Happy Friday

This is my motto...but I also believe there is something romantic to be said about a well worn and loved book. 

The Time of My Life by Ceceila Ahern

Think you have a life? Do you think your life is happy with the choices you make on a daily basis? Is your life too routine? Or are you living minute to minute and have no idea what you are going to do next?

What would you do if you received an invitation to meet with your life? And come to find out your life is a small miserable little man that you do not like? Would you change it? Would you even know how to begin to go about changing it?

This is a story of Lucy Silchester, and she has received an invitation to meet with her life. And surprisingly to her, her life is not happy. He is very unhappy. And has some ideas and suggestions on how she can improve her life, starting with telling the truth.

Lucy has found that ever since her break up with the perfect Blake she has fallen into a rut...though she does not fell it is an actual rut. She gets up, goes to work, goes out with friends, leaves early, then goes home to her messy studio flat and goes to bed.  Along with that she has become a utter and complete liar, that has turned into an unconscious choice that she cannot seem to tame. The only person she seems to be able to tell the truth to is a man, Don Lockwood, she wrong numbered and began forming a friendship with over the telephone. 

Can Lucy change her ways and get her life back on track and make her Life less miserable and unappealing?

I am a huge fan of Cecelia Ahern and her imagination. her books are always so full of life (no pun intended) and make you think. I love it. This one was a little harder for me to get through because it is sort of depressing and it has those moments when you are screaming at the main character to stop acting stupid and just do what we can all see is the correct decision!!

None the less I highly recommend this book along with many others of hers.

Here is the goodreads link for you to be able to check this book out for yourself and read the synopsis.https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10893138-the-time-of-my-life?from_search=true

Happy Reading!

The Ghost of the Mary Celeste by Valerie Martin

There is something to be said for books that are based around actual history. This one caught my attention for that exact reason. 

Since I have yet to read this book I am going to share the synopsis I found on Goodreads.com 

"In 1872 the American merchant vessel Mary Celeste was discovered adrift off the coast of Spain. Her cargo was intact and there was no sign of struggle, but the crew was gone. They were never found.

This maritime mystery lies at the center of an intricate narrative branching through the highest levels of late-nineteenth-century literary society. While on a voyage to Africa, a rather hard-up and unproven young writer named Arthur Conan Doyle hears of the Mary Celeste and decides to write an outlandish short story about what took place. This story causes quite a sensation back in the United States, particularly between sought-after Philadelphia spiritualist medium Violet Petra and a rational-minded journalist named Phoebe Grant, who is seeking to expose Petra as a fraud. Then there is the family of the Mary Celeste's captain, a family linked to the sea for generations and marked repeatedly by tragedy. Each member of this ensemble cast holds a critical piece to the puzzle of the Mary Celeste.

These three elements—a ship found sailing without a crew, a famous writer on the verge of enormous success, and the rise of an unorthodox and heretical religious fervor—converge in unexpected ways, in diaries, in letters, in safe harbors and rough seas. In a haunted, death-obsessed age, a ghost ship appearing in the mist is by turns a provocative mystery, an inspiration to creativity, and a tragic story of the disappearance of a family and of a bond between husband and wife that, for one moment, transcends the impenetrable barrier of death."

I know this is not my normal try of recommendation, but in the effort to keep it fresh and diverse I wanted to share this book with you. Check it out!

Happy Reading!

Happy Friday

It's okay though...it's the weekend!! Let the book reading and relaxing commence!

The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North

I came across this book because someone was saying they could not wait for this to be released to their Kindle...so I had to see what the hype was about. This released April 8, 2014 and I have not checked it out yet, but it has moved up the ladder of books I want to read.

As soon as you read this synopsis I believe you will see why I decided I had to share this book with you. So without any more words from me, here is the synopsis from Goodreads.com

"The extraordinary journey of one unforgettable character - a story of friendship and betrayal, loyalty and redemption, love and loneliness and the inevitable march of time.

Harry August is on his deathbed. Again.

No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes.

Until now.

