First Stop - Mothers and Other Liars tour

Jacki over at Lovely Little Shelf was the first stop on the Mothers and Other Liars (by Amy Bourret) tour. Head on over to check out her review here. She provides a few similar authors for those that might be hesitant to give the new author a shot.

Review: The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell

From Goodreads: It is 1903. Dr. Ravell is a young Harvard-educated obstetrician with a growing reputation for helping couples conceive. He has treated women from all walks of Boston society, but when Ravell meets Erika - an opera singer whose beauty is surpassed only by her spellbinding voice - he knows their doctor-patient relationship will be like none he has ever had. After struggling for years to become pregnant, Erika believes there is no hope. Her mind is made up: she will leave her prominent Bostonian husband to pursue her career in Italy, a plan both unconventional and risky. But becoming Ravell's patient will change her life in ways she never could have imagined. Lush and stunningly realized, The Doctor and the Diva moves from snowy Boston to the jungles of Trinidad to the gilded balconies of Florence. This magnificent debut is a tale of passionate love affairs, dangerous decisions, and a woman's irreconcilable desires as she is forced to choose between the child she has always longed for and the opera career she cannot live without. Inspired by the author's family history, the novel is sensual, sexy, and heart-stopping in its bittersweet beauty.

My review: As a free goodreads win, one just never knows how well written the story will be so this novel was much a surprise to me. I found myself disgusted with some of the decisions the character's made, I found myself yearning for unrealized dreams right along side the characters and I felt the sheer desperation to find something, anything to fill a void left in each of their hearts.

I took Erika to be a mouse when I first met her. She seemed timid and withdrawn in her quest to have a child which caused me to wonder why she was even pursuing pregnancy at all. She didn't seem to really want a child, let alone, go through the procedures to become pregnant. As the story progresses I learned more about Erika, her dreams and her emotions. Her emotions seemed as if they could have been those of a woman struggling with infertility in 2010, just without much of the knowledge we have today. Once Erika's dreams are shared with the reader and we hear her thoughts, we begin to understand her heart ache and melancholy.

Peter was such an odd man; I feel as if I never figured him out. He was possessive yet caring. I think he would have made an awesome poker player...he always kept something secret to pull out at the right moment.

Dr Ravell struck me as a lonely man, surrounded by such extremes. Overt happiness when a couple conceives a child with his help and those who keep trying despite failure after failure. I did appreciate is less than "moral" behaviors throughout the book as it gave him a more realistic avenue for his emotions and loneliness. There is a strong resistance mentioned in the story about men submitting to sperm count testing, which I found interesting. Sperm testing was the first step towards changing the outlook of conceiving that gender and fertility were a woman's "problem" to the reality that sperm carries the "gender card" and fertility is as much of a man's problem as it is a woman's.

On a more personal note, my husband is a Paramedic and went through Medic school our first few years of marriage. While reading this novel I realized, once again, how deeply indebted we are to the medical community of the past. So much that we take for granted now, from information to testing to better methods of IVF, weren't always available. After my husband delivered twin babies in a woman's home, it sort of hits home...the medical discoveries and advancements hit home. In the time in this novel, women didn't have babies at hospitals with pain medications and sterile environments.

If this book sounds like something you might be interested in...stay tuned for a contest later this week!! :)

Grade: B

Finished: June 27, 2010. 2010 Count: 50.

Harry Potter Fans - NEW Trailer!!!!

I got chills and tears in my eyes...I am going to be one blubbering mess when these are in the theater!!!

This is a must see for any Harry Potter fan!

