THE FRIDAY 56

Tonya over at Storytime with Tonya is the host of The Friday 56. Here are the 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.

I have been reading Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman off and on for the last couple of months. There are just so darn many books to read and not enough time to read them all.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt - Beth Hoffman


Page 56 5th sentence

When he saw me standing by the window, he pointed toward a chair. "Cecelia, sit down. We need to talk."

Don't forget to head over to Tonya's place, you might find your next book.

REVIEW - SPIRIT

"Spirit" by Andrew Feder
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Randall Lender was a Wanted Man. He was wanted by the Clergy of the Major Organized Religions, the Governments and the New World Order, but that was the least of his problems. After going out of body (astral projection) Randall Lender suddenly found himself in such a paradox where the surrealism meets dilemma. Within this phenomenon of Looking Through the Hour Glass he unfortunately after leaving his physical body ended up into another's. This was his paradox. This was his dilemma. This was his surrealism. And regrettably for Lender this was the real quantum problem. Randall Lender found himself on an unexpected journey with its twists and turns until he realizes that he must die to live for his return to his former body. And now the elixir of questions remains: What? How? And Why? Then you'll ask why me? Why him? And What If?
# Paperback: 356 pages
# Publisher: AuthorHouse (January 14, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1449023142
# ISBN-13: 978-1449023140

MY THOUGHTS; What would you do if you went to sleep and woke up in someone else's body? And that someone had just murdered a woman. This is what happens to Randall Lender. Randall is cuffed, booked and put in jail. The man's body he is in is a hit man for the mob. He tries to tell people he isn't who they think he is, but they think he is faking to get a insane plea. So they ship him off to evaluated and the physiologist says he is sane. He is appointed a Public Defender. His Public Defender is Sandy Patea. Randall sends Sandy to Vegas to find a guy named Ali. He says he's the only one that can get him out of this mess he's in. Does Sandy find Ali? Does Randall get back to his body? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

A-Z WEDNESDAY

Vicki over at Reading At The Beach is the host for A-Z Wednesday. Here's all you have to do to join in:

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:
1~ a photo of the book
2~ title and synopsis
3~ link(amazon, barnes and noble etc.)
4~ Come back to Reading At The Beach and leave your link in the comments.
If you've already reviewed this book you can add it also.

THIS WEEKS LETTER IS: "Y"
My book is:

Y'all Come Eat by The Dean Brothers

This one-of-a-kind cookbook features simple, yet irresistible recipes for weeknight meals, laid-back gatherings, potlucks, picnics, tailgating parties and more from the Deen brothers.

• Chapters spotlight the Deen brothers' specialties—from Bobby's all-time favorite goulash to Jamie's amazing cheeseburger pies.

• Fresh and upbeat, it's spiced up with lively Deen brothers' tidbits and stories giving you an inside look at their lives.

• Deen family photos and recent photos of the brothers shaking it up in the kitchen with family and friends add a special touch.



You can read my review here. Head over to Vicki's place to check out all the "Y" books today.

REVIEW - VENOM

"Venom" by Joan Brady
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A gripping tale of international corporate intrigue from the award-winning author of Bleedout . . .

EASTERN EUROPE . . . Thirty years after Chernobyl, nuclear fallout is still claiming victims.

ILLINOIS . . . Fresh out of prison, David Marion doesn’t expect a hit man at his door. But when one appears, their meeting is lethal—for the hit man. Who sent him? David has no idea. But warned that a powerful secret organization is after him, he is forced to disappear until he can strike back.ALABAMA . . . Devastated by the death of her lover, physicist Helen Freyl escapes to her bee farm to care for a colony carrying a unique strain of venom. But when an unexpected job offer from a giant drug corporation arrives, it proves to be a much more intriguing diversion.LONDON, ENGLAND . . . Helen’s new company is close to a cure for radiation poisoning, but the sudden death of a colleague is followed by another, and Helen begins to doubt the organization’s motives. When she realizes her own life is in danger, what can she do and who can she call on for help?
Venom brings David Marion and Helen Freyl together as they fight for their lives against a backdrop of industrial espionage, corporate greed, and human tragedy in an exhilarating and fast-paced follow-up to the bestselling Bleedout.
# Hardcover: 384 pages
# Publisher: Touchstone (August 3, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0743270118
# ISBN-13: 978-0743270113

MY THOUGHTS: This is a review book and I really enjoyed reading it. I loved all the characters. The writer keeps you up to date with what's going on, even filling in the extra stuff of things that happened in the past. Helen and her grandmother are trying to get the best for their bee's venom. What they don't know is that one company has set into motion something that can't be stopped or swept under the rug. As people start dying around Helen she is frightened and sends an email to her lifetime nanny. Who then finds the one person that can help Helen. David Marion has been in and out of Helen's life since she was a young woman. David is presumed dead and can't be found. But he surfaces and Lillan finds him. She sends him to London to protect Helen. Do they get home safe? Do they stop Charles Hay and UCAI and their elaborate scheme to get her bee venom? You will have to read the book to find out. It's a really good book!