As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. 'I nearly missed you, Doctor August,' she says. 'I need to send a message.'

This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow."

See!? This book sounds amazing! I cannot wait to check it out from the Library or even buy it for myself. So what are you waiting for? Check it out!

Happy Reading!

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Since I have been on an audio book kick while I am at work and in the car I decided to try this one out.

I have always been a Nicholas Sparks fan, though within the past few years I have come to feel like his books are all quite similar. And he seems to put a new one out every other month almost.

However, I do keep his books in the back of my mind for something that I know will be a good and quick read. 

When I saw that this was an option for an audio book (while I am currently waiting for the next Harry Potter one to become available, I am reliving the magic) I decided to give it a try and I was not disappointed.

This book is about Katie, a girl who is running from her past and finds herself in a small North Carolina town working at a diner. The closest store to her cottage is a small family owned store and restaurant owned by a widower named Alex and his 2 children Josh and Kristin. As time goes on Alex and Katie form a friendship and eventually a romance. 

But when Katie's past is fully revealed and comes calling will she be able to stay and live the life she has dreamed about? or will it all come crashing down?

If you are looking for a great weekend book, this one is for you. Check it out and let me know what you thought! Have you read it already? What did you think?

Happy Friday

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Hello, is it me you're looking for? I have always wanted to use that tag line so deal with it if you do not think it fits :)

Again hats off for the inventors of Pinterest, I LOVE that site more than words can express. (My baking and cooking abilities have rejoiced at all the new ways I can make chicken. :)) 

This book popped up on one of my searched for books on Pinterest and I believe it is worthy to share with you. Here is the link to the synopsis on Goodreads.com  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7824322-between-shades-of-gray?from_search=true, if you check it out before I do let me know what you thought of it! Post in our Book Marked page. 

Happy Reading!

GoodReads

Hello!!

As you know I always seem to speak about Goodreads.com, I wanted to take this opportunity to share a link to my profile on that page so you can follow me on there too and see the books I want to read and the ones I have read BEFORE I post them here. So if you are as eager as I always am to find something intriguing to read follow this link 

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13955077-elizabeth-zill 

Happy Reading!

Happy Friday!

A Taste for Murder by Claudia Bishop

Are you looking for a quick and fun read? Then this is the book for you.

 A Taste for Murder book I felt held my attention with the thoughts of "who done it?" and had my laughing out loud along with the characters, which was a tad awkward since I was listening to this audio-book while I was sitting in my cubical at work...

Anyways, I have found myself being drawn towards more Mystery lately, my inner Sherlock is showing, so I found myself captivated by this light hearted murder mystery (is that an actual thing?) 

The story revolves around the small town of Hemlock falls with the sisters Sarah and Meg who own and run the local bead and breakfast. When a series of events turn into murder Sarah becomes focused on finding this killer, clearing her managers name, and saving her bed and breakfast from getting a bad reputation. 

I do not want to give away the ending, or even close to it, but if you are looking for a nice read on a Saturday afternoon, this is the book for you! 

Ahem... and as it seems it is a start of a series....again I SWEAR that I had NO idea when I started this book...But since this seems to be classic Elizabeth style, it is bound to be a series. But I do think it will be a lot of good filler books, and by filler books I mean when you just need something to read in between that purchase or loaning out that most anticipated book from the Library. 

Happy Reading!

Work in Progress

Do not forget..as I am posting these fun new things that I am still a work in progress folks...I just could not help but share them with you! I am excited for what is to come!

Happy Reading...and Waiting

Book vs Film

Hey Bookworms! 

I just started the book VS the movie page and I started with one I am sure will get you talking! Check it out and tell me your thoughts.

http://thetangledwebbookclub.blogspot.com/p/book-vs-movie.html

Gone but not forgotten...

Hey all! 

I swear I have not forgotten about you!! I am in the midst of writing some new posts as well as revamping the blog a little. So starting May 5th I will be back with some amazing new reviews and new books to share. And some great discussion topics!! 

See you all soon!! 

In the mean time Happy Reading and keep track of the books you are reading and please share them with us! We all live hearing what is making you not want to put that book down.

