SLAPDASH SUNDAY

Kayla over at The Electric Element is the host for SlapDash Sunday. What is this you might ask? Well here are some details:

Slapdash Sunday is a day for your proverbial week 'leftovers.' Is there something you wanted to say, but just forgot? Is there something you want to write about, but isn't worth a whole page? Do you have a random thought, funny or otherwise that needs to be written down?
That is what Slapdash Sunday is for!

Well, I am not writing about books today. I watch t.v. shows on the internet. Several of them as a matter of fact. I saw the 2 hour finale of Lost yesterday. I know everyone has already saw it. The show has been on for 6 years, and I've seen every episode. I've been following Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Ben, John, and all the others on the show. Hoping they would get off that d..m island. They had been shot, shot at, beat up, held prisoner and just about everything else you could think of.



I was very DISAPPOINTED in the ENDING of this series. This is a SPOILER if you haven't seen it so don't go any further.
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The thing is, for this 6 years I've been watching this I was for sure this was real, they were real. To find out this whole time that they were really DEAD! This whole series was based on these people and they were DEAD. They didn't realize it and had to let go. Is that a bummer!!! As I said I'm totally DISAPPOINTED with the way the producers, executives and writers ended this show!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget to head over to Kayla's place and check this out. See what everyone else is talking about today.

REVIEW - BEATRICE AND VIRGIL

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
What An Animal III

"Beatrice and Virgil" by Yann Martel
Product Description(Amazon.com)

Henry’s second novel, written, like his first, under a pen name, had done well.
Yann Martel’s astonishing new novel begins with a successful writer attempting to publish his latest book, made up of a novel and an essay. Henry plans for it to be a “flip book” that the reader can start at either end, reading the novel or the essay first, because both pieces are equally concerned with representations of the Holocaust. His aim is to give the most horrifying of tragedies “a new choice of stories,” in order that it be remembered anew and in more than one way.
But no one is sympathetic to his provocative idea. What is your book about? his editor repeatedly asks. Should it be placed in the fiction section of a bookstore or with the non-fiction books? a bookseller asks. And where will the barcode go? To them, Henry’s book is an unpublishable disaster. Faced with severe and categorical rejection, Henry gives up hope. He abandons writing, moves with his wife to a foreign city, joins a community theatre, becomes a waiter in a chocolatería. But then he receives a package containing a scene from a play, photocopies from a short story by Flaubert – about a man who hunts animals down relentlessly – and a short note: “I need your help.”
Intrigued, Henry tracks down his correspondent, and finds himself in a strange part of the city, walking past a stuffed okapi into a taxidermist’s workshop. The taxidermist – also named Henry – says he has been working on his play, A 20th-Century Shirt, for most of his life, but now he needs Henry’s help to describe his characters: the play’s protagonists are a stuffed donkey and a howler monkey named Beatrice and Virgil, respectively, and Henry’s successful book was in part about animals. He wants help to finish his play and, we may suspect, free himself from it. And though his new acquaintance is austere, abrupt and almost unearthly, Henry the writer is drawn more and more deeply into Henry the taxidermist’s uncompromising world.
The same goes for the reader. The more we read of the play within the novel, the more we find out about the lives of Beatrice and Virgil – in a series of initially funny, and then increasingly harrowing dialogues – the more troubling their story becomes. As we are drawn deeper into their disturbing moral fable, the relationship between the two faltering writers named Henry becomes more and more complex until it can only be resolved in an explosive, unexpected catastrophe.

MY THOUGHTS: I was a little confused when I started this book. I couldn't quite put my finger on where it was going. It didn't seem to have any direction. Then as the book went further along, I finally figured out what Yann Martel was doing with this book. It's very thought provoking, the way he has set this book up to resemble the Holocaust. I was totally unprepared for the graphic nature of some of the scenes being told or for the ending. I didn't see that coming!! Beatrice, a donkey and Virgil, a Howler Monkey are telling the story. Amazon.com has an interesting interview with Yann Martel about how he got this idea for this book. You should check it out.

MY REVIEW 5

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - THE GRITS

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown 2010(2004)
Global Reading Challenge(North America)

"The Grits: Girls Raised in the South" by Deborah Ford
Product Description(Amazon.com)
They're called Sweet Potato Queens, Steel Magnolias, Ya-Ya Sisters, and Southern Belles, but at heart they're just plain Grits-Girls Raised in the South!