NEW Harry Potter Trailer

Review: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

From Goodreads: Fans of The Twilight Saga will be enthralled by this riveting story of Bree Tanner, a character first introduced in Eclipse, and the darker side of the newborn vampire world she inhabits. In another irresistible combination of danger, mystery, and romance, Stephenie Meyer tells the devastating story of Bree and the newborn army as they prepare to close in on Bella Swan and the Cullens, following their encounter to its unforgettable conclusion. Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire. All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out. Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her". As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

My review: I wasn't going to read this book off of principle. Stephenie Meyer needs to finish Midnight Sun before she writes any other Twilight related books. She needs to get off her high horse, get over the betrayal of having Midnight Sun leaked and finish it for the fans...those fans that have made her a huge stack of cash! That said, when I found out that this book could be read online for free until the first part of July, I caved. I am such a sucker for free books!

I admit, I had to first figure out who Bree was before starting this. She is one of those hardly mentioned characters so it wasn't as if her name would be fresh in my mind. I enjoyed an "inside" view into the making of the newborns for Victoria. She demonstrated her sheer wickedness in how she let lies fly from her lips without concern. She had one purpose and to her, that was all that mattered. Newborns were to serve one purpose, blood bath and destruction.

Seeing the Cullen's from Bree's eyes was interesting. Listening to her describe them, to try to figure out the relationship between the human, Bella, and the vampires was childlike but in essence she is a child, a newborn vampire. I loved Fred and his special gift. It was unique and clever.

Basically, this short novella just burned fuel into my fire to see Eclipse in July...which I am sure is what Stephenie Meyer hoped it would do!

Grade: C.

Finished: June 25, 2010. 2010 Count: 49.

Review: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

From Goodreads: "Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell." Jacob was there because his luck had run out - orphaned and penniless, he had no direction until he landed on this locomotive "ship of fools." It was the early part of the Great Depression, and everyone in this third-rate circus was lucky to have any job at all. Marlena, the star of the equestrian act, was there because she fell in love with the wrong man, a handsome circus boss with a wide mean streak. And Rosie the elephant was there because she was the great gray hope, the new act that was going to be the salvation of the circus; the only problem was, Rosie didn't have an act - in fact, she couldn't even follow instructions. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

My review: I have heard a lot of hype over this book on my online book club and other book reviews/blogs so when the e-book was on sale through Barnes and Noble, I went for it. I’m glad I bought it on sale because I don’t plan on reading it again as it was a rather blah read for me. The biggest reason I didn’t overly enjoy this book is that it seemed to lack emotion from everyone. It just didn’t have real passion anywhere. There wasn’t passion between lovers, passion for the animals or passion for life. I just felt very blah the entire time. This is not to say there weren’t characters who did love the animals but they didn’t have passion for the animals to stand up against cruelty. At the end of the story there were a few choices that made some of the passion for the animals show but not until then. For being set in the Great Depression, there didn’t seem to be that much emotion over the state of the country. It was mentioned here and there by describing towns that were boarded up and how their paychecks didn’t appear when they stood in line waiting but they outbursts over these aspects were touched on and then the focus shifted. I never felt connected with any of the characters, except maybe Rosie the elephant.

One aspect I liked about this novel is how it showed the “freaks” of circuses have hearts, feelings and life experiences just like those who come to the show to see said “freaks.” There was a social order to the circus staff, showing that even within the outcasts of general society there is a hierarchy to society standings. I found this dynamic very real-life and enjoyed seeing how this affected the decisions that individuals in different levels when the situation at hand was regarding someone in another circus class.

My lower grade on this book is mostly a result of the lack of passion and character connection. The plot was interesting but not enough to overpower these two issues.

Grade: D

Finished: June 22, 2010. 2010 Count: 48.