Happy Friday!

A Game of Thrones

Yeah, so I am late to the party on this one. I just started "reading" this book series, (and by "reading" I mean listening to the audio-book while in the car and at work.) And to say the least I am loving it. 
It is a little different than I am used to, but I think that is good honestly. Nice change of pace. I have only just started it so I do not want to give a full opinion on it yet but rest assured I will write you a review very soon! But for now here is the actual synopsis to tide you over.

"Summers span decades. Winter can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne has begun.

As Warden of the north, Lord Eddard Stark counts it a curse when King Robert bestows on him the office of the Hand. His honour weighs him down at court where a true man does what he will, not what he must … and a dead enemy is a thing of beauty.

The old gods have no power in the south, Stark’s family is split and there is treachery at court. Worse, the vengeance-mad heir of the deposed Dragon King has grown to maturity in exile in the Free Cities. He claims the Iron Throne."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13496.A_Game_of_Thrones?from_search=true

Happy Reading!

The Magician King by Lev Grossman

"Quentin and his friends are now the kings and queens of Fillory, but the days and nights of royal luxury are starting to pall. After a morning hunt takes a sinister turn, Quentin and his old friend Julia charter a magical sailing ship and set out on an errand to the wild outer reaches of their kingdom. Their pleasure cruise becomes an adventure when the two are unceremoniously dumped back into the last place Quentin ever wants to see: his parent's house in Chesterton, Massachusetts. And only the black, twisted magic that Julia learned on the streets can save them." 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10079321-the-magician-king

Since I shared with you last week the beginning of the series I thought I would share with you the 2nd book in line in this series. I am still skeptical, but I will try it. What do you think? Do you feel as I do that this is a weird adult twist of Narnia mixed with Harry Potter? Or am I alone in this thought process?

Happy Reading!

Happy Friday!

The Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki

"A riveting historical novel about Peggy Shippen Arnold, the cunning wife of Benedict Arnold and mastermind behind America’s most infamous act of treason . . . 

Everyone knows Benedict Arnold—the Revolutionary War general who betrayed America and fled to the British—as history’s most notorious turncoat. Many know Arnold’s co-conspirator, Major John André, who was apprehended with Arnold’s documents in his boots and hanged at the orders of General George Washington. But few know of the integral third character in the plot: a charming young woman who not only contributed to the betrayal but orchestrated it. 

Socialite Peggy Shippen is half Benedict Arnold’s age when she seduces the war hero during his stint as military commander of Philadelphia. Blinded by his young bride’s beauty and wit, Arnold does not realize that she harbors a secret: loyalty to the British. Nor does he know that she hides a past romance with the handsome British spy John André. Peggy watches as her husband, crippled from battle wounds and in debt from years of service to the colonies, grows ever more disillusioned with his hero, Washington, and the American cause. Together with her former love and her disaffected husband, Peggy hatches the plot to deliver West Point to the British and, in exchange, win fame and fortune for herself and Arnold. 

Told from the perspective of Peggy’s maid, whose faith in the new nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress’s affairs even when it could cost her everything, The Traitor’s Wife brings these infamous figures to life, illuminating the sordid details and the love triangle that nearly destroyed the American fight for freedom."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18143995-the-traitor-s-wife?from_search=true

Thank-you Pinterest for yet again another riveting book suggestion! I love it when I find people on Pinterest who will recommend books on their pages as I do! Makes it for a lot of fun pinning!! Followed by hours of glorious reading! I hope you enjoy the sound of this book as much as I did.

Happy Reading!

(And can I just take a moment to thank the Lord for spell check? You all would think I was an uneducated adult if you could truly see the horrendous way I think things aught to be spelled!)

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

"Quentin Coldwater is brilliant but miserable. He's a senior in high school, and a certifiable genius, but he's still secretly obsessed with a series of fantasy novels he read as a kid, about the adventures of five children in a magical land called Fillory. Compared to that, anything in his real life just seems gray and colorless. 

