhRYC&dq=the%20night%20circus&as_brr=5&ei=JO_YTo_SBZW-Mqy9xeED&source=webstore_bookcard">The Night Circus</a> was a very unique book. I had read lots of glowing reviews about it, so I was anxious to get my hands on it. When I started reading it, I couldn't figure out what was going to happen next. Let's face it, with most books it's pretty easy to figure out the next step, but not with this book.<br />
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I have to caution you about the sequence of events in this book. There is LOTS of jumping around. At the beginning of each chapter, there is a date, so you can figure out if the events are happening before the last chapter you read or afterwards. As things picked up, I wanted to read faster, but I had to slow down so I could keep with the order of what was happening.<br />
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The two main characters in the story, Celia and Marco have some very unusual powers and are trained starting at an early age to enhance their powers and figure out how to use them. This isn't like Harry Potter where everyone has powers, it's more like Bewitched, where they just use them on an as needed basis and sometimes you can't tell what's real and what's happening because of them.<br />
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The Night Circus is a "circus" that appears randomly in an area. It doesn't open until nightfall and it closes at dawn. There are no elephants or clowns, but there are plenty of magical acts. Each tent has a different theme and you never know what's going to appear or disappear. Celia is front and center in her tent, "performing" illusions and Marco is someone who is behind the scenes.<br />
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There are many interesting characters in this book, a love story and lots of action. Some parts are kind of complex and take awhile to figure out while some are an easy. The whole premise of this book is so unique, I really don't have anything to use as a comparison.<br />
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I have to say, that this is one of the books that actually lives up to the great reviews!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-62837341569322972672011-12-12T07:56:00.000-06:002011-12-12T07:56:24.818-06:00Sweet and Deadly by Charlaine Harris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=bYI-LtRbkukC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=bYI-LtRbkukC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="196" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=bYI-LtRbkukC&dq=sweet%20and%20deadly&as_brr=5&ei=4l2lTtOFMoLYNs-P7NAN&source=webstore_bookcard">Sweet and Deadly</a> by Charlaine Harris was a great mystery read! Normally, when I read a mystery, I can solve it pretty quickly. This one left me guessing until the very end!<br />
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The main character, Catherine Linton, has returned to her hometown after her parents' death and is dealing with that. This book has some charming features about it. It takes places in a small town in Mississippi, so everyone knows each other, doors are left unlocked people are brutally honest with their opinions. Suddenly people Catherine knows are dying and she's the one who finds them! The sheriff gets involved and many of the townspeople don't want to associate with her for fear of dying.<br />
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I selected this book from the STAFF FAVORITES shelf at my library. The front inside flap made me interested. When I got home, I looked at the back inside flap and it said that the author was well known for her Sookie Stackhouse novels which were recently adapted into the HBO series "True Blood". I am not a vampire person, so that almost made me give up on this book!<br />
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I'm glad I stuck with it. It really was a fun read!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-88213389733319713272011-12-02T09:26:00.000-06:002011-12-02T09:26:08.321-06:00Ashes by Illsa J. Bick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks0.books.google.com/ebooks?id=BAdMYgEACAAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks0.books.google.com/ebooks?id=BAdMYgEACAAJ&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="213" /></a></div>I read a great review about <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=BAdMYgEACAAJ&dq=ashes+by+ilsa+j.+bick&as_brr=5&ei=DA-3TqiXEqqcyASi3vCICQ&source=webstore_onebox">Ashes</a>, so I decided to get it from my library. I went online to search for it and it wasn't there! I called to see if it was in processing or had been recently ordered and there was nothing on it. I pointed out that it had received many positive reviews and cited the latest one. That caused the librarian to ask me if I wanted it ordered and I told her yes. I've been having this conversation quite frequently with my library which leads me to wonder if anyone is purchasing books for the young adult area. Sadly, it's probably another area suffering from budget cuts.<br />
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Back to the book. This is a great story about a teenager, Alex, who goes hiking and while she's in the woods, there's a HUGE electromagnetic pulse which zaps all electronics and some people as well. All the main character knows is that a guy who shows up at her campsite keels over and all the electronics stop working. She's left with a crying young girl, Ellie, and trying to figure out why Ellie's Grandpa just keeled over. Alex and Ellie start traveling and notice that things aren't right. Not only have things stopped working, people have changed.<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">Some of the survivors got enhanced skills. The teenage survivors turn into very scary characters. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">The scary characters reminded me of zombies except zombies are dead people and in this book they hadn't died. I'll refer to them as flesh-eating monsters. The monsters are all teenagers. Alex hasn't changed and she can't figure out why. She wonders if it's tied to her past.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">The journey takes you through the woods with Ellie and Alex and people come in and go out of the story. I found I just couldn't put down this book! I am not a big zombie person, but these aren't zombies and that's not really the whole story.