Review: Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld

From Goodreads: It has become common knowledge that childhood obesity rates are increasing every year. But the rates continue to rise. And between busy work schedules and the inconvenient truth that kids simply refuse to eat vegetables and other healthy foods, how can average parents ensure their kids are getting the proper nutrition and avoiding bad eating habits? As a mother of three, Jessica Seinfeld can speak for all parents who struggle to feed their kids right and deal nightly with dinnertime fiascos. As she wages a personal war against sugars, packaged foods, and other nutritional saboteurs, she offers appetizing alternatives for parents who find themselves succumbing to the fastest and easiest (and least healthy) choices available to them. Her modus operandi? Her book is filled with traditional recipes that kids love, except they're stealthily packed with veggies hidden in them so kids don't even know! With the help of a nutritionist and a professional chef, Seinfeld has developed a month's worth of meals for kids of all ages that includes, for example, pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and kale in spaghetti and meatballs. She also provides revealing and humorous personal anecdotes, tear–out shopping guides to help parents zoom through the supermarket, and tips on how to deal with the kid that "must have" the latest sugar bomb cereal. But this book also contains much more than recipes and tips. By solving problems on a practical level for parents, Seinfeld addresses the big picture issues that surround childhood obesity and its long–term (and ruinous) effects on the body. With the help of a prominent nutritionist, her book provides parents with an arsenal of information related to kids' nutrition so parents understand why it's important to throw in a little avocado puree into their quesadillas. She discusses the critical importance of portion size, and the specific elements kids simply must have (as opposed to adults) in order to flourish now and in the future: protein, calcium, vitamins, and Omega 3 and 6 fats. Jessica Seinfeld's book is practical, easy–to–read, and a godsend for any parent that wants their kids to be healthy for a long time to come.

My review: This book has been recommended over and over on my online baby community but I just kept putting off requesting it from the library for some reason. Well, I was stupid and should have done this months ago. This cookbook not only has amazing recipes for the entire family, the veggies are pureed so they are even less likely to be "noticed." We have a few of these recipes on our menu for the week and made the puree's tonight. It took all of about 10 minutes to make pea and spinach puree. The book includes great photos, a must in a cookbook for me! The recipes aren't extremely involved or time consuming either and most give you multiple fruits or veggies to mix in so the taste can be adjusted too. I am looking forward to taste testing the recipes because I have a feeling they will be fantastic. If the results are less than stellar, I will report back here with an updated review.

Grade: A

Finished: June 22, 2010. 2010 Count: 47.

It’s Friday! What I am reading – June 24, 2010

The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell – So far, I am really enjoying this Goodreads win!! When I am finished with this I may have a contest on here for someone to win it!

Booking Through Thursday – June 24, 2010

From http://btt2.wordpress.com/: Do you read book reviews? Do you let them change your mind about reading/not reading a particular book? 

My response: I love reading book reviews. I read reviews on Goodreads, on my online book club and one the many book blogs I follow. If I see a lot of negative reviews, or even just so-so reviews about a book I have been considering buying I might change my mind. I may still read the book at some point, but I will probably get it from the library instead of buying it. On the flip side, I add a lot of books to my TBR list on Goodreads because of reviews…a lot!

Review: The Toddler Bistro: Toddler-Approved Recipes and Expert Nutrition Advice by Christina Schmidt

From Goodreads: Based on the most current nutritional information available, this accessible reference offers new mothers a fresh approach to feeding a toddler. More than a how-to guide, this unique handbook offers innovative elements—from whimsical illustrations to clever recipe names. Colorful devices and asides—“foolish fats,” “funky fruits,” and “meat monsters”—call attention to special topics, making them easy to remember. Assisting parents in developing an approach to food that is easy, organized, and fun, this study offers helpful tips through entertaining features such as “Bistro Basics” and “Chef’s Secrets.” Focusing on the age range of one to three years—when new foods and tastes are typically introduced—this survey also includes tips and tricks for quick shopping, easy recipes, and nutrient and supplement needs. Blending the basics of good nutrition with expert advice and guidance, this comprehensive manual is ideal for both the working and stay-at-home mom.

My review: This book had some amazing recipes for the entire family, which is exactly what we are looking for. I probably tabbed about ten to fifteen recipes to have Brett look at for the final decision, since he is the chef in this house! :) We haven't tried a recipe yet, but I believe one or two are on the menu for the next two weeks. This is a great book for families or anyone who wants healthier meals that are beyond the traditional meat and veggie side.