Everything changes when Quentin finds himself unexpectedly admitted to a very secret, very exclusive college of magic in upstate New York, where he receives a thorough and rigorous education in the practice of modern sorcery. He also discovers all the other things people learn in college: friendship, love, sex, booze, and boredom. But something is still missing. Magic doesn't bring Quentin the happiness and adventure he though it would. 

Then, after graduation, he and his friends make a stunning discovery: Fillory is real"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6101718-the-magicians

I read this book a few (around 5) years ago. I picked it up from a local bookstore in the mall where I was currently working as a salon manager. This book appealed to me then because of the synopsis in which it was reeling me in by. However, the actual content of this book left me a tad disappointed. I felt like it was a mix between Narnia and Harry Potter. Not a bad combination you may think, I would agree with you had i not read this book already. It was a little TOO close for me to believe it was an original piece of work. 

I will say this though it is clearly for adults, not for teenagers or adolescents as Harry Potter and Narnia are. I would be willing to give this book another go and to see how the now series progresses, when I read this I had NO idea this would be a series. I assumed it was a stand alone book. I should have known better. 

I choose to share the actual synopsis with you instead of my own rendering of the book because I wanted you to see what drew me to the book in the first place. Why I picked up the hard-cover copy and paid for it. I wanted you to see the magic it promises and maybe even pick the book up to see if it delivers for you, like it failed to do for me.

If you have read this book and differ with my views let me know! I would enjoy to hear someone speak of this book who actually enjoyed it. And why. If you have read this book and share my views what was it about this book that made you say "Hmmm...."? 

Happy Reading!

Thought for Friday!

Happy Friday!

Winter's Bone by Daniel Woorell

I am falling even more in love with Goodreads.com the more my friends discover it and we get connected. It opens my eyes to new books that sound interesting, and it allows Goodreads to see what interests me to accurately give me suggestions based on the books I have read and rated and the ones that I want to read. Such a nice tool sometimes when I do not have the time to walk around the Library searching for the books that speak to me. I came across this one and wanted to be sure to take the time to share it with you. If you pick it up, let me know what you thought!

"The sheriff's deputy at the front door brings hard news to Ree Dolly. Her father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth lab, and the Dollys will lose their house if he doesn't show up for his next court date. Ree's father has disappeared before. The Dolly clan has worked the shadowy side of the law for generations, and arrests (and attempts to avoid them) are part of life in Rathlin Valley. With two young brothers depending on her and a mother who's entered a kind of second childhood, sixteen-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back, dead or alive. She has grown up in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks and learns quickly that asking questions of the rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But along the way to a shocking revelation, Ree discovers unforeseen depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost."

Here is the link so you can check this book out and see what you think!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112525.Winter_s_Bone

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Review by Rachel)

Well Rachel has done it again for us! She has read and reviewed another interesting book for us to check out, so here is what she has to say about The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

"I just finished The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton. I don't read a lot of straight fiction (without it being a mystery or fantasy or a classic), but my mom recommended this, and I have been telling her for a while that I would read it. I will probably take her recommendations a tad more seriously in the future. This ended up being a very engrossing book. It starts with a little bit of a mystery. Four year old Nell arrives at the docks of a port in Australia with no one to pick her up. The dock master takes her home, and with no clue to her family, end up raising her as their own. When her father reveals the secret on her 21st bday, Nell's world shatters. From there, we follow the timelines of Nell, her granddaughter, and the family she didn't know she had. Ranging from the early 1900s to 2005, the stories intertwine easily and leave you in a state of constant anticipation at learning the next clue to Nell's past. It was a longish book, but it read very quickly, and I had a hard time putting it down at night." -Rachel

Here is the link to the book on goodreads if you want to read the synopsis or even if you want to buy it and read it for yourself. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3407877-the-forgotten-garden?ac=1

Happy Reading!

Me right now...

I am currently reading the final book in the Shatter Me Series by Tahereh Mafi and I am TRYING to take it slow but it is SO hard.