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">As usual, I don't want to spoil this for you, so I don't want to provide too many details. I enjoyed reading this book and I have a feeling there will be another book on adventures in this land!</span>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-66780305819105056352011-11-17T13:44:00.001-06:002011-11-18T14:39:54.422-06:00The Death Cure by James Dashner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks2.books.google.com/ebooks?id=8t5GVWLo_eEC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks2.books.google.com/ebooks?id=8t5GVWLo_eEC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="210" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=8t5GVWLo_eEC&dq=the%20death%20cure&as_brr=5&ei=bWPFTpy0J5DcM4ae5cUN&source=webstore_bookcard">The Death Cure</a> is the third book in the series by <a href="http://www.jamesdashner.com/">James Dashner</a>. First there is <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=6gfDfhmmHxMC&dq=the%20maze%20runner&as_brr=5&ei=OmPFTvbAJ4y6MtfpvJoB&source=webstore_bookcard">The Maze Runner</a>. Click <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/05/maze-runner-by-james-dashner.html">here</a> for that review. Then there's <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Rdwosb3edv8C&dq=the%20scorch%20trials&as_brr=5&ei=VGPFTtn0IYiANp7MjCg&source=webstore_bookcard">The Scorch Trails</a> and you can read my review <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/05/scorch-trials-by-james-dashner.html">here</a>. The last book is The Death Cure.<br />
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My boys and I were anxiously waiting for the release of this book since we enjoyed the other books so much. Son #2, who is 15, read it in about 4 hours. Son #3, read about 5 pages and said he hated it. I read the whole book and enjoyed it, but thought The Maze Runner was the best in the series.<br />
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We all know that the sequels in books, tv shows and movies are never as good as the original and that's the case here as well. The characters remain the same from the other books and the main character, Thomas, is still the rebellious one, questioning the authority figures. He is constantly wondering if they are telling the truth and what motivates them.<br />
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I'm not going to get into many details about the plot of this book, but here's a brief glimpse. There's talk about the sun flare that occurred and the resulting dementia and death that occurs from victims of the virus that was released at the same time. For some reason Thomas and some others are immune to this virus and WICKED wants to keep testing them to come up with a cure. "Munies", those immune to the disease, are at risk in the general public as those who are susceptible to the virus are jealous of them and could care less about their existence. There are also some zombie-like creatures in this book which is sooooo popular with kids right now.<br />
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So while I enjoyed reading this book, I much prefer the first book in this series. The suspense was good in this one though and I kept reading because I was dying to know what would happen next!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-17617160116222117632011-11-04T11:10:00.000-05:002011-11-04T11:10:28.963-05:00Rotters by Daniel Kraus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks1.books.google.com/ebooks?id=htL1fvf3l4oC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks1.books.google.com/ebooks?id=htL1fvf3l4oC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="219" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=htL1fvf3l4oC&dq=rotters&as_brr=5&ei=0w20Ts_3Kqa2zQT1wNSKDQ&source=webstore_bookcard">Rotters</a> was a good book to read during the Halloween season. It was creepy and gross, nothing I would normally read. What a BIG change!<br />
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The story focuses on Joey. He lived in Chicago with his Mom and when she dies, he is relocated to a small town in Iowa and moves in with his Dad. He's never met his Dad and the whole transition is very painful to read. Not only is there the sorrow of the Mom dying, there's the whole thing with the Dad not being used to having a kid around. The basics like a clean place to live and food are kind of forgotten and you read about Joey trying to fend for himself. He wonders how to get food and clean clothes.<br />
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Then he finds out that his Dad is a grave robber and it gets really creepy. There's talk about the best way to dig, good shovels, how to find a good grave to rob and lots of other things that grossed me out. This really reminded me of a Steven King book! I was creeped out and grossed out, but I kept reading!<br />
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Eventually the Dad starts teaching Joey how to dig, get the coffin open and replace the sod so it doesn't even look like someone was there. Ewww!<br />
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Some of the scenes at the high school where Joey is getting picked on are a lot to take in. He's tortured in the locker room and bullied in many other locations. There's a boy who befriends him and that gave me some hope for him and then that boy made a pass at him. I wasn't sure where that came from. That was one of the many surprises in the book.<br />
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Surprises, gore and horror aside, this book made me think. Why do people get buried with their jewels and valuables? Are there people out there who are grave robbers? Do their kids know what they do?Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-8570705654348684752011-10-24T07:53:00.000-05:002011-10-24T07:53:28.137-05:00Silently Loved by Annie Lee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Amazon-Cover-230x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://annieleenovelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Amazon-Cover-230x300.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>I received a copy of <a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/?page_id=164">Silently Loved</a> from the author who read my blog and asked me to review it. I've read her first book, <a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/?page_id=164">Keeping Grace Alive</a> and enjoyed it. You can read my review <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/09/keeping-grace-alive-by-annie-lee.html">here</a>.<br />