Now, Deborah Ford, founder of Grits(r) Inc., reveals the code behind the distinctive -and irresistible-style of the Southern woman. Equal parts sweet sincerity and sharp, sly humor, The Grits Guide to Life is chock-full of Southern charm: advice, true-life stories from honest-to-god "Grits," recipes, humor, quotable wisdom, and more. Readers will learn vital lessons, including: how to eat a watermelon in a sundress; how to drink like a Southern lady (sip...a lot); and the real meaning of PMS (Precious Mood Southerner).
# Paperback: 272 pages
# Publisher: Plume (March 30, 2004)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0452285062
# ASIN: B003IWYKSA

MY THOUGHTS: I picked this book up at a rummage sale. I don't know why, it just grabbed my interest for some reason. I think deep down I've always wanted to live in the South, be a Southern Girl. This book has lots of info on being Southern. It also has some fabulous recipes. Which I'm going to try out now that I'm retired. YEA!!! It also has some very famous Southern ladies with stories. It is loaded with lots of stories, little pieces of wisdom and words with their meanings. If you happen to stumble onto this book, pick it up, it's a great book to learn lots of other things about another part of our country.

GRITS GLOSSARY
Coke/'kok/ n: denotes any carbonated beverage, regardless of brand name. P. 96

GRITS PEARL OF WISDOM #15
If you're going to flavor a Southern tea, the only options are mint and lemon. Anything else would simply be uncivilized.P. 97

MY RATING: 5



And I am also linking this to Beth's Weekend Cooking. So hop over and check Beth's place out. You could find some great recipe books over there. What represents the South more than a Mint Julep. Here's a recipe from P. 100 of the book.

MINT JULEP

2 C. Granulated Sugar
2 C. Water(branch water is ideal)
Fresh Mint
Crushed Ice
Kentucky Bourbon(2 oz. per serving)

Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for 5 minutes; cool. Place in a covered container with 6 or 8 bruised mint sprigs. Refrigerate overnight. Make a julep by filling a julep cup or glass with crushed ice, then adding 1 tablespoon of mint syrup and 2 oz. of bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig.

Yield: This makes enought syrup for about 44 mint juleps.

IT'S OFFICIAL...............................

I'M RETIRED!!!!

SUMMER READING CHALLENGE

I was over at one of my other blogs, A View of My Life, checking out who stopped by. Olga over at Olga's Home and Garden Blog stopped by and left a comment. So went over to her place to return the favor. She had posted about her pretty bookmarks that she crocheted and a Summer Reading Challenge over at Susan's place, A Southern Daydreamer Reads. So I hopped over to Susan's to check it out. I will be joining in on this reading challenge. Here are the rules:

Rules:
1. Make a list of books you want to read this summer.
2. Write a post with your list on your blog. (You can add to or change this list at any time during the challenge)
3. Please post the direct link to your Summer Reading Challenge 2010 post. (so that other participants can visit and see what you are reading)
4. You can write another post in September to let everyone know how you did.

My List of Books:

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Mark Hadden
2. Women of the Civil War - Stephen Currie
3. A Murder is Announced - Agatha Christie
4. City of Ashes - Cassandra Claire
5. City of Glass - Cassandra Claire
6. Confederates in the Attic - Tony Horwitz
7. Two Old Women - Velma Wallis
8. The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
9. Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
10. Now You See Him - Eli Gottleb

REVIEW - NEVER LET YOU GO

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown 2010(2010)
Monthly Mixer Melee

"Never Let You Go" by Erin Healy
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Losing everything has Lexi clinging to her daughter. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.
It's been seven years since disaster struck her family. Lexi Solomon has held it all together since then--just barely.
But now Lexi is losing it. The husband who deserted her is back in town, wanting to see their daughter Molly. Her sister's shameless murderer is up for parole. An unsavory old friend is demanding payment for debts that Lexi knows nothing about and can't begin to meet.
And something else is going on--something Lexi feels but can't explain. A dangerous shift is taking place between this reality and the next. Forces beyond her imagination are vying for control.
A rare novel that will satisfy a wide range of readers, Never Let You Go explores the high-stakes decisions played out in the thin spaces between heaven and earth. As the enemy's grip tightens around Lexi, she will have to decide what's truly worth holding on to.
# Paperback: 352 pages
# Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 4, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1595547509
# ISBN-13: 978-1595547507

MY THOUGHTS: Do you believe in heaven and hell? What would you do if the devil came calling and wanted the only thing that you valued? These are questions Lexi has to answer and find a way to save it all. The enemy comes calling in the form of Warden Provo. He wants Lexi's daughter Molly. Grant, Lexi's husband, who has been gone for 7 years, has come back to see his daughter. Lexi is working 2 jobs to keep her family together. Then her life falls apart when Molly is in a car accident. Molly should have been killed but a recent friend, Angelo, intervenes and saves Molly. Lexi's sister, Tara, was murdered. Unknown to anyone, Lexi had an affair with him. Tara tries to stop the affair and is killed. The man who killed her is up for parole hearing and he wants Lexi to speak on his behalf. From that time onward Lexi's life gets really crazy. Lexi has to figure it all out if she wants to save Molly.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review copy]