Savages by Don Winslow

A friend that is linked to my goodreads account posted that they wanted to read this book. Upon reading the synopsis I decided I was interested in this book as well. It seems like a movie I would go and watch, so why not a book to read. Plus with staying true to my goal of being more diverse in my sharing of stories this seemed like a good one to share. Let me know what you think!

Happy Reading!

"A breakthrough novel that pits young kingpins against a Mexican drug cartel, Savages is a provocative, sexy, and sharply funny thrill ride through the dark side of the war on drugs and beyond.

Part-time environmentalist and philanthropist Ben and his ex-mercenary buddy Chon run a Laguna Beach–based marijuana operation, reaping significant profits from their loyal clientele. In the past when their turf was challenged, Chon took care of eliminating the threat. But now they may have come up against something that they can’t handle—the Mexican Baja Cartel wants in, and sends them the message that a "no" is unacceptable. When they refuse to back down, the cartel escalates its threat, kidnapping Ophelia, the boys’ playmate and confidante. O’s abduction sets off a dizzying array of ingenious negotiations and gripping plot twists that will captivate readers eager to learn the costs of freedom and the price of one amazing high."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8008928-savages

Trust me, you will giggle

Browsing the internet one evening I came across this link, Funny Book Title Covers, and it made me laugh and giggle at some of the book covers, that are actual books. It makes me wonder if they did it on purpose or just looked back and thought "well that was stupid of me." So I thought I would share this with you and hopefully bring you some laughs to get you through the last day of this work week! Happy Friday!

Happy Reading!

The Storyteller by Antonia Michaelis

I love the recommended books section on Goodreads. Along with the wall that posts what all of my connections are currently reading or want to read, it assists in my search for new books.

This book came up in my recommended page because I read the book The Fault in Our Stars. So that caught my attention because I adored that book. This one has captured my attention because of the story line. I like it when someone sees something extraordinary in someone who is typically viewed as the exact opposite. Maybe that is because I always try to see the good in people no matter what the circumstance. 

Here is the synopsis, take a look then tell me what you think!

"Anna and Abel couldn't be more different. They are both seventeen and in their last year of school, but while Anna lives in a nice old town house and comes from a well-to-do family, Abel, the school drug dealer, lives in a big, prison-like tower block at the edge of town. Anna is afraid of him until she realizes that he is caring for his six-year-old sister on his own. Fascinated, Anna follows the two and listens as Abel tells little Micha the story of a tiny queen assailed by dark forces. It’s a beautiful fairy tale that Anna comes to see has a basis in reality. Abel is in real danger of losing Micha to their abusive father and to his own inability to make ends meet. Anna gradually falls in love with Abel, but when his “enemies” begin to turn up dead, she fears she has fallen for a murderer. Has she?" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11284898-the-storyteller

Happy Reading!

Readers make the book...

I know I mentioned my new found love of audio-books before, but I wanted to dedicate a little more time on the subject. 

Since switching jobs I now sit at a desk for the majority of my day. And I was getting tired of listening to my choice of music on my iTunes account, not to mention it was starting to get expensive buying new music to ad to my music library. My co-worker mentioned that she does not always listen to music but to audio books, and this got me to smack my forehead and think "Why did I not think of that!" 

So I downloaded the Overdrive media app on my phone that my local library uses to rent out their e-books and I got to "reading". I started with The Help by Kathryn Stockett and I was hooked. I found myself no longer listening to music in my car (thank you bluetooth for automatically hooking up to my radio in my car) I finished that book in about a week and I truly enjoyed listening to it. I moved on from there to a book recommended to me by my dad Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen and that is when I realized that the person reading the book made ALL the difference. With The Help there were 3 different narrators so there were 3 different reader which made the story come alive. With Lucky you there is a few different narrators as well....but only one man reading the story and though he did well for the men voices (most of them) his women sounded like feminine men. Which would be great if that was what they were supposed to be. But they were not so it was a tad difficult to get lost in the words when I as having issues picturing the characters as they were being described.