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This book is also set in a very scenic area and the author's descriptions are fabulous! <br />
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The story is about a woman who flees her abusive husband to start over. My first thought when I started reading was that it reminded me of that movie "Sleeping with the Enemy" which starred Julia Roberts. Both women literally run for their lives and end up in a small town working for a school. Somehow their husbands find them and at the end there is a battle.<br />
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Although they both have that plot, this book is different in many ways. It takes place out in the country and there are horses involved. I'm not a horse person, but I do like to read stories that involve them because there is always good scenery and outdoor adventures. Maybe I'm a country girl at heart!<br />
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The main character, Hailey, has a friend who helps her escape and start her life over and the character in the movie did it all on her own. I also felt like Hailey was a more complex character than the character played by Julia Roberts.<br />
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The book also had many romantic, sexual parts. There were some steamy bedroom scenes with heaving parts and moaning. If this has been a movie, it would have been R rated!<br />
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Overall this was an enjoyable read. It's not something I would have picked out, but it was a welcome addition to my reading list!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-43709514502756855502011-10-19T07:50:00.000-05:002011-10-19T07:50:13.151-05:00What are you reading?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/White_square_with_question_mark.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/White_square_with_question_mark.png" width="200" /></a></div>Lately I've been in a reading slump. All the books I want to read have a long wait at the library and I'm just too frugal to buy a hardback. So I finished my book club book and then I got an email from an author asking me to review her book!<br />
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I read <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=2sN5kscWNgEC&dq=the%20secret&as_brr=5&ei=5u2aToOjKoy6Mp2rnZcO&source=webstore_bookcard">The Secret</a> which basically says something like tell the universe what you want and it will come to you. Well, I'm not into all that new-age stuff, but I was trying to figure out what to read and this happened!<br />
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So right now I am reading <a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/?p=413">Silently Loved</a> by Annie Lee. It's a welcome departure from my last read and I am enjoying the scenery in the book. Annie's descriptions of nature are GREAT!<br />
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What are you reading?Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-50529219604222023832011-10-17T07:39:00.000-05:002011-10-17T07:39:18.795-05:00A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uf5x7GtHpjkC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uf5x7GtHpjkC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="214" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=uf5x7GtHpjkC&dq=the%20goon%20squad&as_brr=5&ei=K-qaTsKhDoWcMvLLyM4O&source=webstore_bookcard">A Visit from the Goon Squad</a> by Jennifer Egan was my book club selection this month. A good thing about book clubs is that they get you to read something you normally wouldn't choose. That is DEFINITELY the case with this book. Jennifer Egan won a Pulitizer Prize for this book, but it was not one of my favorites.<br />
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One review I read said that the book was more like a bunch of stories linked together and I would have to agree on that. There are several characters and they are very well developed. As the book goes on, you realize that the characters all are tied together and their lives have intertwined. Each one has a different path and you find out what that is. I found that aspect of the book very well written and it made me want to keep reading.<br />
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One of the things I didn't like about the book was how the author kept switching between the main characters. One chapter or section would be about Bennie and then the next would be about Sasha, but you wouldn't necessarily know who the next chapter was focusing on until you read a few pages. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I would have liked the chapters to have the name of the character at the top so I knew I was switching and could understand who the story was focusing on.<br />
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I guess I'm also old-fashioned in the sense that I like a book to have a beginning, a middle and an end. This book jumps all over the place, not just with the characters, but also with time. So you are reading and trying to figure out if this is the past, present or future.<br />
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A unique aspect of this book is the diagrams, graphs and bar charts towards the end. I understand why they were used, but didn't enjoy it. There's not lots of room on those for words, so it's short and succinct and just doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the book.<br />
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So while I'm glad I got to read this book, I would not recommend it. It won the Pulitzer Prize, so obviously the judges had different taste than me!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-41054346063721401282011-10-10T08:56:00.000-05:002011-10-10T08:56:53.624-05:00Toxicology by Jessica Hagedorn<div class="separator" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=RWRWRX34E3cC&dq=toxicology&as_brr=5&ei=cPKRTpPKDZncM9WeteUP&source=webstore_bookcard"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks6.books.google.com/ebooks?id=RWRWRX34E3cC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="213" /></a></div><br />