Grade: B

Finished: June 22, 2010. 2010 Count: 46.

OMG - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - Trailer!!!

I must be living under a rock but I didn't realize this had been released...and it is SO good!! I got goosebumps watching this!! I can't wait!!

Review: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker (Strangely Beautiful, #1) by Leanna Renee Hieber

From goodreads.com: The albino beauty who has come to study at Victorian London-s Athens Academy will learn not only to deal with the ghosts that she can see, but her own part in the puzzling prophecy that threatens the known world.

My review: This is another free e-book I obtained through Barnes and Noble. I finally made it a point to read a few of these free e-books I have downloaded which is why there have been a string of them on here lately. The first half of this book was pretty usual, student is attracted to a teacher and doesn't know why so it causes her schoolwork to suffer. The mystery comes in a supernatural fashion with ghosts, spirits and a big scary dog. About the midpoint I finally started to get interested in the mystery and finished the book in another hour or so. It was a quick read but nothing off the charts. I don't plan to continue reading the series...it just didn't captivate me enough to continue.

Grade: C

Finished: June 15, 2010. 2010 Count: 45!

Winning Streak!

Another Goodreads win for me!!! This one sounds right up my ally with all of the historical fiction I have been reading lately!


The Doctor and the Diva: A Novel by Adrienne McDonnell

Goodreads Summary: It is 1903. Dr. Ravell is a young Harvard-educated obstetrician with a growing reputation for helping couples conceive. He has treated women from all walks of Boston society, but when Ravell meets Erika-an opera singer whose beauty is surpassed only by her spellbinding voice-he knows their doctor-patient relationship will be like none he has ever had.

After struggling for years to become pregnant, Erika believes there is no hope. Her mind is made up: she will leave her prominent Bostonian husband to pursue her career in Italy, a plan both unconventional and risky. But becoming Ravell's patient will change her life in ways she never could have imagined.

Lush and stunningly realized, The Doctor and the Diva moves from snowy Boston to the jungles of Trinidad to the gilded balconies of Florence. This magnificent debut is a tale of passionate love affairs, dangerous decisions, and a woman's irreconcilable desires as she is forced to choose between the child she has always longed for and the opera career she cannot live without. Inspired by the author's family history, the novel is sensual, sexy, and heart-stopping in its bittersweet beauty.

Review: Mothers and Other Liars by Amy Bourret

From goodreads.com : How far will a mother go to save her child?
Ten years ago, Ruby Leander was a drifting nineteen-year-old who
made a split-second decision at an Oklahoma rest stop. Fast
forward nine years: Ruby and her daughter Lark live in New
Mexico. Lark is a precocious, animal loving imp, and Ruby has
built a family for them with a wonderful community of friends and
her boyfriend of three years. Life is good. Until the day Ruby reads
a magazine article about parents searching for an infant
kidnapped by car-jackers. Then Ruby faces a choice no mother
should have to make. A choice that will change both her and Lark'
s lives forever.


My review: I won this book through Goodreads First Reads
giveaways and was really excited to read it. Of course, this is an
actual book instead of an e-book so it was also a little trial in how
much I missed paper books. The answer, not so much really! I
started and finished this book in one day, I just couldn’t stop
reading and HAD to know the ending. Maybe having a child of my
own made me really connect with Ruby, I’m not sure, but my heart
just kept breaking for her. In turn, my heart flew into my throat as I
learned of the secrets surrounding the car-jacking situation. That
same motherhood part of me was screaming at the unjust. I am still
not really sure how I feel about the choice Ruby made but I don’t
know what I would do in such a situation. My stomach was churning
most of the time I was reading, because of the heart wrenching,
unthinkable decisions and related consequences that flow through
the story. Lark is the perfect blend of smarts and heart, which made
the story even harsher. I think the dog pulled on my heartstrings
almost as much as Lark and I am not a dog person at all. His
connection with her was so sweet, so tender.