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

REVIEW - BLUE GOLD

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
Global Reading Challenge(South America)[Wrap Up]

"Blue Gold" by Clive Cussler
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A POD OF WHALES, DEAD WITHOUT REASON IN SAN DIEGO BAY . . .

A PRIMITIVE BRAZILIAN TRIBE WHOSE SECRETS COULD SAVE LIVES . . .

A BILLIONAIRE TYCOON SET ON WORLD DOMINATION . . .

An investigation into the sudden deaths of a pod of gray whales leads National Underwater & Marine Agency leader Kurt Austin to the Mexican coast, where someone tries to put him and his mini-sub permanently out of commission. Meanwhile, in South America’s lush hills, a specially assigned NUMA® team discovers a murdered body—a member of a mysterious local tribe, who live like ghosts beyond a five-part waterfall the locals call the Hand of God, and are rumored to be led by a mythical white goddess. Now they are in danger from a vicious cadre of bio-pirates intent on stealing medicinal discoveries worth millions.

Soon, Austin and his crew realize that they’re working opposite ends of the same grand scheme, and must race against time to save the world’s freshwater supply from a twisted eco-extortionist. But every step toward salvation takes them deeper into a dense jungle of treachery, blackmail, and death.
# Mass Market Paperback: 464 pages
# Publisher: Pocket; Reprint edition (May 25, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1439188610
# ISBN-13: 978-1439188613

MY THOUGHTS: This is the second book from the Thuma Files that I have read. They are very intriguing and fast paced books. They also take to you all over the world. The main character in this book is Austin. He leads his team to discover who is behind all this treachery. There is a legend in the Veneznela of a mythical white goddess. Austin races against time to find this white goddess and find out if the legend is true. Can she really turn sea water into fresh water? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5




Global Reading Challenge Wrap Up - I want to thank Dorte for hosting this great reading challenge. I had lots of fun finding all my books. I did the Easy Level, 6 books.
My list of books

Africa - The Camel Bookmobile - Masha Hamilton
Asia - Sons - Pearl S. Buck
Australasia - A River Town - Thomas Keneally
Europe - 13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
North America - The Grits - Deborah Ford
South America - Blue Gold - Clive Cussler

REVIEW - A RIVER TOWN

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge [Wrap Up]
Global Reading Challenge(Australasia)
52 Books in 52 Weeks

"A River Town" by Thomas Keneally
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Fleeing to Australia to escape the repressive life of British-controlled Ireland, Tim Shea is alarmed by his new home's equally stifling social order and its inclination toward prejudice.
# Paperback: 324 pages
# Publisher: Plume (May 1, 1996)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0452276551
# ISBN-13: 978-0452276550

MY THOUGHTS: When I got this book I had no idea Thomas Keneally wrote Schindler's List. I saw the movie and loved it but had not read the book. This book is based on real events in the life of Thomas Kenaeally's grandfather. It takes you back to the turn of the century when people were immigrating to different countries to get away from their on confining social codes. Tim Shea has left Ireland and gone to Australia hoping to make a new life. But once there Tim finds that the same social pressures he had at home are here too. Then the arrival of sister-in-laws, the murder of an orphan girl and the threat of plague all combine to disrupt Tim's life. But he soon learns to make alliances with unexpected people to hold his ground. Does Tim learn to go with the flow? You'll have to read the book to find out. I really liked all the characters in this book. I really liked Kitty, Tim's wife a lot.

MY RATING: 5

This is also my wrap up of J. Kaye's 100+ Challenge. Thanks for hosting this J. Kaye. Here is my list of books.

1. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
2. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
3. Mistress of the Art of Death - Ariana Franklin
4. Harriet The Spy - Louse Fitzhugh
5. Evidence - Jonathan Kellerman
6. Following Fake Man - Barbara Ware Holmes
7. 9 Dragons - Michael Connelly
8. Rough Country - John Sandford
9. The World in Half - Cristina Henriquez
10. A Country Called Home - Kim Barnes
11. The Westing Game - Ellen Raskin
12. The Camel Bookmobile - Masha Hamilton
13. Three To Get Deadly - Janet Evanovich
14. The Last Surgeon - Michael Palmer
15. Ladies of Liberty - Cokie Roberts
16. The Rook - Steven James
17. Kit's Wilderness - David Almond
18. A Day No Pigs Would Die - Robert Newton Peck
19. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
20. The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare
21. Burn - Ted Dekker
22.The Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker
23.13 Little Blue Envelopes - Maureen Johnson
24. The Witches of Worm - Zilpha Keatley Snyder
25. Cataloochee - Wayne Caldwell
26. The Chimera Seed - Matthew Tully
27. My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
28.One Thousand White Women - Jim Fergus
29. The Money God - Zena Livingston
30. Jacob Have I Loved - Katherine Paterson
31. Bridge to Terabithia - Katherine Paterson
32.The Murder of King Tut - James Patterson
33. The Power of Half - Kevin Salwen & Hannah Salwen
34. Sarah's Key - Tatiana De Rosnay
35. Little Men - Louisa May Alcott
36. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
37. Winter Haven - Athol Dickson
38. She-Rain - Michael Cogdill
39. Sons - Pearl S. Buck
40. The Lumby Lines - Gail Fraser
41. By Reason of Insanity - Randy Singer
42.Over Sea, Under Stone - Susan Cooper
43. Wench - Dolen Perkins-Valdez
44. Jane Austen-Christen Encounters - Peter Leithart
45. Vanish - Tom Pawlik
46. The Spiderwick Chronicles - Tony DeTerlizzi
47.Tunes For Bears To Dance To - Robert Cormier
48. The Music Teacher from the Black Lagoon - Mike Thaler
49. The Breath of Allah - Tempest O'Rourke
50.The London Eye Mystery - Siobhan Dowd
51. The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
52. Legacy of a False Promise - Margaret Fuchs Finger
53. The Twin in the Tavern - Barbara Brooks Wallace
54. Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
55.The Clouds Roll Away - Sibella Giorello
56. Rainbow's End - Martha Grimes
57. Blood Games - Iris Johansen
58. The Life O'Reilly - Brian Cohen
59. The Secret of Holly Green Manor - Karen Cogan
60. Four to Score - Janet Evanovich
61. Sarah and Me and The Lady From The Sea - Patricia Beatty
62. Lamb Bright Saviors - Robert Vivian
63. Finding Lubchenko - Michael Simmons
64. Winnie-the-Pooh - A. A. Milne
65. Little Bee - Chris Cleave
66. What Sex is a Republican? - Terri McCormick
67. Worst Case - James Patterson
68. Shattered - Karen Robards
69. Revenge Served Cold - Jackie Fullerton
70. Murder in Havana - Margaret Truman
71. An Irish Country Childhood - Marrie Walsh
72. Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney
73. Never Let You Go - Erin Healy
74. The Grits: Girls Raised in the South - Deborah Ford
75. Beatrice and Virgil - Yann Martel
76. Q:The Autobiography of Quincy Jones - Jeffery G. Alleng
77. The Darling - Russell Banks
78. Eight Days in Darkness - Angela Roegner
79. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time- Mark Haddon
80. The Revolutionary Paul Revere - Joel J. Miller
81. Freedom's Call - John Walker
82. Harvey's Horrible Snake Disaster - Eth Clifford
83. Ugly Sea Creatures - Kerri O'Donnell
84. How to Zest a Lemon - Kim Upton
85. Y' All Come Eat - The Deen Brothers
86. Malcolm X - Lucile Davis
87. Saving Max - Antoinette van Heugten
88. Half Moon Investigations - Eoin Colfer
89. City of Refuge - Tom Piazza
90. Sometimes Mine - Martha Moody
91. The Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer
92. Poison - Chris Wooding
93. Eva's Story - Eva Schloss<
94. Lumby on the Air - Gail Fraser
95. Gorilla Doctors - Pamela S. Turner
96. Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea - Nancy Atherton
97.And the Heart Says Whatever - Emily Gould
98. First Light - Philip R. Craig
99.Fall - Colin McAdam
100. A River Town - Thomas Keneally

THE FRIDAY 56

Tonya over at Storytime with Tonya is the host for The Friday 56. Here are the details:

* 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 is:

Venom - Joan Brady


Page 56, 5th sentence.

"Perhaps, gentlemen, it would be best to sit down." Jeffery said.

[This is a free review book that I am reading.] What's you closest book? Head over to Tonya's place and check this out, you could find you next book.