I read a good review of <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=RWRWRX34E3cC&dq=toxicology&as_brr=5&ei=cPKRTpPKDZncM9WeteUP&source=webstore_bookcard">Toxicology</a> in a magazine. I do not share the same enthusiasm for this book. Actually, I quit reading it at page 64. I just couldn't try any more. <br />
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The book opens with the scene of a famous person's death and you read about it from an outside viewer's perspective. It kind of reminded me of the Michael Jackson situation, so even though it was difficult to get through, I kept reading.<br />
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Then you read about the main character, who has a drug problem and her miserable life. Maybe the author did such a good job with her descriptions it was making me feel miserable. I just don't know.<br />
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Any way, I just kept reading hoping it would get better and then I just had to give up. There are too many good reads out there to waste any more time on this!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-23320349973537171282011-09-26T15:55:00.000-05:002011-09-26T15:55:51.755-05:00Keeping Grace Alive by Annie Lee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Keeping-Grace-Alive-Cover-6-1-11-FINAL1-226x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://annieleenovelist.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Keeping-Grace-Alive-Cover-6-1-11-FINAL1-226x300.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>I read <a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/?page_id=164">Keeping Grace Alive</a> at the request of one of my blog followers. It's listed as a romantic-thriller and is a bit different from my normal reads. This is the first book by this author and the first novel in the Pocono Mountains Series.<br />
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Gracie is the stepdaughter of a mob boss and since she has been a little to nosy, her step dad wants her dead. So he hires his best hit man, Jessie, to kill her. Events lead to their romantic entanglement. <br />
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This was a quick read for me. There was some mystery to it, but I thought the romantic part started up a bit early. I thought the dialogue and drama could have been drawn out a bit more before the romance kicked in. The characters themselves were enjoyable to read about and had some endearing qualities. Lots of this story takes place outside and the descriptions of the scenery are wonderful.<br />
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You can read the author's blog <a href="http://annieleenovelist.com/">here</a>.Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-61031171499360484832011-09-19T07:24:00.000-05:002011-09-19T07:24:00.252-05:00Smokin’ Seventeen by Janet Evanovich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=bDB2aVHO3b4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=bDB2aVHO3b4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="212" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I had a great time reading <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=bDB2aVHO3b4C&dq=smokin%20seventeen%20janet%20evanovich&as_brr=5&ei=KzB2Ttf4CI24Na_Z3Tg&source=webstore_bookcard">Smokin’ Seventeen</a>. If you have not read any of Janet Evanovich’s books, be ready for some laughs at the main character, Stephanie Plum.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Stephanie lives in the berg, a suburb in New Jersey, and she works for her cousin Vinnie a bail bondsmen. Stephanie, like Dog the Bounty Hunter, goes out to apprehend people who have skipped on their bond. Her sidekick, Lulu, is a woman with a taste for clothes that are much smaller than the size she actually wears. The description of her wild outfits that she is stuffing herself into are hilarious! Lulu and Stephanie like to eat, so many of their adventures are peppered with trips for burgers and fried chicken.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Stephanie also has some love interests. There’s Joe Morelli who is the hometown Italian boy with the house and the dog. There’s also Ranger, a tall dark, handsome guy who Stephanie just can’t get away from.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">This book focuses on Stephanie’s love interests as well as a mystery she’s trying to solve. Her parents and grandma are on her case a lot in this book, trying to tell her she’s not getting any younger and needs to settle down.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I almost did a post about a feature that this book has TOTALLY surprised me. It has two stickers in the back. No, I’m not joking. You have to take a look when you pick up the book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’re feeling a bit down or just looking for a fun read, this is the book for you!</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-63693650044676218632011-09-12T07:55:00.000-05:002011-09-12T07:55:05.105-05:00A Perfect Day by Richard Paul Evans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=TpdgD_4e2rEC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=TpdgD_4e2rEC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=TpdgD_4e2rEC&dq=a%20perfect%20day&as_brr=5&ei=wQBuTtzkO57gM4nd5DE&source=webstore_bookcard">A Perfect Day</a> has some very detailed and beautiful descriptions in it. There’s one scene in the mountains and it just took my breath away.<span> </span>I felt like I was right there!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story is about Robert Harlan, who wants to be a writer, but has put that on the back burner to support his family.<span> </span>Then, conditions arise that allow him to complete his book and market it.<span> </span>He becomes successful and has to deal with all the trappings associated with it.<span> </span>Most importantly, the story shows how his relationship with his family is affected.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Robert gets a message that he doesn’t have much longer to live and it causes him to stop and take a look at how his life has changed with his family.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In a way, this book reminded me of the movie It’s A Wonderful Life.<span> </span>At the end of the story, Robert is very reflective on his life and the path he’s taken and it effect on others.