I struggled with viewing the “villains” as such, because they were
just following their hearts and were just not able to let go until
reality forced it. Without spoiling, I bounced around from feeling
anguish, sorrow and sheer desperation for them to feeling anger and
then disappointment in their actions. At one point, my reader
loyalties were pulling for all the main characters for they were all
just following their hearts. When a book pulls a reader that way, it
is an amazing feeling.


I enjoyed this so much that I started a “Book Tour” on my online
book club. There are 8 women who will read and review this book
through the next few months. This not only gets the book in more
reader’s hands, it also presents the opportunity to see differences in
opinions and perspectives. I will be updating the blog with links to
these reader’s blogs for their individual reviews so my readers can
follow along through the tour.


Grade: B


Finished: June 12, 2010. 2010 Count: 44!

It’s Friday! What I am Reading – June 18, 2010

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen – Just starting this book so I have no thoughts on it yet, other than that it comes highly recommended on my online book club. Can’t wait to get into the story!

Booking Through Thursday – June 17, 2010

From: http://btt2.wordpress.com/ Now or Then? Do you prefer reading current books? Or older ones? Or outright old ones? (As in, yes, there's a difference between a book from 10 years ago and, say, Charles Dickens or Plato.)

My thoughts: I prefer reading current books, or at least within the past 30-40 years or so. I don't mind a classic thrown in there now and again, but prefer the more modern plot lines and writing styles.

Review: Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell

From amazon.com : When Candice's in-laws were killed eight months ago buying a huge faux polar bear rug for her Christmas present, she lost more than just two of her favorite people: she lost her husband Ian as well. After only two years of marriage, their guilt and pain have left them living together but apart, unable to really talk for fear of what they'll say to each other. Ian leaves for a month-long contract overseas, and Candice plans to use the time apart to decide whether her marriage can be saved. When her ex walks back into her life as the new client at work, ten years more attractive yet saddened by his own recent loss, she's left wondering what she really wants from life and love.


My review: This was a free e-book I downloaded from Barnes and Noble because it sounded decent, especially for a free e-book. Starting the book caused me to feel a little lost, as if I was a few pages behind. I didn’t have enough information to understand the weirdness and struggle between Candice and Ian so it felt odd. As the story continued the reader receives for information and is able to start piecing together the event that lead to the near breaking point of their marriage. I struggled to give Ian a fair shot at being the good guy, partially because of what transpires and partially because I didn’t hear much from him in the book. I became very connected with Candice and became very pro-Candice to the point of just wanting her to have some happy times, regardless of the consequences. Her transformation, both physical and emotional, leads to a much happier person who makes choices instead of dancing on egg shells. In an effort not to give away details that spoil this book for others, I will be brief and secretive, but I think the ending should have gone the other way. It just felt more “right” to me!

Grade: C

Finished: June 11, 2010. 2010 Count: 43!

Review: True Blood TV Show

I know this isn’t a book, but since it is loosely based on a book series I thought I would post a short review here! Season 1 and 2 are amazing, suspenseful, shocking and full of interesting characters. I have a love/hate relationship with the differences between the series and the show. Some of the changes are brilliant and some are not. I am very curious to see how some of these changes will pan out in future situations/seasons because of the impact on plot lines, both minimal and major. I just have to remind myself while watching the episodes to view them separately…the show on one side and the book on the other.

Grade: A!

Review: Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

From amazon.com: Margaret Mitchell's epic novel of love and war won the Pulitzer Prize and went on to give rise to two authorized sequels and one of the most popular and celebrated movies of all time. Many novels have been written about the Civil War and its aftermath. None take us into the burning fields and cities of the American South as Gone With the Wind does, creating haunting scenes and thrilling portraits of characters so vivid that we remember their words and feel their fear and hunger for the rest of our lives. In the two main characters, the white-shouldered, irresistible Scarlett and the flashy, contemptuous Rhett, Margaret Mitchell not only conveyed a timeless story of survival under the harshest of circumstances, she also created two of the most famous lovers in the English-speaking world since Romeo and Juliet.