REVIEW - FALL

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge

"Fall" by Colin McAdam
Product Description(Amazon.com)
A masterpiece of adolescent perspective, emotion, impulse, and relationships: the riveting story of two male roommates at a co-ed boarding school and what happens when the girlfriend of one of them goes missing during their final year.
From an internationally acclaimed, prizewinning author, whom critics have compared to Dave Eggers and Michael Ondaatje, comes a tour de force: a mesmerizing novel that is at once a spellbinding psychological thriller and a brilliant portrait of adolescence that goes deep into the heads of two very different boys.
Awkward Noel thinks he's been allowed into the inner circle of his elite boarding school when he discovers his senior-year roommate is to be handsome, athletic Julius. Julius, in turn, cares only for the fleeting joys of teenage life: sneaking out to parties, playing pranks with friends, and most of all, spending the night with his girlfriend, Fall. As Noel narrates this fateful semester from a perspective of many years, interwoven is Julius's own in-the-moment experiences of first love and male camaraderie.
Always an outsider, Noel develops an unhealthy fascination with Julius, and his crush on Fall begins to border on a dangerous obsession. As Julius experiences all the pleasures of an eighteen-year-old in love, we watch as Noel self-consciously analyzes his interactions with Julius and Fall, convincing himself of a deep connection that might not exist. When Fall disappears close to winter break, Julius and Noel are forced to face their own inner desires, a confrontation that ushers the two boys out of the innocence of adolescence and into adulthood.
A tremendous literary page-turner that perfectly captures the agonies and delights of adolescence, Fall is the exhilaration and angst of teenage love and friendship- and the ultimate transience of those feelings.
# Hardcover: 368 pages
# Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (June 25, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1594488681
# ASIN: B002YX0FVA

MY THOUGHTS: Do you remember being a teenager? All the trials and tribulations of growing up and wanting so bad to be a grown up. Love, friendships and fitting in. This book has it all. Plus a little mystery as to what happened to Fall, Julius's girlfriend. The book is written with the boys telling their story and progresses on. Do they find Fall and who does she love, Julius or Noel? You'll have to read the book to find out. I really enjoyed reading this book. All the characters were great in this book. It brought back my memories of being a teenager.

RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

REVIEW - FIRST LIGHT

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

"First Light" by Philip R. Craig
Product Description(Amazon.com)
While visiting Martha's Vineyard to help a client write her will, Brady Coyne visits an old friend, J.W. Jackson. Brady quickly discovers that more than a few people are after the estate of his client. The two eventually join forces, and the case in this captivating book.
# Paperback: 352 pages
# Publisher: Justin, Charles & Co. (January 25, 2006)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1932112391
# ISBN-13: 978-1932112399

MY THOUGHTS: This is the first of a long series of books by Philip R. Craig and William G. Tapply. I can't believe I actually started with the first book in a series! I really liked this book and all the characters. These 2 guys, J.W. and Brady each get involved in a missing person case and this eventually leads them to several other women that have mysteriously disappeared off the island. J.W. is a former Boston cop and Brady is a lawyer. They are both fishermen and they are participating in the Derby while trying to solve this case. So if you like fishing, mysteries, murder and some really great writing and characters you'll love this book.

MY RATING: 5



This is also a wrap up of the Countdown to 2010 reading challenge. Which is hosted over at 1 More Chapter. Thanks for hosting this reading challenge. I had lots of fun finding all the books. And speaking of books, here is the list of books I read for this challenge.

1. The Power of Half – Kevin Salwen & Hannah Salwen
2. She-Rain – Michael Cogdill
3. Wench – Dolen Perkins-Valdez
4. The Clouds Roll Away – Sibella Giorello
5. The Secret of Holly Green Manor – Karen Cogan
6. Lamb Bright Saviors – Robert Vivian
7. Worst Case – James Patterson
8. Shattered – Karen Robards
9. Revenge Served Cold – Jackie Fullerton
10. Never Let You Go – Erin Healy
11. A Mercy – Toni Morrison
12. Benny & Shrimp – Katarina Mazetti
13. The Real Wizard of Oz – Rebecca Loncraine
14. A Circle of Souls – Preetham Grandhi
15. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much – Allison Hoover Bartlett
16. Rashi’s Daughters – Rachel – Maggie Anton
17. Moon River and Me – Andy Williams
18. The Help – Kathryn Stockett
19. Nibble & Kuhn – David Schmahmann
20. City of Bones – Cassandra Clare
21. Faefever – Karen Marie Moning
22. The Dangerous Days of Daniel X – James Patterson
23. Made in the U.S.A.
24. The Seamstress of Hollywood Boulevard – Erin McGraw
25. The Adventures of Songha – Linda R. Caterine
26. The story of Edgar Sawtelle - David Wroblewski
27. The Last Oracle – James Rollins
28. Only the Cat Knows – Marian Babson
29. The Sea of Monsters – Rick Riordan
30. The Bone Garden – Tess Gerritsen
31. Good Dog. Stay. – Anna Quindlen
32. The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart
33. Mistress of the Art of Death – Ariana Franklin
34. The Camel Bookmobile – Masha Hamilton
35. You Have the Right to Remain Puzzled – Parnell Hall
36. Half Moon Investigations – Eoin Colfer
37. The Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer
38. Poison - Chris Wooding
39. First Light – Philip R. Craig
40. Aunt Dimity and The Deep Blue Sea – Nancy Atherton
41. March – Geraldine Brooks
42. The Star Cloak – Emily Rodda
43. 13 Little Blue Envelopes – Maureen Johnson
44. Finding Lubchenko – Michael Simmons
45. The Lumby Lines – Gail Fraser
46. My Sister’s Keeper – Jodi Picoult
47. The wrath of Mulgarath - Tony DiTerlizzi
48. The Ironweed Tree – Tony DiTerlizzi
49. The Grits – Deborah Ford
50. The Quilter’s Legacy – Jennifer Chiaverini
51. The Key – Debra White Smith
52. The Field Guide – Tony DeTerlizzi
53. Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones – Jeffery G. Allen
54. Face Value - Rosey Dow
55. Betrayal in death - J. D. Robb

THE FRIDAY 56

Tonya over at Storytime With Tonya is the host for The Friday 56. Here are the rules if you want to play along.