REVIEW - DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.22)

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" by Jeff Kinney
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Boys don’t keep diaries—or do they?
It’s a new school year, and Greg Heffley finds himself thrust into middle school, where undersized weaklings share the hallways with kids who are taller, meaner, and already shaving. The hazards of growing up before you’re ready are uniquely revealed through words and drawings as Greg records them in his diary.
In book one of this debut series, Greg is happy to have Rowley, his sidekick, along for the ride. But when Rowley’s star starts to rise, Greg tries to use his best friend’s newfound popularity to his own advantage, kicking off a chain of events that will test their friendship in hilarious fashion.
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Hardcover: 224 pages
# Publisher: Amulet Books; Third Edition edition (April 1, 2007)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0810993139
# ISBN-13: 978-0810993136

MY THOUGHTS: I bought this book a couple weeks ago when I went to K-Mart. It marked 12.95 but it was half price. So on a whim I picked it up. What the heck, every kid I know is reading this book. It is a great way to write a book. With cartoons! Who doesn't like Cartoons. It is a pretty funny book. Some of the things Greg and Rowley get into is hilarious. My favorite has to be the big wheel. Greg is trying to knock Rowley off the big wheel with a football as he goes down the hill. Then you have the "cheese" thing. That was gross what actually happens to the cheese and Rowley. I mean really GROSS!! If you haven't read this book, you should pick it up, if not for you than for your kids. They would love it and so will you!

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - AN IRISH COUNTRY CHILDHOOD

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
A - Z Challenge
100+ Challenge

"An Irish Country Childhood" by Marrie Walsh
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The reminiscences of a Irish woman's childhood takes the reader to a magical Ireland where the reality of spring wells and peat fires mixes with the fantasy worlds the adults are always spinning in their tales.
# Hardcover: 178 pages
# Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 1997)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0312151535
# ISBN-13: 978-0312151539

MY THOUGHTS: Marrie Walsh's memories of growing up in Ireland are so vivid I really felt like I was there. The bog's, the burning peat, the pastures and the walks through the fields. I all seemed so real while I was reading this book. Marrie also adds a map and a preface, telling you what happened to the little village where she grew up. At the time of the writing of this book, 1988, the little village was a ghost town. Only 2 families lived there. Now is is fully restored to life again. Families are moving in and restoring the old places, the children are back in the village again. I'm so glad of this, it would be a real shame to let this little village disappear.

MY RATING: 5

IN MY MAILBOX

In My Mailbox is hosted over at The Story Siren.

I got 4 new books for review this week. You can see them on my page of review books, gives a synopsis of all of them.

Saving Max - Antoinette Van Hougton
Freedom's Call - John Walker
Lumby on the Air - Gail Fraser
Sometimes Mine - Martha Moody

I bought a book at K-Mart, it was half price.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney

REVIEW - MURDER IN HAVANA

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
World Party Reading Challenge[Cuba]

"Murder in Havana" by Margaret Truman
(from inside flap)
Max Pauling, ex-CIA, ex-State Department, has taken early retirement ot become a flight instructor in New Mexico. A colleague, also "retired," shows up, offering a contract to fly medical supples into Havana. This revs up Pauling's engines in several senses. Despite the misgivings of Jessica, his live-in lover, he takes the deal. After flying a roundabout route that takes him through Mexico, Miami, and Colombia, he lands in Havana, waiting for a contact who will "help him with his Spanish."
The first sight of her is both breathtaking--she is a beauty--and frustrating: She wants to move at her own pace. Max is a man of action, and waiting for the action to begin does nothing for his mood or blood pressure. The covert reason for their collaboration is to uncover the truth about an intense competition between rival U.S. pharmaceutical companies for access to Cuba's surprisingly high-quality anti-cancer research.
Meanwhile, a former U.S. senator is leading a mission to Cuba to discuss the possibility of lessening tensions between the two countries, looking to ease America's controversial commercial embargo. And perhaps he has another mission, as well...............

MY THOUGHTS: As I was reading the back flap about the author I found some interesting info. Margaret Truman is the daughter of President and Bess Truman. I didn't know that. This is the second book I've read written by Ms. Truman. Her style of writing is very informative and great details. She gives lots of information about Havana, the people, the buildings and the history of the place. Cuba has always been a mysterious place to me. I think it's more that we aren't allowed there than anything. It always sound so tropical and mysterious.
As Max is trying to get all this information he needs there is 2 murders and an assignation attempt on Castro's life. And Max is right in the mix of it all. And of course all the politicians and CIA in on this. And Max is right smack in the middle of both. As he makes his final attempt to get the information he was sent there for, a former U.S. senator is murdered. Now Max is on the run and trying desperately to find a way out Cuba.