My review: I must state this disclaimer before I get into my review. I have never seen this movie and outside of the “I don’t give a damn” line, I had no insight into the plot before I started reading this novel. I enjoy large books because of the character depth I find but sometimes they daunt me into not starting them and this was one of those books. After many people raved about Gone with the Wind on my online book club, I decided to give it a shot.

I hated Scarlett with a passion to the point I almost didn’t want to keep reading. The self-centered attitude and careless way she treats men and all those she deems beneath her made me want to suffocate her with her big fancy dresses. Her ever-changing snotty determinations of what made those in those lower classes adapted to any situation that didn’t suit her. She had such an unhealthy interest in Ashley that affected every aspect of her life. Once I got over the disgust for such a character I started enjoying the story and the shocking situations that it involved. The view of the characters being white in the Southern US during the Civil War and subsequent fight for civil rights was different and somewhat understandable. These people were uneducated and lost in their own worlds that had been unchanged for decades and through generations. Change is scary but fear should never be the reason for discrimination. Although, I just couldn’t stop thinking about what the slaves were thinking while their white bosses were revolting against their civil rights.

Rhett was an obnoxious man without consideration for what other’s label “morality” and “proper behavior” which is what made him so endearing to me. He blasted against society’s rules and customs. Although, he left many people in harms way sometimes and completed shady business deals. He bordered on what would be considered a risky businessman now and illegality. His interest in Scarlett was at first unbelievable but as the story progressed I began to understand it.

I am not a big fan of the way this novel ended but in light of the characters and their personalities, it is understandable. Now that I have finished the book, I may have to watch the movie sometime in the future. It was a well-written historical novel full of love, death and tragedy.

Grade: B

Finished: June 9, 2010. 2010 Count: 42.

Review: The Healthy Baby Meal Planner: Mom-Tested, Child-Approved Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler by Annabel Karmel

From Goodreads: Start your baby on a lifetime of healthy eating. Although ready-made commercial baby food may seem just as healthy and more convenient, the most nutritious meal you can give your baby is home-cooked with fresh, high-quality ingredients. Preparing your own baby food is quick, easy, and much more affordable than you think, and it is the best way to cultivate healthy eating habits in your infant or toddler. Now fully revised and updated, The Healthy Baby Meal Planner will show you that making your own baby food can be as easy as picking up a fork and mashing a banana. Leading cookbook author Annabel Karmel explains which foods are appropriate for each stage of a child's development from infancy to age five, and shows how and when to introduce fruits, vegetables, and other solids into a child's diet. She also provides valuable advice on how to feed infants and how to make appealing meals for even the pickiest of eaters. With more than 50,000 copies of the first edition sold, The Healthy Baby Meal Planner is the definitive resource for parents, complete with new and improved recipes, time-saving preparation tips, creative serving suggestions, and the latest information on food allergies and infant nutrition.

My review: Honestly, I didn’t read this entire book cover to cover as much of the text is for babies and making baby foods but there were a few recipes for toddlers. I did read the information on nutrition and basic foods. Much of the recipes for the toddlers were only for toddlers, rather than for the entire family to eat. We are focusing on more multi-purpose meals since we don’t have a lot of time to be baking foods for just Samantha, especially since finicky toddlers like a food one day and not the next. One note, this book indicates that popcorn is safe for toddlers but my understanding is that it isn’t.

Grade: C

Finished: June 6, 2010. 2010 Count: 41.