* 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.

"First Light" by Philip R. Craig
(from the back cover)
It's September on Martha's Vineyard, and J.W. Jackson is looking forward to some good fishing in the annual derby with is friend, Boston lawyer Brady Coyne, who'll be on the island to help elderly Sarah Fairchild write her will. J.W. also has business to attend to, investigating a missing woman last seen on the island a year ago. But when another woman goes missing, a local bully threatens Brady and J.W., and Brady discovers that more than a few people are desperate for his client's estate, the friends come to suspect that a killer is loose on the island.

Page 56, 5th sentence

"Don't forget to pick up Brady and get him registered and bring him here."

Don't forget to head over to Tonya's place to check out all the other folks playing along. You could find your next book.

CHAT WITH AUTHOR TANA FRENCH

I got an email today from Penguin Books. The best selling author Tana French is having a live chat at their place. Here is your invitation.

Penguin Books invites you and your readers to join the celebrated mystery author, Tana French, for a chat at the Penguin Water Cooler on Tuesday, July 20th at 1:30 PM ET, hosted here on the Penguin USA website!

My book club read In The Woods by Tana French. You can see my review here. Tana French's new book is called Faithful Place.


Product Description(Amazon.com)
The hotly anticipated third novel of the Dublin murder squad from the New York Times bestselling author.
Back in 1985, Frank Mackey was nineteen, growing up poor in Dublin's inner city, and living crammed into a small flat with his family on Faithful Place. But he had his sights set on a lot more. He and Rosie Daly were all ready to run away to London together, get married, get good jobs, break away from factory work and poverty and their old lives.
But on the winter night when they were supposed to leave, Rosie didn't show. Frank took it for granted that she'd dumped him-probably because of his alcoholic father, nutcase mother, and generally dysfunctional family. He never went home again.
Neither did Rosie. Everyone thought she had gone to England on her own and was over there living a shiny new life. Then, twenty-two years later, Rosie's suitcase shows up behind a fireplace in a derelict house on Faithful Place, and Frank is going home whether he likes it or not.
Getting sucked in is a lot easier than getting out again. Frank finds himself straight back in the dark tangle of relationships he left behind. The cops working the case want him out of the way, in case loyalty to his family and community makes him a liability. Faithful Place wants him out because he's a detective now, and the Place has never liked cops. Frank just wants to find out what happened to Rosie Daly-and he's willing to do whatever it takes, to himself or anyone else, to get the job done.
# Hardcover: 416 pages
# Publisher: Viking Adult (July 13, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0670021873
# ISBN-13: 978-0670021871

About the Author
Tana French is the bestselling author of In the Woods, which won the Edgar, Barry, Macavity, and Anthony awards, and of The Likeness. She grew up in Ireland, Italy, Malawi, and the United States, and trained as an actor at Trinity College, Dublin. She lives in Dublin with her husband and daughter.

REVIEW - AND THE HEART SAYS WHATEVER

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks
Monthly Mixer Melee

"And the Heart Says Whatever" by Emily Gould
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Essays by former editor of Gawker.com—and the new female voice of her generation. In And the Heart Says Whatever, Emily Gould tells the truth about becoming an adult in New York City in the first decade of the twenty-first century, alongside bartenders, bounty hunters, bloggers, bohemians, socialites, and bankers. These are essays about failing at pet parenthood, suspending lust during the long moment in which a dude selects the perfect soundtrack from his iTunes library, and leaving one life behind to begin a new one (but still taking the G train back to visit the old one sometimes).
For everyone who has ever had a job she wishes she didn't, felt inchoate ambition sour into resentment, ended a relationship, regretted a decision, or told a secret to exactly the wrong person, these stories will be achingly familiar. At once a road map of what not to do and a document of what's possible, this book heralds the arrival of a writer who decodes the new challenges of our post-private lives, and the age-old intricacies of the human heart.
# Paperback: 224 pages
# Publisher: Free Press; Original edition (May 4, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1439123896
# ISBN-13: 978-1439123898

MY THOUGHTS: This book is sometimes sad and sometimes happy. It is also brutally honest. Some people may be offended by some of the language, but it is none the less a very good book. It takes you into the life of a young woman just starting her life and she has chosen New York as her home. Against her parents better judgment. The people she meets and befriends are sometimes very unbecoming for a young woman alone in a big city. But she gets through the bad places and gets on with her life. I really liked this book. It gave me a glimpse of New York through the eyes of someone else's eyes. And not necessarily the good part of New York.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING

Sheila over at Book Journey is the host for It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Although it has been a busy week around here I got quite a bit of reading done. I had a rummage sale last weekend, and what is there to do but read, plus I was sitting in a hospital waiting room for babies to be born, yes you read that right, twins, a boy 4.8 lbs. and a girl 5.3 lbs. So I got a lot of reading done this week.