MY RATING: 5

THE FRIDAY 56

Tonya over at Storytime With Tonya is the host for The Friday 56. Want some more into before you check it out? Here are the details:

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My CLOSEST book selection is Murder in Havana by Margaret Truman. This is a murder mystery along with a spy and espionage book.

Page 56
fifth sentence

"Don't wait for me."
"Fly safe, Max." Gosling tarted to walk away. He stopped, turned, and said, "Eight o' clock. Be there!"

I am a little over half way through and I'm really liking this book. The murder has taken place and the spies and espionage it running rampant in Cuba.

A-Z WEDNESDAY

Over at Reading At The Beach it's A-Z Wednesday. What is this you may ask? Here are the details:

1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.
If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.(We all love comments, don't we?) Who knows? You may find your next "favorite" book.

THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "O "

My Books is:
One Scream Away by Kate Brady



Synopsis
Killer Chevy Bankes is a master of disguise, and just paroled, he's coming after the woman who sent him to jail, the beautiful antiques expert Beth Denison. A set of antique dolls brings Beth into his sight, and inspire Chevy's disturbing crimes as he draws closer to Beth and her young daughter. Chevy sends the dolls to Beth one-by-one and she soon realizes that these antiques carry the same marks as his victims, signaling that the final piece in his collection will be for her.

Neil Sheridan gave up his FBI shield five years ago, but his best friend Rick, a cop, pulls him in as a consultant on a case involving a serial killer who is eerily similar to a murderer Neil encountered in the past. The investigation leads Neil to Beth's doorstep, and he is certain she isn't telling him the truth. Neil is the only one who can get through Beth's defenses and, as they grow closer, discover the secrets that Beth is hiding about her fateful night with Chevy.

I haven't read this book, but a friend gave me the book and she says it's really good. So it's sitting on my book shelf waiting to get read.

REVIEW - REVENGE SERVED COLD

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.21)
Countdown 2010(2010)



"Revenge Served Cold" by Jackie Fullerton
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Kathy Spence awakens in the middle of the night and finds herself in a living nightmare. Her husband has been run down and she is the primary suspect. With an eyewitness to the crime and proof that her car was the murder weapon, it appears to be an open and shut case. Terrified for her future, Kathy turns to amateur sleuth Anne Marshall for help. Believing in Kathy's innocence, Anne launches her own investigation, uncovering proof of a conspiracy that reaches from Kathy's past and threatens her own life. In a race against time, Anne must count on her close friends and even the ghost of her father to help her bring a killer to justice before it's too late.
# Paperback: 300 pages
# Publisher: Thomas House LTD (May 10, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0984381503
# ISBN-13: 978-0984381500

MY THOUGHTS: What do you get when you add an amateur detective, a ghost, and several friends? You get a great team that helps solve a murder mystery that was headed with the wrong person being charged. That's because Anne, a law student, and her father, the ghost, think that Kathy is innocent of the crime. So they start digging and picking up clues. As they put the whole thing together and pass the info onto the cops, Anne's life is suddenly in danger from the real murderer. Does the real murderer get caught? Does Anne escape? You will have to read the book.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - SHATTERED

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown 2010 (2010)

"Shattered" by Karen Robards
Product Description(Amazon.com)

The past is never over. It just gets dusty.

Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge.
While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa's attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family-father, mother, and two children-disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past, a series of catastrophes strike close to home. Lisa confides in Scott, and their relationship develops into something completely different. Together Lisa and Scott unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could destroy the very fabric of Lisa's life-if she lives long enough, that is.
# Hardcover: 400 pages
# Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition first Printing edition (March 23, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0399156275
# ISBN-13: 978-0399156274

MY THOUGHTS: This is a really good book. You have mystery and romance all rolled into one. The Mystery: why does Lisa look like the woman in the picture, that is suppose to have come up missing, so much? Where did they disappear too? Then strange things start to happen to Lisa. Her house catches on fire, someone knocks her over the head, someone is following her, and then someone makes her wreak her car. The Romance: Scott, he's one good looking guy and sexy too. He's someone Lisa has know since childhood. He was the boy from the poor side of town who used to work on their farm. Now he's the District Attorney. And Lisa is working for him. The sparks start flying and then it happens. Boom, at the Fourth of July party at the country club. They can't keep from looking and touching. The rest is for you to find out for yourself.

MY RATING: 5

MUSING MONDAYS

Rebecca over at Just One More Page is the host for Musing Mondays............What is she asking this week:

What happens when you see a movie based on a book/story, especially one you’ve not read? Do you feel the need to track it down and read it?