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I enjoyed reading this book.<span> </span>While some parts were rather predictable, like where Robert becomes famous and self-centered, it forced me to do some reflection on my life.</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-55514163344857365742011-08-31T16:44:00.001-05:002011-08-31T20:54:33.476-05:00What are you reading?I've found some of the best books through recommendations from friends. With that in mind, I thought I would add a "what are you reading?" day to my blog for readers to check in and give some recommendations.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks9.books.google.com/ebooks?id=Elbq2B4eR30C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://bks9.books.google.com/ebooks?id=Elbq2B4eR30C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="141" /></a></div>Right now I'm finishing <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Elbq2B4eR30C&dq=the%20uglies&as_brr=5&ei=w6leTrDVHJOQNquuoP8D&source=webstore_bookcard">Uglies</a> by Scott Westerfield. It is a young adult fiction book about a world where "the uglies" get a special operation when they turn 16 to become pretty. Of course there are some rebels who don't go for that and they run away. The book tells about their adventures and disturbing things they find out about "the pretties". This is book one in a series, so I will get the next one to read!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks2.books.google.com/ebooks?id=dKIo6D9yh3cC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://bks2.books.google.com/ebooks?id=dKIo6D9yh3cC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="129" /></a></div>I've started my book club book, <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=dKIo6D9yh3cC&dq=schiff&as_brr=5&ei=e6peTrq7EoOqNpPl1OoB&source=webstore_bookcard">Cleopatra</a> by Stacy Schiff. The first few pages I read talked about Cleopatra and what they knew about her and how they knew that information. I was looking for something a little lighter, so I put it aside and moved on to <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=Elbq2B4eR30C&dq=the%20uglies&as_brr=5&ei=I6teTsqsLYiENOWx9MkO&source=webstore_bookcard">Uglies</a>. I hope that it picks up a bit, because I was falling asleep when I read this in bed!<br />
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What are you reading?<br />
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Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-1700429177788809482011-08-30T07:47:00.000-05:002011-08-30T07:47:20.925-05:00EXCELLENT book to movie conversion! The Help<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM5OTMyMjIxOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU4MjIwNQ@@._V1._SY317_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTM5OTMyMjIxOV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzU4MjIwNQ@@._V1._SY317_.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I saw the movie, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/">The Help</a>, over the weekend.<span> </span>If you have read my comments about the book to movie conversion, you know that I think they rarely get it right.<span> </span>Well, this time they did a GREAT job!<span> </span>The plot, the actresses, the clothes.... all of them were fabulous.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can read about the movie <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1454029/">here</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">See the movie and then read the book or read the book and then see the movie.<span> </span>Either way, you will not be disappointed.</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-85388489227138272712011-08-29T08:15:00.000-05:002011-08-29T08:15:04.189-05:00Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=dyj6AskSaLUC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=dyj6AskSaLUC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="212" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=dyj6AskSaLUC&dq=then%20came%20you&as_brr=5&ei=W5BbTuXJHKCKNcv8lYcF&source=webstore_bookcard">Then Came You</a> is another one of Jennifer Weiner’s books that I just loved. It’s the story of four women who are all different. There’s the Princeton graduate, the young mom who married her high school love, a daughter of a very well-off executive and the woman who becomes the executive’s trophy wife!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The descriptions of the character’s personalities and physical appearance are very thorough and I could quickly see them in my mind. My situation is not like any of the characters, but I could relate to some of their circumstances.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story is written in a way that left me guessing exactly what would happen next and I was surprised many times. I won’t be giving any examples because I don’t want to ruin it for you!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Jennifer Weiner also wrote <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=HLXsvfLMJu0C&dq=good%20in%20bed&as_brr=5&ei=kZBbTvCvAoH0NYHv1I8E&source=webstore_bookcard">Good In Bed</a> and <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=ecmStlid4SUC&dq=in%20her%20shoes&as_brr=5&ei=qpBbTq33MZSINujnsbMH&source=webstore_bookcard">In Her Shoes</a> and those were enjoyable as well. I would definitely label them as “chick lit” but there’s nothing wrong with that!</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-36234665501478688522011-08-15T12:28:00.000-05:002011-08-15T12:28:52.708-05:00Escape by Barbara Delinsky<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=OBb-woquBbUC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=OBb-woquBbUC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="210" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=OBb-woquBbUC&dq=escape&as_brr=5&ei=MFZJTu3sCofMNafC4YgN&source=webstore_bookcard">Escape</a> reminded me of the book <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=EbquUB1D6B8C&dq=eat%20pray%20love&as_brr=5&ei=eVZJTofDD4bANdqM4aQH&source=webstore_bookcard">Eat, Pray, Love</a>.<span> </span>Both books deal with a woman thinking that her life is not fulfilling and the women decide to take a “time out” to figure out their future.<span> </span>Both of the main characters are women and both women ditch their husbands for these outings.