For Review - Lumby on the Air - Gail Fraser
Book Club - Eva's Story - Eva Schloss

Reading Challenges
Poison - Chris Wooding
Gorilla Doctors - Pamela S. Turner
Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea - Nancy Atheton

WHAT I'M READING NOW:

For Review - And the Heart Says Whatever - Emily Gould(watch for review soon)


First Light - Philip R. Craig


I won this book from Sheila - Ironweed - William Kennedy


Make sure you head over to Sheila's place to check out all the folks that participating, you could fin your next book.

REVIEW - AUNT DIMITY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown 2010(2006)

"Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea" by Nancy Atherton
Product Description(Amazon.com)
The eleventh cozy mystery featuring everyone’s favorite phantom-detective

Nancy Atherton ’s Aunt Dimity novels have enchanted thousands of readers, and this new addition to the series is likely to broaden the spell. A series of death threats sends Lori Shepard to a remote island off the Scottish coast and to a fabulous castle restored by an eccentric friend of her husband’s. But she finds herself drawn into an elaborate whodunit that may involve smuggling—or worse. Why has a human skull washed up on the beach? Is a desolate island really the best place to hide from a murderer? As Lori draws once more on Aunt Dimity’s supernatural aid, Atherton whips equal measures of whimsy and suspense into an irresistible confection.
# Mass Market Paperback: 322 pages
# Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 6, 2006)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0143038303
# ISBN-13: 978-0143038306

MY THOUGHTS: This is the first book I've read of this series. And of course it's out of sink. I didn't read the first one first. But this is a great stand alone book. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was very fast paced and the author gives such graphic details I felt like I was visiting Dundrillon Castle. There is also a mystery inside a mystery, so there are two of them going on. Of course the big mystery has sent Lori and her two boys in hiding because someone has threatened their lives. But once on the island some things don't add up. The mysterious lights on Cistern Island, an antiqued skull that washes up on the beach and all the islanders seem to be antisocial about visitor's coming to the island. Why is everyone so tight lipped? It's all a big mystery and Lori and Damien, Lori's bodyguard, are the ones who crack it. But do they catch the person threatening their lives? Do Lori and the boys get to go back home to Bill? You'll have to read the book of course. Oh, and I almost forgot, Aunt Dimity is a spirit that talks to Lori through a journal, she writes and Lori can read it. Very interesting book!

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - GORILLA DOCTORS

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
World Party Challenge(July-Rwanda)

"Gorilla Doctors:Saving Endangered Great Apes" by Pamela S. Turner
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Mountain gorillas are playful, curious, and protective of their families. They are also one of the most endangered species in the world. For years, mountain gorillas have faced the threat of death by poachers. Funds raised by “gorilla tourism”—bringing people into the forest to see gorillas—have helped protect them. This tourism is vital, but contact between gorillas and people brought a new threat to the gorillas: human disease. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is a group of scientists working to save the mountain gorilla population in Rwanda and Uganda. The gorilla doctors study the effects of human exposure, provide emergency care, and act as foster parents to an orphaned gorilla.
# Reading level: Ages 9-12
# Paperback: 64 pages
# Publisher: Sandpiper; Reprint edition (August 6, 2008)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0547014333
# ISBN-13: 978-0547014333

MY THOUGHTS: This book has lots of pictures of the people who take care of the Great Apes. It also has lots of pictures of the Great Apes, playing, eating and resting. The Gorillas live in the Albert National Park. It was created in 1925. Dian Fossey arrived and tried to help the Gorillas. She sadly was murdered by poachers. I seen the movie Gorillas in the Mist, it was a very moving movie. All Gorillas live in Africa. There are two species: the western gorilla and the eastern gorilla. Gorillas in the Mist are Gorilla beringi. They live in the Western part of Africa in the Virunga National Park in Rwanda. Some also live in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Western Uganda. The Silver back Gorilla is the leader of the group. He usually has 5 to 8 females in his group. And in this group are several babies and juveniles. They are also our closest kin. They have 97.7 percent of our genes. They also can catch our infectious diseases. They can catch a cold, the measles, tuberculosis, smallpox whooping cough and even the flu. MGVP or Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Program is who looks out for the Mountain Gorillas. They are funded through the Morris Foundation. This book is full of info on the Mountain Gorilla. Very insetting book and kids would love this book. Mom or Dad may have to read this to the younger group, it has some pretty big words in it.