I am currently finishing up, and I am ashamed to say this out loud....but I am currently finishing up The Book Thief on audio-books right now. And I am in love with the gentleman reading this book to me. He does voices extremely well, and does an amazing German dialect to really add some truth to the story being told. I love it.

One of the reasons I wanted to share this post with you is to also say that I have heard of websites, similar to Netflix, for books. Like a library you pay for basically but they have more of an audio-book selection. Here are some of the sites I have found and ones that have been recommended to me.

http://www.booksfree.com/ 

I do not know if I will join one of these sites just yet. Maybe after I have read all the audio-books that interest me that my library has to offer. But I think it is a great idea and I felt it needed to be shared!! 

Happy Reading (or listening ;)

The Weight of Blood by Laura McHugh

Who doesn't enjoy a good mystery? I know I do, especially books that have been compared to the writings of Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl. This book came recommended to me and I felt the need to share it with you. I do believe this will be ordered from the Library as soon as I am finished with the 2 books I have sitting on my nightstand. 

"The Dane family's roots tangle deep in the Ozark Mountain town of Henbane, but that doesn't keep sixteen-year-old Lucy Dane from being treated like an outsider. Folks still whisper about her mother, a bewitching young stranger who inspired local myths when she vanished years ago. When one of Lucy's few friends, slow-minded Cheri, is found murdered, Lucy feels haunted by the two lost girls-the mother she never knew and the friend she couldn't protect. Everything changes when Lucy stumbles across Cheri's necklace in an abandoned trailer and finds herself drawn into a search for answers. What Lucy discovers makes it impossible to ignore the suspicion cast on her own kin. More alarming, she suspects Cheri's death could be linked to her mother's disappearance, and the connection between the two puts Lucy at risk of losing everything. In a place where the bonds of blood weigh heavy, Lucy must decide where her allegiances lie." https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18209468-the-weight-of-blood?ac=1

Thoughts? Will this go on your "to read" pile?

Happy Reading!

The Last Enchantments by Charles Finch

Happy Friday, I apologize for the lack of posts lately. I have been searching for books to share with you and have not found a lot that have jumped out at me. Until this one came across my path and I became intrigued. So as my debut back into the blogging world I decided to share this with you.  

"After graduating from Yale, William Baker, scion of an old line patrician family, goes to work in presidential politics.  But when the campaign into which he's poured his heart ends in disappointment, he decides to leave New York behind, along with the devoted, ambitious, and well-connected woman he’s been in love with for the last four years.

Will expects nothing more than a year off before resuming the comfortable life he's always known, but he's soon caught up in a whirlwind of unexpected friendships and romantic entanglements that threaten his safe plans. As he explores the heady social world of Oxford,  he becomes fast friends with Tom, his snobbish but affable flat mate;  Anil, an Indian economist with a deep love for gangster rap; Anneliese, a German historian obsessed with photography; and Timmo, whose chief ambition is to become a reality television star. What he's least prepared for is Sophie, a witty, beautiful and enigmatic woman who makes him question everything he knows about himself."
Goodreads.com

Think this could be your weekend read? Let me know what you thought of it.

Happy Reading!

In The Woods by Jana French

Okay so I choose this book first because of the cover...and decided to post about it because if its content. It is set in Ireland, and as a person of Irish decent, I have a soft spot for all stories written in that country. But the description of this book made me decide to share it with you!

"As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers, and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.
Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a twelve-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox—his partner and closest friend—find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past."

Thoughts? Sound like something that might spice up your reading shelf? Check it out and let me know what you think.

Happy Reading!

Ch-Ch-Changes

So it had been on my mind to set a few changes in motion here on the blog. And after a lot of thought, and talking it out with some of you, I have decided to go forward with the following changes. 

I do not know about you but I am finding it hard to always find the time to read our scheduled book...(still have not finished The Book Thief) So instead of assigning us all books and then talking about them I have decided to open up the discussion page for us all to talk about the books we are currently reading on our own. A way to connect with other readers but also to share different books with one another. 

I will still be sharing books with you and funny quotes 3 times a week as I have been in the past. I enjoy looking up the books and sharing them with you before and after I have read them. I feel like that is my contribution among posting on the discussion page. 