<span> </span>The similarities end there, as <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=OBb-woquBbUC&dq=escape&as_brr=5&ei=MFZJTu3sCofMNafC4YgN&source=webstore_bookcard">Escape</a> is a Fiction book and <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=EbquUB1D6B8C&dq=eat%20pray%20love&as_brr=5&ei=eVZJTofDD4bANdqM4aQH&source=webstore_bookcard">Eat, Pray, Love</a> is not. You can click <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/06/eat-pray-love-one-womans-search-for.html">here</a> to read my review of <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=EbquUB1D6B8C&dq=eat%20pray%20love&as_brr=5&ei=eVZJTofDD4bANdqM4aQH&source=webstore_bookcard">Eat, Pray, Love.</a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Putting aside my dislike of the ditching your husband scenario, I felt like this book painted a more realistic picture of what made the main character bolt as well as dealing with her uncertainty.<span> </span>She went somewhere that was familiar, somewhere that she had experienced good times and there she had some quiet time to reflect and regroup.<span> </span>She also involved her husband in the process of figuring out her next step.<span> </span>Not in the beginning, but she did get him on board with making some changes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This book has lots of nature in it which I always find enjoyable to read.<span> </span>The descriptions of the areas and the animals were very relaxing and vivid.<span> </span>The character descriptions were so detailed; you could picture them in your mind with no problem.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I think everyone has dreamed about escaping whether it’s from a tedious family gathering or just the whirlwind life they somehow have established for themselves.<span> </span>This book tells the story of someone who did and gives you a few things to think about.</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-36329145131692041312011-08-08T07:28:00.000-05:002011-08-08T07:28:49.087-05:00The Dead and The Gone by Susan Pfeffer<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks6.books.google.com/ebooks?id=HQlXsNMwWQ4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks6.books.google.com/ebooks?id=HQlXsNMwWQ4C&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=HQlXsNMwWQ4C&dq=the%20dead%20and%20the%20gone&as_brr=5&ei=MtM_TriwJIzSMN3iuakD&source=webstore_bookcard">The Dead and The Gone</a> is the second book in a series by Susan Pfeffer.<span> </span>First was <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=kzvx4bH0oJcC&dq=life%20as%20we%20knew%20it&as_brr=5&ei=09U_Tr2KBou0NvnFrfcC&source=webstore_bookcard">Life As We Knew It</a>. <span> </span>I read that and you can read the review <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/06/life-as-we-knew-it-by-susan-pfeffer.html">here</a>.<span> </span>Next is <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=HQlXsNMwWQ4C&dq=the%20dead%20and%20the%20gone&as_brr=5&ei=0NM_TvD-CoK0MIya5MgC&source=webstore_bookcard">The Dead and the Gone </a>and the last book is <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=5IaLGlxtqsAC&dq=this%20world%20we%20live%20in&as_brr=5&ei=qtM_Tr61LJKmNuDAnZoD&source=webstore_bookcard">This World We Live In</a>.<span> I have read that, just haven't posted a review yet. <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=HQlXsNMwWQ4C&dq=the%20dead%20and%20the%20gone&as_brr=5&ei=SNY_Tqa9DYrcNbyG0O0C&source=webstore_bookcard">The Dead and The Gone</a> </span>can be read independently of the other books, there’s not really anything joining the first book to this one.<span> </span>There is some crossover in the third book, but you can get the jist of it without reading this book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Out of all three books, I liked this one the least.<span> </span>This book tells the story of the asteroid hitting the Moon and the effect it has on an apartment dwelling family in New York.<span> </span>This is a working-class family and they are devout Catholics.<span> </span>There is much talk about praying, mass, their Catholic schools and some dialogue with priests and nuns.<span> </span>That’s not what I disliked about the book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s hard to put my finger on what I didn’t like about this book.<span> </span>Perhaps I favored the story coming from the viewpoint of the girl Miranda in the first book.<span> </span>Or perhaps it was that this book was more graphic with stories of rats eating bodies that were laying on the street and people randomly jumping out of windows.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Maybe I ruined it by reading the third book before this book.<span> </span>I know I was disappointed with the end of the book because I knew it didn’t transition well to the third book. <span> </span>Maybe it was the author’s intention, but when I finished this book I felt kind of let down, depressed and unsettled.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-88232153221754622312011-08-05T07:09:00.000-05:002011-08-05T07:09:37.818-05:00Flying Changes by Sara Gruen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks1.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uRMcZW3PD3cC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks1.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uRMcZW3PD3cC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="212" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=uRMcZW3PD3cC&dq=flying%20changes&as_brr=5&ei=1dw7TpLTGYPONarw-ZAG&source=webstore_bookcard">Flying Changes</a> is the sequel to <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=k4yjrg6BBZcC&dq=riding%20lessons&as_brr=5&ei=D907TtyLG4i2NpbywJIG&source=webstore_bookcard">Riding Lessons</a>.<span> </span>I knew there was a sequel, so I went back to another book with horses in it.<span> </span>The main character, Annamarie Zimmer has settled into her life at her family place and is giving horse riding lessons.<span> </span>She’s also involved in a romance which kind of adds a little spice.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Her daughter is once again having some problems at school and Annamarie relents to her daughter’s wish to enter riding competitions.<span> </span>The daughter gets shipped off to a nearby boarding school where she helps care for the horses as well as get prepared to compete.