MY RATING: 5

I am also linking this to Kid Konnection over at Julie's place Booking Mama.

REVIEW - EVA'S STORY

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Women Unbound

"Eva's Story" by Eva Schloss
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Many know the tragic story of Anne Frank, the teen whose life ended at Auschwitz during the Holocaust. But most people don’t know about Eva Schloss, Annea’s playmate and stepsister. Though Eva, like Anne, was taken to Auschwitz at the age of 15, her story did not end there.

This incredible memoir recounts — without bitterness or hatred — the horrors of war, the love between mother and daughter, and the strength and determination that helped a family overcome danger and tragedy.
# Paperback: 224 pages
# Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; 1 edition (February 22, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0802864953
# ISBN-13: 978-0802864956

MY THOUGHTS: This is my book clubs book choice for July. It's very well written and I really enjoyed reading this book. The story told through Eva's eyes tells of the inhumane treatment at the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. Mutti, Eric, Heinz and Eva are a family in hiding. They are in Holland where they live. This where they are "stashed" in hiding by the Dutch Underground. But the family is blackmailed and eventually they are turned into the Germans. All the Jews are rounded up and put into trucks and then trains. They are all taken to the camps. There they are stripped of everything, clothes, jewelry, any personal belongings and put into cold showers, heads shaved and given their stripped uniforms. The men and women are separated. Eva and Mutti are in a group of about 500 women. They have to stand for hours in the burning heat and freezing cold while everyone is counted. This takes place twice a day. They then are taken to a place to work. Eva and Mutti are sent to separate clothes that have been confiscated for other inmates. They have to sort through all the coats linings for anything that is stashed there. They are given so little food they are all starving to death. Do Eva, Mutti, Eric and Heinz make it out of Auschwitz and Birkenau? You'll have to read the book to find out.

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - LUMBY ON THE AIR

This book is for 1 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge

"Lumby on the Air" by Gail Fraser
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Fifth in the acclaimed series set in the enchantingly offbeat town of Lumby.

Pam and Mark Walker are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with a week-long family reunion and a ceremony renewing their vows. But when Mark's brother-in-law starts broadcasting his radio talk show from Montis Inn, his disparaging remarks about small-town life cause immediate rifts that only widen when he sides with a real estate developer who wants to turn Lumby into an asphalt Aspen. As the controversy pits family against family, and neighbor against neighbor, will the spirit that defines Lumby triumph once again?
# Paperback: 496 pages
# Publisher: NAL Trade (July 6, 2010)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0451230043
# ISBN-13: 978-0451230041

MY THOUGHTS: What would happen if you had a family reunion? Would there be happiness or strife among your family? As Mark and Pam are celebrating their 25th Anniversary, they are also having a family reunion. Which could be a major problem. You have Mark's brother-in-law, who is a famous radio personalty that causes arguments between people. And brings his whole studio to Montis Inn to air his show at Lumby. And then there's Mark's sister, Lynn, who Mark hasn't spoken to for 8 years. Lynn's husband embezzled money from Mark's company and then turned his family against him. And to throw a curve into this mix up is Mike McNear who is selling his 4,000 acre farm. A huge developer is looking into buying it. And turning the peaceful and tranquil Lumby into a resort. So does Lumby survive the onslaught of developers and radio? You'll have to read the book to find out. If you haven't read this series of books, you should, they are really fun to read.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review book.]

REVIEW - POISON

This book is for 3 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks(Wk.28)
Countdown 2010

"Poison" by Chris Wooding
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Poison must travel to the end of the world to outwit the Phaerie Lord and get her sister back. But are those of whom she meets on the way trying to help her - or lead her into a trap? This is no fairy tale...
# Paperback: 368 pages
# Publisher: Scholastic (April 2, 2007)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 0439943922
# ISBN-13: 978-0439943925

MY THOUGHTS: I really liked this book. If you like Phaerie's, Troll's, Daemon's then your would really like this book. Poison's baby sister has been taken by the Phaerie's and a changeling left in her place. Now Poison is on the hunt for her sister. She has to travel the Shieldtown to find out how to get to the Phaerie Realm. Once she is there there are all kinds of obstacles standing in her way of finding her sister. With the help her friends, Bram, Fleet, Peppercorn and Andersen the cat, she soon figures out the ins and outs of the Phaerie Realm. Does she get her sister back? What happens to Poison? You'll have to read the book.

MY RATING: 5

IT'S MONDAY, WHAT ARE YOU READING

Sheila over at A Book Journey is the host for It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Here is some info:

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I finished two books this week. I had some time on my hands this past weekend. I had a rummage sale, and what is there to do but sit and wait. So I read. The books I finished:

Sometimes Mine - Martha Moody is about a woman's 12 year affair with a married man.