I will be updating the Library section of the page to post the list of books I have written about throughout the week so you have an easy access list to what I have recommended. 

Also coming soon will be a page dedicated to discussions of books vs movies. Always an interesting topic I think, where we can talk about what we liked and disliked about the movie and what was left out, included, or added to the film. 

 I am, as always, encouraging you to write reviews about books you enjoyed. It's always nice for other readers to read someone else's voice besides mine. :) 

What are your thoughts? Excited? Sad? Indifferent? Let me know! I am taking any and all suggestions as well on this subject.  I would love your input so do not hesitate. 

The changes will go into motion this evening so be on the lookout! 

Happy Reading!

(If there are any typos. weird grammer, or misspelled words I apologize as I am posting this on my lunch break on my iPhone so please don't judge me too harshly) 

Confession...

Okay so I have a confession...I have not finished The Book Thief. I am ashamed because this is such a great book and yet I cannot seem to find the time to finish it! I am not pleased with myself. I will not be changing the start of the next book from this Sunday, but I do plan on keeping this discussion open a little longer until I finish it. I am so sorry!!

Happy Reading!

Book Review by Rachel

Well my lovely friend is at it again! She has written a wonderful review of the book What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew. So enough from me here is Rachel;

What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool

I’m a sucker for books on social history. I like to know what people ate and how they wore their clothes, and all of those little tidbits that makes up everyday living. If you have an interest in the Regency Period (early 1800s) in Britain, then this is the book for you. It’s filled with an array of information about the daily dealings of people living at this time. It extends from food to clothes to dances to manners and so much more.

What’s great about the book is that it really provides a good base knowledge for the time period without feeling too dense. Some history books can be hard to digest and require a thorough reading. I feel this book is a really good beginners guide to the era. If you are interested in Dickens, Austen, the Brontes, or Trollope, this will give you a good historical background on the social construct of the time. It also helps if you enjoy historical novels of the period and even romance novels of the period. Finally, if you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, it could give you an understanding of the social constructs they were leaving behind. Taking place 100 years later, they are just moving beyond the traditional social constructs that were such a large part of the land (and are still in place to a great extent, though wealth provides more upward mobility than it once did).

It’s one of those books I have read several times because (besides being a history nerd) it’s got so many tidbits of information throughout that it’s hard to remember all of the information. Even after years of historical study, it manages to enlighten me, and I fully recommend it for anyone interested in Regency, Edwardian, and even Victorian Britain. Happy Reading!!

Less Reading, More Talking

Less reading, more talking is not a phrase I like to say often! I usually prefer quite the opposite actually! But now that our time with The Book Thief has come to a close I am looking forward to hearing all of your thoughts on this amazing book. So bring on the spoken word (...though we will still read it)!!

Happy Discussing! 

Happy Weekend!

This is going to me during the sweet boys nap-time this weekend!!
Happy Reading!

Lucky You by Carl Haasen

It is not too often my Daddy gives me a book to read, because quite frankly we do not always have the same taste in books. But every once and a while a book will cross one of our paths and we know we have to share it. This was one of those books for my dad;

"Virtually unnoticed, JoLayne Lucks stops by the Grab'n'Go to play the same numbers she's played every week for five years. Each lotto number marking the age at which she dumped a tiresome lover. She doesn't know it yet, but the discarded men in JoLayne's life have finally amounted to something."

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/294430.Lucky_You?ac=1

The synopsis does not give you much to go one, but according to my dad this book is worth it and is laugh out loud funny. And I do not know about you but after the types of books I have been reading lately I could use a good, fun, lighthearted book!

Happy Reading!

Hangman Blind by Cassandra Clark

Apparently January is mystery month...A lot of the books I seem to be sharing with you seem to be mysteries. Well I hope you are enjoying them!! I know I am! This is one of the rare occasions that the book cover caught my attention. A lot of times I read though the synopsis despite what the cover looks like...this one I read the synopsis BECAUSE of the cover. So I pray this book is an enticing as I think it will be. What do you think?