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There’s lots of drama in this book between the romance and the daughter and the Mother who is having a hard time letting her daughter compete.<span> </span>Annamarie has memories of her accident and is quite paranoid that her daughter will have an accident as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Mother-Daughter relationship was what kept me reading this book.<span> </span>I think it’s very well defined and it’s written in a way that it’s easy to relate to.<span> </span>The romance angle wasn’t quite what I expected. It was missing something.<span> </span>I don’t know what that is.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Another thing that kept me reading was Annamarie’s premonitions about an accident.<span> </span>I just had to see if anything would happen.<span> </span>I am not going to spoil it for you and give you any more information on that topic!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have to say, I liked this book better than Riding Lessons.<span> </span>Maybe it’s because I was more familiar with the characters or maybe I was just used to reading about the horses!</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-12495107581747313102011-08-01T11:11:00.000-05:002011-08-01T11:11:41.558-05:00Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=k4yjrg6BBZcC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=k4yjrg6BBZcC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="212" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I liked <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=sfC0p0Y9wY8C&dq=water%20for%20elephants&as_brr=5&ei=xpo2TvfyFpHOM4GmzKkC&source=webstore_bookcard">Water for Elephants</a> by Sara Gruen, (see my review <a href="http://yesireadalot.blogspot.com/2011/05/water-for-elephants-by-sara-gruen.html">here</a>), so I thought I would read something else by her.<span> </span><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=k4yjrg6BBZcC&dq=riding%20lessons&as_brr=5&ei=hJo2TtDeB5nyNIGM2YsM&source=webstore_bookcard">Riding Lessons</a> reminded me of <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=MgJK6adtfuYC&dq=the%20horse%20whisperer&as_brr=5&ei=5Jo2TunYKaTQMc-n1IMD&source=webstore_bookcard">The Horse Whisperer</a>. <span> </span>There’s a horse, a single parent, and a problem child, just like The Horse Whisperer.<span> </span>The Mom in both books complains about the lack of technology at the ranch!<span> </span>I am not a horse person, but I was looking for something a little different to read, so I thought I would give this a whirl.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The main character in the book, Annamarie Zimmer, was a horse riding champion, but she had a bad accident in her younger days which caused her to quit.<span> </span>Her recovery from the accident was remarkable, but she swore off riding.<span> </span>The story deals with her life years after the accident, her rocky relationship with her husband, a divorce and an unruly teenage daughter. Her aging parents and some health problems with them also plays a role in the story.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I enjoyed the detailed descriptions and learned some stuff about horse riding, but just couldn’t get into it. There is one hot guy in the book, so that helped move things along for awhile.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span>Maybe I would have enjoyed the book more if I was into horses and riding. Maybe I couldn't relate to the mother daughter conflict since I don't have any daughters. Either way, </span>I thought Water for Elephants was MUCH better.</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-55687100493843992812011-07-29T11:27:00.000-05:002011-07-29T11:27:43.477-05:0010th Anniversary by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uJHlhyFoo1MC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uJHlhyFoo1MC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="206" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">I have always enjoyed reading books by James Patterson.<span> </span>That is, the books that he wrote by himself.<span> </span><a href="http://bks8.books.google.com/ebooks?id=uJHlhyFoo1MC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1">10<sup>th</sup> Anniversary</a> was co-authored by Maxine Paetro and I didn't like it.<span> </span>It reminded me too much of a combination of the tv shows Sex in the City and Law and Order.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The main character, Lindsay Boxer, is a detective.<span> </span>The story also involves her three friends.<span> </span>Yuki Castellano is the Assistant District Attorney and Cindy Thomas is an investigative reporter.<span> </span>Not much is said about her friend Claire.<span> </span>At the end of the book I found out she was a medical examiner when she met Lindsay.<span> </span>I think she’s not working now and staying home with her baby.<span> </span>I couldn't tell from the story.<span> </span>Just like the four girls in Sex and the City, these four get together a few times during the book.<span> </span>There’s <span> </span>also lots of courtroom scenes and police work like in Law and Order.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Overall I felt like this book was dumbed down for the general population.<span> </span>It seemed like more attention was paid to the fluffy part of the book (the women and hunky men), than the whole mystery angle.<span> </span>There were lots of different ways that the mystery could have gone and it could have been stretched out, but I got the feeling that they just wanted to wrap everything up in the end and not go on too long.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I liked Sex and the City and enjoy Law and Order, but this book did not do a good job of combining the good parts from those shows.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-17150597169464703452011-07-28T16:24:00.000-05:002011-07-28T16:24:15.467-05:00Buried Prey by John Sandford<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=q55cOrUbmsoC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks4.books.google.com/ebooks?id=q55cOrUbmsoC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="211" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=q55cOrUbmsoC&dq=buried%20prey&as_brr=5&ei=P_shTqefCcrpUKOt4coP&source=webstore_bookcard">Buried Prey</a> by John Sandford was considered a high demand book by my library, so I only had two weeks to read it. I saw it on the best seller list, so I put my name on the waiting list at the library. I do that quite often and inevitably, many books are ready for pickup at the same time. My friend started calling this phenomena "getting Janiked" because after I get all the books, I call them to see if they want to read any of them.<br />