The Book of Fate - Brad Meltzer - is about an assignation attempt that went wrong.


What I plan on reading this week. I have one book from the library to finish. And I have my book club book I need to get started on. I am also reading a review book. You can see all these books at Amazon.com. I've linked them to their pages.

Poison - Chris Wooding - is about Poison, a girl who is looking for her sister in the Fairie Realm.


Eva's Story - Eva Schloss - is a memoir of Eva Schloss, a playmate of Anne Frank.


Lumby on the Air - Gail Fraser - is about the town of Lumby and all it's quirky inhabits. This is a book for review.


That's it for now. Don't forget to head over to Sheila's place to check out all the folks participating this week. You could find your next book.

REVIEW - THE BOOK OF FATE

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
Countdown 2010(2006)

"The Book of Fate" by Brad Meltzer
Product Description(Amazon.com)
"Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming."

So says Wes Holloway, a young presidential aide, about the day he put Ron Boyle, the chief executive's oldest friend, into the president's limousine. By the trip's end, a crazed assassin would permanently disfigure Wes and kill Boyle. Now, eight years later, Boyle has been spotted alive. Trying to figure out what really happened takes Wes back into disturbing secrets buried in Freemason history, a decade-old presidential crossword puzzle, and a two-hundred-year-old code invented by Thomas Jefferson that conceals secrets worth dying for.
# Mass Market Paperback: 640 pages
# Publisher: Vision (May 1, 2007)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 044661212X
# ISBN-13: 978-0446612128

MY THOUGHTS: I love reading Brad Meltzer's books. He has such a way with giving out details. He starts the story at the beginning and by the end of the story you know everything about the characters lives. I was hooked from the first sentence. "Six minutes from now, one of us would be dead. None of us knew it was coming." This one sentence leads to a cover up and a presidential down fall. As Ron Boyle seems to come back alive and Wes is the one to see him, Wes wants answers. He starts digging and finds lots of info but no answers. He brings in his best friend, Rogo and fellow staffer Dreidel. He also has a reporter, Lisabeth, who wants a story, but Wes is reluctant to bring her on board, but does. The four of them have to fit the pieces of the puzzle together to find out what really happened that day and why Ron Boyle is alive when he's supposed to be dead. This is a great book!

MY RATING: 5

REVIEW - SOMETIMES MINE

This book is for 2 of my reading challenges.
100+ Challenge
52 Books in 52 Weeks[Wk.27]

"Sometimes Mine" by Martha Moody
Product Description(Amazon.com)
Genie Toledo is a spitfire who too young married the wrong guy, had a daughter, quickly divorced, and now, in her forties, has filled the emotional gap by throwing herself into her work and holding friends and family at arm's length-even her college-age daughter. The only person to penetrate her thick shell is Mick Crabbe, with whom she's had a decade-long affair. He's a charming guy-famous even, a well-known college basketball coach-but the fact that they live in different states and see each other only once a week, and that Mick is committed not only to his wife and kids, but also to his basketball team and all those fans, suits Genie just fine. She can take care of herself. She doesn't need him.
That is, until Mick becomes fatally ill and the nature of their relationship is forced to change. Genie sets her heart free for the first time and is ultimately altered by the experience. As she becomes intimately involved in Mick's care, and makes herself known to his family, Genie finally understands the importance of making connections with others, and earns, even from the outside world, the extremely moving validation of her significance in Mick's life.
Narrated with the warmth, humor, and compassion that readers have come to expect from Martha Moody, Sometimes Mine is an emotionally engaging story of learning to appreciate the value of the people in your life, and the realization that sometimes the most meaningful relationships are those that go unrecognized.
# Hardcover: 304 pages
# Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover (August 6, 2009)
# Language: English
# ISBN-10: 1594488703
# ASIN: B003156BM2

MY THOUGHTS: I really liked this book. It is written from the prescriptive of Genie, who is having a long term relationship with a married man, Mick. Genie and Mick meet every Thursday at a hotel. They talk about their families and friends. They make love and talk some more. Mick is a coach for a college basketball team. Genie is a doctor. Their life together is separate from their families until Mick's daughter Jessica develops problems. Mick wants her to see Genie. As Mick is taking his team to the finals in the NCAA championships, he finds out he has prostate cancer. Mick doesn't want to take the time away from his team to get the surgery. When Mick gets really bad with the cancer, Genie and Karn, Mick's wife have to come face to face with each other. This leads to some uncomfortable conversations and confrontations for both women. As Genie breaks away from Mick she soon learns that she can function without him. The ending to this very well written story is very moving and done with dignity by Ms. Moody.

MY RATING: 5

[This is a free review copy.]