Review: Toddler Cafe: Fast Recipes & Fun Ways to Feed Even the Pickiest Eater by Chronicle Staff

From goodreads.com: Every toddler goes through the stage where they want nothing but 'O'-shaped cereal. The challenge for parents is getting kids to ask for fruit salad instead of cupcakes. Faced with this seemingly impossible task with her own child, Jennifer Carden has created The Toddler Cafe , a guide to making mealtime with children fun and interactive. It offers simple, creative ways for kids to identify with their food, like saying tuna salad is what mermaids eat, or making Minty Pea Pops in ice cube trays. Carden has created over 50 unique recipes that encourage families (including toddlers) to work together to prepare, eat, clean up, and best of all, look forward to a healthy, delicious meal

My review: This book had a lot of cute ways to get your children to eat using creative methods and fun stories. Many of these recipes are a bit too advanced for Sam’s tastes/abilities currently but we will remember many of these ideas for the future.

Grade C.

Finished: June 6, 2010. 2010 Count: 40.

It’s Friday! What I am Reading – June 11, 2010

Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo by Heather Wardell

This was a free e-book Barnes and Noble offered in-store that I downloaded on one of our recent trips. So far, it is pretty good and interesting. It seems like a fun, quick read.

Booking Through Thursday – June 10, 2010

From: http://btt2.wordpress.com/ - Do signed copies excite you? Tempt you? Delight you? Or does it not matter to you? 

My response – Signed copies thrill me! Aside from just winning a free book, I think the signatures are the reason I sign up for the giveaways on Goodreads. I actually have kept a few of the books I have won that I didn't like just because they were signed and addressed to me. I get school-girl giddy over signed books…just look back at my post a few days ago…I was giddy enough about Brett's signed Barbecue Planet that I creatively photographed it! :)

Author Book Signing - Steven Raichlen

This weekend Steven Raichlen made a visit to our local Barnes and Noble to promote his new book, Planet Barbeque. This man is Brett's BBQ god...he DVR's his shows on PBS, has some of his other books, cleans his grill the way Steven does it and is constantly talking about him. I must admit, many of the recipes on the shows look delicious and the meals Brett has made from his books are wonderful...but Brett is in full on fan-boy dreamland about this man! :) I ran across his appearance on the B&N website a month or so ago and new this would make Brett's month! He had a blast at the signing, loved listening to him talk and showed me his signed book as soon as he walked into the door at home! :) I hope to have a full review sometime in the future, maybe written by Brett himself!

Review: The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millenium, #3) by Stieg Larsson

From www.goodreads.com: A young girl lies in a hospital room, her tattooed body very close to death -- there is a bullet lodged in her brain. Several rooms away is the man who tried to kill her, his own body grievously wounded from axe blows inflicted by the girl he has tried to kill. She is Lisbeth Salander, computer hacker and investigator, and the man is her father, a murderous Russian gangster. If Salander recovers from her injuries, she is more than likely to be put on trial for three murders -- the authorities regard her as a dangerous individual. But she won't see the inside of a courtroom if her father manages to kill her first. This is the high-tension opening premise of the third book in Stieg Larsson’s phenomenally successful trilogy of crime novels which the late author (a crusading journalist) delivered to his publisher just before his death. But does it match up to its two electrifying predecessors, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire? The success of Larsson’s remarkable sequence of books is, to some degree, unprecedented. Crime fiction in translation has, of course, made a mark before (notably with Peter Hoeg’s Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, published, in fact, by Larsson's British publisher, Christopher MacLehose). But even the success of that book gave no hint of the juggernauts that the Salander books would be (the late author's secondary hero is the journalist Blomqvist -- who bears more than a passing resemblance to Stieg Larsson himself). There are two overriding reasons for the hold that this massive trilogy has attained on the public: machine-tooled plotting which juggles the various narrative elements with a master's touch and (above all) the vividly realised character of Lisbeth Salander herself. She is something of a unique creation in the field of crime and thriller fiction: emotionally damaged, vulnerable and sociopathic (all of this concealed behind a forbidding Goth appearance), but she is also the ultimate survivor, somehow managing to stay alive despite the machinations of some deeply unpleasant villains (and the new book has a slew of those) as well as the hostility of often stupid establishment figures, who want her out of the picture quite as passionately as the bad guys. She is, of course, aided by the protective journalist Blomqvist, despite the fact that she had dumped him as a lover. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest brings together all the elements that have made the previous books of the sequence so successful. Its relentless pace may be a bit exhausting for some readers, but most will be happy to strap themselves in for the ride. It's just a shame that this will be the final book in the sequence (though conspiracy theorists are hinting that Larsson began another manuscript before his untimely death…) --Barry Forshaw