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This book has something happening in the current time with flashbacks to the past. It's a mystery and of course there are some dead bodies in it and police drama. I read it pretty quickly for a few reasons. First, in a mystery you are dying to know who did it. Then there's the limited amount of time I had the book (see above). I also skimmed a bit because I found some of the actions by the main character, Lucas Davenport, to be so off the wall.<br />
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I'm all for the "Dudley Do Right" characters who fight to have the bad guys lose, but I didn't like how it was written here. Maybe I've gotten too cynical, but they had this guy doing all kinds of stuff that just didn't seem realistic.<br />
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So, if you are really in the mood for a murder mystery, I would pick something else.Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-6529318500049671692011-07-26T15:23:00.000-05:002011-07-26T15:23:24.963-05:00A Sister’s Test by Wanda E. Brunstetter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/8/892728/main/892728_1_ftc_dp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://g.christianbook.com/g/slideshow/8/892728/main/892728_1_ftc_dp.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.christianbook.com/a-sisters-test-of-holmes-county/wanda-brunstetter/9781597892728/pd/892728#curr">A Sister’s Test</a> is the second book in a series of three books.<span> </span>I wish I would have looked at the cover and noticed that before starting with book two.<span> </span>I’m just one of those readers who like to start at the beginning of a series and work my way through the books.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The story is about Ruth, the second oldest sister in the Hostettler family and her journey through life.<span> </span>There are many things happening in their community, with her family and to her personally.<span> </span>This novel is set in an Amish community.<span> </span>There are references to the simpler way of life including a buggy, and a phone “shack”.<span> </span>There are many characters and their lives are intertwined through the Hostettler family and the Amish community.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Although I enjoyed reading this, there were a few things I didn’t like so much. First of all there is a mystery.<span> </span>Several acts of vandalism are occurring in the Amish community.<span> </span>Although the book doesn’t end with the mystery being solved (another thing I didn’t like), the solution seemed pretty obvious.<span> </span>Maybe I’m wrong and I will discover that in book three.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I also didn’t like the use of the Amish words throughout the books.<span> </span>Perhaps you will enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out what the word means by looking at its context in the sentence.<span> </span>I felt like that was too much work for this type of book.<span> </span>I was reading this in the car during a trip, so I did have a few distractions, but I didn’t feel like seeing the word “bopplin” over and over again (I think it means baby).<span> </span>There really wasn’t any rhyme or reason when a word from their dialect would pop up and I know that is consistent with the way it works, I just didn’t get into it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The female character, Ruth, seemed pretty strong, but there were a few points where I wanted to shout “Snap out of it woman!”<span> </span>What can I say?<span> </span>I’m not one to condone wallowing in self pity.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So this book was a bit different than my normal reads.<span> </span>I enjoyed some parts of it.<span> </span>I will be reading the next one because I want to confirm that I solved the mystery halfway through the book!<span> </span>Keep your eyes peeled for that review!</div>Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2637367174088363820.post-60737133117518399702011-07-20T09:48:00.000-05:002011-07-20T09:48:27.686-05:00The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=KPP6PhKAJgMC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://bks5.books.google.com/ebooks?id=KPP6PhKAJgMC&printsec=frontcover&img=1&zoom=1" width="206" /></a></div><a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=KPP6PhKAJgMC&dq=the%20fifth%20witness&as_brr=5&ei=b-kmTpSJOcPwUKyn-csM&source=webstore_bookcard">The Fifth Witness</a> by Michael Connelly is a very timely book because it deals with people losing their homes due to foreclosure. The story is about a woman accused of murdering a bank officer who was involved in the foreclosure of her home. This woman was outraged by the fraudulent practices in the foreclosure process and forms her own advocacy group. The author also give some startling statistics on foreclosures today.<br />
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The main character in this book is lawyer Mickey Haller. He has focused his practice on helping people avoid foreclosures since that's where the business is. He is a unique character who routinely conducts business from the back seat of his car (a Lincoln). Perhaps you've seen the movie The Lincoln Lawyer starring Matthew McConaughey. I've read <a href="http://books.google.com/ebooks?id=ekJA6MZoH40C&dq=the%20lincoln%20lawyer&as_brr=5&ei=XeomTq3gJonvUJu0xeUB&source=webstore_bookcard">the book</a>, but I haven't seen the movie, so I can't comment on the book to movie transition.<br />
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Anyway, the plot in this book is full of twists and turns as well as some dramatic courtroom scenes. It was compelling enough for me to keep it longer than I should have. I now have an overdue fine at the library because I had to finish it. I was a big fan of the show "L.A. Law" and I love those courtroom scenes!Mary J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11147289158274066186noreply@blogger.com1