This is so cool a question. I just did that this past weekend. I watch the show Flash Forward on ABC at their site on the internet. It comes on way too late for me to stay up. Anyway, I didn't know it was a book. So went looking for it. My library doesn't have it. But Amazon.com does. I may have to buy this book to see if it's different from the show.


Flash Forward - Robert J. Sawyer

Product Description(Amazon.com)
The basis for the hit ABC TV series and the Aurora Award-winning novel that started it all!

FLASHFORWARD

Two minutes and seventeen seconds that changed the world

Suddenly, without warning, all seven billion people on Earth black out for more than two minutes. Millions die as planes fall from the sky, people tumble down staircases, and cars plow into each other.

But that’s the least of the survivors’ challenges. During the blackout, everyone experienced a glimpse of what his or her future holds—and the interlocking mosaic of these visions threatens to unravel the present.
# Paperback: 320 pages
# Publisher: Tor Books; Reprint edition (September 1, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 076532413X
# ISBN-13: 978-0765324139

BOOK GIVE-A-WAY

I did a post and review of the book The Life O' Reilly by Brian Cohen a couple weeks ago. I had 8 people who left comments. I put the numbers into Random.org and it gave me number 7. So the winner is Amy over at The House of The Seven Tails.



I'll be sending Brian Cohen and Amy emails to let them know. Thanks for playing along.

REVIEW - WORST CASE

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
James Patterson Challenge
Countdown 2010(2010)

"Worst Case" by James Patterson
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Best case: survival
The son of one of New York's wealthiest families is snatched off the street and held hostage. His parents can't save him, because this kidnapper isn't demanding money. Instead, he quizzes his prisoner on the price others pay for his life of luxury. In this exam, wrong answers are fatal.
Worst case: death
Detective Michael Bennett leads the investigation. With ten kids of his own, he can't begin to understand what could lead someone to target anyone's children. As another student disappears, one powerful family after another uses their leverage and connections to turn the heat up on the mayor, the press--anyone who will listen--to stop this killer. Their reach extends all the way to the FBI, who send their top Abduction Specialist, Agent Emily Parker. Bennett's life--and love life--suddenly get even more complicated.
This case: Detective Michael Bennett is on it
Before Bennett has a chance to protest the FBI's intrusion on his case, the mastermind changes his routine. His plan leads up to the most devastating demonstration yet--one that could bring cataclysmic devastation to every inch of New York.
# Hardcover: 368 pages
# Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (February 1, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0316036226
# ISBN-13: 978-0316036221

MY THOUGHTS: I really liked this book. I just wonder if Mr. Patterson is starting a new series with this one. Michael Bennett is a great character. He's a NY cop with a family, 10 kids, his wife is deceased. No love life yet. There is a woman FBI agent, Emily Parker, that could be. And then there is Mary Catherine, the Nanny and Housekeeper. Right now Michael is trying to catch someone who is kidnapping rich kids and killing them to make a point. But what point is the killer trying to make? And who is he? How does he know these rich kids? How does he get that close to them? Very interesting, don't you think? But you'll have to read the book to find out. If you are a fan of James Patterson, you'll love this one.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - WHAT SEX IS A REPUBLICAN?

This book is for 1 reading challenge.
100+ Challenge

"What Sex is a Republican?" by Terri McCormick
Product Description(Amazon.com)
What Sex Is a Republican? takes a look at the political game from behind the curtain with one intention; to call on each of us to serve in our local, state and federal governments. The principles of republican government have been lost on the money changers in our state and national capitols.
There is only one way to change that -- We the people must take responsibility for what our government has become while we weren't looking. As he left Liberty Hall upon signing the Constitution of the United States, Benjamin Franklin was asked, "What kind of government did you give us?" Franklin replied, "A republic, if you can keep it!"
Let's keep it together, shall we?
What Sex Is a Republican? presents a case for courage by a lawmaker who is uniquely qualified to do so. The author, Terri McCormick is a former legislator and congressional candidate who is a woman. According to her friends and foes alike, "Terri has been battle tested in state and federal politics." An advocate for political and government reform and change, former Representative Terri McCormick has proven time and again that "ideas" trump "career politicians" and their trysts and turns.
# Paperback: 344 pages
# Publisher: iUniverse.com (September 22, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1440167257
# ISBN-13: 978-1440167256

MY THOUGHTS: Do you vote? Do you grumble and moan after the elections? Did the person you voted for get elected? Do you know their track record? These are questions you should ask yourself at election time. Because if you don't like the outcome, then do something about it. This book gives you lots of info about the way our political system works. And what's wrong with it! If you want to know just read this book. Terri McCormick tells you all the in's and out's of the system, who is who and what is what. This is a very interesting book. I would highly recommend this book is you want to find out how the system works. Terri McCormick doesn't hold anything back, she tells it all.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - LITTLE BEE

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge[Wrap-Up]
52 Books in 52 Weeks[Wk.20]

"Little Bee" by Chris Cleave
Product Description(Amazon.com)

WE DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BOOK.