My review: I pre-ordered this book from www.bn.com because I was so excited to read it ASAP! The first two in the trilogy were so wonderful that I had very high hopes for the third. I was not disappointed either. I dare say this might have been my favorite book of the three. There was a resolution to the main plot line and each of the characters developed and their relationships became deeper. Lisbeth is still one of my most favorite, ass-kicking women in literature and possibly, even more so after this installment. She showed emotion and expanded her expectations of her lot in life. All without letting go of her strengths and smarts! Blomkvist takes his usual detours from his duties at Millennium but with some staffing shake ups in the office, this presents a challenge. There is more interaction between him and the staff in this novel. I loved the spy-on-spy action full of assumptions what the “other side” is doing. The history in the story was immense but written in a way that didn’t bog the speed down. I loved how the new and the old were brought together to fight against injustice…maybe that should be perceived injustice.

With each page of this novel, I became more bittersweet…the ending was coming too fast and I wanted more. Knowing that Steig Larsson had outlines for many more books to continue the series breaks my heart. For me, the signature of a great author is one that leaves you thinking/dreaming/wondering about the characters. What would they have done in this situation? I wonder what they would be up to now. I felt that way with all three of these novels.

Grade – A!

Finished: May 31, 2010. 2010 Count – 39!

Sucker for Vamps

It’s official, I am a sucker for vampires…and I am bringing my Husband to the dark side with me! He has seen a few episodes of True Blood on HBO at work, where they have the highest package of cable possible, and he thought it looked interesting. I told him about the books and told him he really needs to read the books because I have heard they are different than the plot line in the show. We planned on renting the first and second season to watch them and then last week we talked about adding HBO to our cable package so that we can watch the new season. Well, yesterday he added HBO to our package and we found out we could watch the first two seasons On Demand! So, we spent the past few nights watching the first few episodes from the first season…and it was good! It seems to be worth the extra money for sure! The first season brings me back to my Bill-love…but man, the character that plays Sam is yumm-o!

It’s Friday – What I am Reading – June 4, 2010

Still, yes STILL, working through Gone with the Wind. It is really good and I am enjoying it but it is over 1000+ pages…so it is taking me awhile!

Booking Through Thursday – June 3, 2010

From BTT: Which do you prefer? Short stories? Or full-length novels?

My response: I generally prefer full length novels due to the depth of character development available in the longer novel but I do enjoy a short story here and there for a quick, fun read.

My May Roundup

On my online book club we have a post at the end of each month where we list all of the books we read that month. I thought I would post my response for May here too. My total for the month is 12, with one last book squeaking in at around 11:50pm last night!   The Shop on Blossom Street (Blossom Street Series #1) by Macomber, Debbie    Animal Farm by Orwell, George    Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by See, Lisa The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal by Koppel, Lily  Dead in the Family (Sookie Stackhouse, #10) by Harris, Charlaine  Escape by Jessop, Carolyn The Handmaid's Tale by Atwood, Margaret The Princess Diaries (The Princess Diaries, #1) by Cabot, Meg    Princess in the Spotlight (The Princess Diaries, #2) by Cabot, Meg The Devil Wears Prada by Weisberger, Lauren  Dreams from My Father by Obama, Barack   The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Millenium, #3) by Larsson, Stieg