It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it.

Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this:

It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific.

The story starts there, but the book doesn't.

And it's what happens afterward that is most important.

Once you have read it, you'll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.
# Paperback: 271 pages
# Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (February 16, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1416589643
# ISBN-13: 978-1416589648

MY THOUGHTS: This is my book clubs pick for May. I have never read a book by this author. This was a very good book. I really enjoyed all the characters, Little Bee, Sarah, and Charlie{Batman}. This book takes place in England and Africa. It is all about immigration and wanting to be somewhere that the police won't kill you. Trying to belong somewhere where you aren't killed for the land that someone else wants. That is about all I can say. I don't want to give the story away. If you have a chance to read this book, please do. It's beautifully written and you will love it.

MY RATING: 5




TwentyTen Wrap-Up

These are the catagories and list of the books I read.

1. Young Adult
The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
Kit's Wilderness - David Almond
2. T. B. R.
One Hundred White Women - Jim Fergus
Sons - Pearl S. Buck
3. Shiny & New
A Country Called Home - Kim Barnes
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker
4. Bad Blogger's
Rainbow's End - Martha Grimes
Recommended by Snowbell
Blood Game - Iris Johansen
Recommended by Becky W.
5. Charity
Following Fake Man - Barbara Ware Holmes
The Twin in the Tavern - Barbara Brooks Wallace
6. New in 2010
She-Rain - Michael Cogdil
The Clouds Roll Away - Sibella Giorello
7. Older Than You
Sarah and Me and The Lady From the Sea - Patricia Beatty
Winnie-the-Pooh - A. A. Milne
8. Win! Win!
Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson
Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
9. Who Are You Again?
Finding Lubchenko - Michael Simmons
Little Bee - Chris Cleave
10. Up to You!
Winter Haven - Athol Dickson
Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay

A-Z WEDNESDAY

A-Z Wednesday is taking place over at Reading At The Beach.

To join, here's all you have to do: Go to your stack of books and find one whose title starts with the letter of the week.
Post the following:
1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back here and leave your link in the comments.
If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.
Be sure to visit other participants to see what book they have posted and leave them a comment.
(We all love comments, don't we?)
Who knows? You may find your next "favorite" book.
THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "N "

My Book is:

Notes Left Behind by Brooke and Keith Desserich



Elena Desserich dreamed of becoming a teacher. Although her time on this earth was far too short to fulfill her dream, she left behind an enlightening lesson plan on life. Wise beyond her years, Elena never stopped teaching those around her to appreciate the miracle of everyday living even as the innocent six-year-old battled a rare form of brain cancer.
Through personal and candid journal entries written as a remembrance for Elena's younger sister, Brooke and Keith Desserich share their emotional journey as they negotiated their contradictory impulses to fight Elena's cancer at all costs and realized the inevitable outcome. Page by page, this journal is a reminder to parents everywhere to appreciate and savor every precious moment they have with their own children.
Notes Left Behind tells a story of humility and inspiration. From the time of her diagnosis, Elena accomplished a truly spectacular series of wishes, big and small, that she alone created, from riding in a horse-drawn carriage to painting a masterpiece that would hang in an art museum. Her life motivated the creation of the foundation, The Cure Starts Now, which today helps children everywhere in their fight against cancer. The authors’ proceeds from the sale of this book benefits this foundation.
Included in the pages of this book are Elena's private messages that she secretly hid around her home, knowing her family would find them when she was gone. These notes show us how even during the darker moments of life, it is possible to find hope and encouragement through selfless love.

You can read my review here.

IN MY MAILBOX

The Story Siren is the host for In My Mailbox.

The idea behind In My Mailbox was not only to put new books on your radar but to also encourage blogger interaction. In My Mailbox explores the weekly contents of my mailbox & books bought. And sometimes other fun goodies.

I got 2 new review books this week. They are:

Revenge Served Cold - Jackie Fullerton

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Kathy Spence awakens in the middle of the night and finds herself in a living nightmare. Her husband has been run down and she is the primary suspect. With an eyewitness to the crime and proof that her car was the murder weapon, it appears to be an open and shut case. Terrified for her future, Kathy turns to amateur sleuth Anne Marshall for help. Believing in Kathy s innocence, Anne launches her own investigation, uncovering proof of a conspiracy that reaches from Kathy s past and threatens her own life. In a race against time, Anne must count on her close friends and even the ghost of her father to help her bring a killer to justice before it s too late.
# Paperback: 300 pages
# Publisher: Thomas House LTD (May 10, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0984381503
# ISBN-13: 978-0984381500

Never Let You Go - Erin Healy

Product Description(Amazon.com)
Losing everything has Lexi clinging to her daughter. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.
It's been seven years since disaster struck her family. Lexi Solomon has held it all together since then--just barely.
But now Lexi is losing it. The husband who deserted her is back in town, wanting to see their daughter Molly. Her sister's shameless murderer is up for parole. An unsavory old friend is demanding payment for debts that Lexi knows nothing about and can't begin to meet.
And something else is going on--something Lexi feels but can't explain. A dangerous shift is taking place between this reality and the next. Forces beyond her imagination are vying for control.
# Paperback: 352 pages
# Publisher: Thomas Nelson (May 4, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1595547509
# ISBN-13: 978-1595547507

I also got my new book for the month from my book club.

Little Bee - Chris Cleave

Product Description(Amazon.com)
WE DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BOOK.
It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it.
Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this:
It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific.
The story starts there, but the book doesn't.
And it's what happens afterward that is most important.
Once you have read it, you'll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don't tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.
# Paperback: 304 pages
# Publisher: Simon & Schuster; Reprint edition (February 16, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1416589643
# ISBN-13: 978-1416589648

Well that's it for this week. See anything you like? If not, head over to The Story Siren's place and check out all the folks that are sharing their books. You will probably find something there.

REVIEW - WINNIE THE POOH

This book is for 5 of my reading challenges and a wrap up.
Read Your Own Books[Wrap-Up]
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge[Older Than You]
Monthly Mixer Melee
Fill in the Gaps 100 Project

"Winnie the Pooh" by A. A. Milne
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Happy 80th birthday, Pooh! The Bear of Very Little Brain and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood have delighted generations of readers since Winnie-the-Pooh was first published in 1926. This deluxe anniversary edition of Winnie-the-Pooh is the perfect way to celebrate the enduring popularity of A. A. Milne’s classic work. The interior features the unabridged text and Ernest H. Shepard’s charming illustrations in full color on cream-colored stock. The specially designed jacket sports gold ink and a die-cut window that reveals the full-color art on the case cover. It is an impressive package for new fans and collectors both. Three cheers for Pooh!
About the Author
A. A. Milne was born in 1882 in London. He was a playwright and a journalist as well as a poet and storyteller. His children’s books were inspired by his son, Christopher Robin. Milne died in 1956.
Ernest H. Shepard was born in 1879 in England. His pictures of the Pooh characters are based on real toys owned by Christopher Robin Milne. Shepard died in 1976.
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Hardcover: 160 pages
# Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; Deluxe Edition edition (September 3, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0525477683

MY THOUGHTS: I have always wanted to read this book. A friend at work got me this book to read. I will always treasure this book as a gift. This is and 80th anniversary edition, so this makes Pooh 80 years old. Amazing that a silly old bear could live this long. But Pooh is immortal to people of all ages. He is certainly one of my favorite characters. This would be a great book to read to your children. It is broken up into chapters and the illustrations are beautiful. Exactly like I remember the characters, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eyeore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, Roo and of course Christopher Robin. There is a beautiful illustration of the 100 Acre Woods on the inside and backsides of the flaps. If you have a chance and see this book, pick it up. It's awesome!

MY RATING: 5

Read Your Own Books Wrap-Up

This is the list of books that were on my shelves not being read. It feels so good to clear off some self room. Thanks to MizB for hosting this challenge.

1. Following Fake Man - Barbara Ware Holmes
2. The World in Half - Cristina Henriquez
3. A Country Called Home - Kim Barnes
4. The Last Surgeon - Michael Palmer
5. Ladies of Liberty - Cokie Roberts
6. Burn - Ted Dekker
7. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker
8. The Chimera Seed - Matthew Tully
9. One Thousand White Women - Jim Fergus
10. The Money God - Zena Livingston
11. The Power of Half - Kevin Salwen & Hannah Salwen
12. Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay
13. She-Rain - Michael Cogdill
14. Sons - Pearl S. Buck
15. Vanish - Tom Pawlik
16. The Breath of Allah - Tempest O'Rourke
17. Legacy of a False Promise - Margaret Fuchs Singer
18. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
19. The Twin in the Tavern - Barbara Brooks Wallace
20. Winnie-the-Pooh - A. A. Milne

REVIEW - FINDING LUBCHENKO

This book is for 4 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge(Who Are You?)
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk. 19)
Countdown 2010(2005)

"Finding Lubchenko" by Michael Simmons
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Evan MacAlister always has a scheme. Since his millionaire father never gives him any money, Evan "liberates" equipment from Dad’s business and sells it on eBay. But when a man is murdered and Mr. McAlister is accused, Evan is fresh out of plans. He alone can clear his father’s name— but only by revealing his own theft operation. And then he’ll be grounded forever.

There’s just one thing to do—find the real murderer. Armed only with a cryptic e-mail from someone named Lubchenko, Evan sets off on a quest that catapults him and his two best friends into a world of danger and international intrigue.
# Reading level: Young Adult
# Hardcover: 288 pages
# Publisher: Razorbill (June 16, 2005)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1595140212
# ISBN-13: 978-1595140210

MY THOUGHTS: This story is being told by Evan McAlister. He's the one who gets in trouble all the time. His dad is the one in jail for murder. Evan figures out he has the computer that belongs to the guy that got killed. He had stolen from his office the night he got killed. So Evan and his best friend, Rubin, who happens to be a computer whiz, break into the computer to see if they can find anything. They come across some emails for a guy named Lubchenko. So Evan, Rubin and Erika, with the help of Evan's dad's credit card, take off for Paris to see if they can find the guy. For a week they are all 3 in Paris alone and having a merry time. Staying at the best hotel, nightclubing, staying up all night. But they do finally find the guy Lubchendo. He gives them lots of info on who the bad guy is so then they can get Evan's dad out of jail. Who is the bad guy and what are they doing? I'll never tell. You'll have to read the book!

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - LAMB BRIGHT SAVIORS

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown to 2010[2010]

"Lamb Bright Saviors" by Robert Vivian
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Lamb Bright Saviors begins as an apocalyptically inclined itinerant preacher staggers across the Nebraska prairie. With his young assistant, Mady, in tow hauling a wagon stacked with bibles, it’s not long before the preacher finds he’s come to the final fulfillment of his self-proclaimed life’s work: to die in front of a group of strangers. Odd as his own end-of-days might be, the lives and struggles of the strangers attending this deathbed scene are even odder. As the dying preacher unleashes a barrage of hallucinatory ramblings and rantings in the hope of imparting wisdom, each ragtag member of this unlikely congregation must reckon with his or her own dark past. And, through it all, the irrepressible Mady lends the preacher’s strange performance a surprising and unforgettable dignity and humor.
# Paperback: 198 pages
# Publisher: Bison Books (March 1, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0803213808
# ISBN-13: 978-0803213807

MY THOUGHTS: When I first started reading this book it was kind of strange. I couldn't figure out what was going on. But once I figured out what was going on, boy, I didn't want to stop reading. As the book opens it's telling you about the preacher and the girl traveling with a big wagon of bibles. The preacher is preaching to no one, just talking up to the sky. Then he drops and the girl leaves her bibles to go to him. And then 4 strangers that were fishing come bay and pick him up and take him to a nearby house. The whole book is about the preacher dying, the girl, Mady and the strangers that are there. You get information on each one of them. The things they have done and the consequences of those actions. The strange thing about all this is that the 4 men that are there broke into and raped this blind woman years ago. They house they have take this preacher to is the blind woman's house. They are all thinking of that act and the consequences of their actions. Does the blind lady know they are there and they are the ones that broke into her house all those years ago? Is the preacher really dying? What will happen to Mady? Will these 4 men figure out their lives now? This book is full of deeds, good and bad, and the consequences of those actions. If you have a chance to read this book, I highly recommend it.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book]

REVIEW - SARAH AND ME AND THE LADY FROM THE SEA

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
TwentyTen Challenge[Older Than You]

"Sarah and Me and The Lady From The Sea" by Patricia Beatty
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Marcella Abbott can't believe it. Her family is giving up their house in Portland, Oregon, and their comfortable life in the city to live year-round on Washington State's Olympic peninsula when her father's business is ruined. Nahcotta's okay for the summer, but Marcella doesn't much like the peolple who live there. In fact, she thinks they're stupid, oafish, country bumpkins. But three things change her mind forever: a new friend, a beached whale, and the incredibly mysterious "lady from the sea."
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Paperback: 182 pages
# Publisher: Beech Tree (September 21, 1994)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0688136265
# ISBN-13: 978-0688136260

MY THOUGHTS: Seeing your life and money disappearing and learning how to do everyday things for yourself when you are used to someone else doing them must be devastating. That is what happens to this family. Their business is ruined by a flood and they have to start over. They go to the beach to live in a house that their Aunt left them. They don't know how to run the kitchen cook stove, they don't know how to cook, iron, laundry, all the things most people know how to do. They learn! As the children make friends with the children that have helped them and their families, they learn how to light the kitchen stove, do laundry and cook. As a big storm blows things up on the beach from ship wrecks, they find a lady. Their is also a big humpback whale thrown up on shore. The children make good friends along with their mother. And they finally find out where the Lady from the Sea is from. Wonderful book! Loved all the characters.

[Footnote] The older than me is the age of the author. She was born in 1934. So I hope this book is alright for the category.

MY RATING: 5