"In November 1382, the month of the dead, Abbess Hildegard rides out for York from the Abbey of Meaux. This is no ordinary journey—it is a time of rival popes, a boy king, and a shaky peace in the savage aftermath of Wat Tyler’s murder—and Hildegard has embarked on a perilous mission to try to secure the future of her priory.

Traveling alone, she discovers danger, encountering first a gibbet with five bloodied corpses and then the body of a youth, brutally butchered. Who was the boy, how was he connected to the men hanging from the gibbet, and what do these gruesome deaths mean? Hildegard is determined to uncover the truth, no matter how terrible it may be. When even her childhood home, Castle Hutton, turns out not to be a safe haven from murder, Hildegard realizes she will have to summon all of her courage and wisdom to counter the dark forces that threaten her friends and family as well as her country."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4320305-hangman-blind


Happy Reading!

Thought for the Day...

I love this quote because it is so true. So I opted to share it with you. No the rhyming was not intentional, but I will leave it (Anyone want a peanut?) Okay I am not finished. I promise. :) Anyways, I love this because the Narnia series is one of my all time favorite book series. Such exceptional writing and it gives clear heroes in just mere children. I think every child needs to see that kind of heroism in themselves, especially in this day and age when villains are everywhere, be it strangers, or even children at school are the villains (Sad to think about but it is true).  So read to your kids, and watch them become the heroes they read about.

Happy Reading.

The Invisible Woman by Clare Tomalin

This is now a major motion picture that came out on Christmas in select cities...so of course I want to read the book before it comes out on the big screen. This story entices me because it is about Charles Dickens and his mistress Nelly Ternan. It is sad to think this happens more frequently than expected, but it does make for a good story...
"When Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan met in 1857, she was 18: a professional actress performing in his production of The Frozen Deep. He was 45: a literary legend, a national treasure, married with ten children. This meeting sparked a love affair that lasted over a decade, destroying Dickens's marriage and ending with Nelly's near-disappearance from the public record. In this remarkable work of biography, Claire Tomalin rescues Nelly from obscurity, not only returning the neglected actress to her rightful place in history, but also giving us a compelling and truthful account of the great Victorian novelist. Through Dickens's diaries, correspondence, address books, and photographs, Tomalin is able to reconstruct the relationship between Charles and Nelly, bringing it to vivid life. The result is a riveting literary detective story—and a portrait of a singular woman."
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18630581-the-invisible-woman?ac=1

I liked the aspect that this is a truthful account, with real evidence. I think I may enjoy this more than the Paris Wife because of that fact alone. I am looking forward to reading this book and seeing this movie. I hope you are too.

Happy Reading!

The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry

Well this is the second time a book by Steve Berry has caught my attention. And I hope the title explains why. Ever since I was a little girl the story of Anastasia Romanov had enticed me to believe. But the story surrounding her family has drawn me in as an adult. When this popped up on my recommended reading list I decided Goodreads was correct and I do believe I should read this as well.

"Ekaterinburg, Russia: July 16, 1918. Ten months have passed since Nicholas II’s reign was cut short by revolutionaries. Tonight, the White Army advances on the town where the Tsar and his family are being held captive by the Bolsheviks. Nicholas dares to hope for salvation. Instead, the Romanovs are coldly and methodically executed.

Moscow: Present Day. Atlanta lawyer Miles Lord, fluent in Russian and well versed in the country’s history, is thrilled to be in Moscow on the eve of such a momentous event. After the fall of Communism and a succession of weak governments, the Russian people have voted to bring back the monarchy. The new tsar will be chosen from the distant relatives of Nicholas II by a specially appointed commission, and Miles’ job is to perform a background check on the Tsarist candidate favored by a powerful group of Western businessmen. But research quickly becomes the least of Miles’ concerns when he is nearly killed by gunmen on a city plaza.

Suddenly Miles is racing across continents, shadowed by nefarious henchmen. At first, his only question is why people are pursuing him. But after a strange conversation with a mysterious Russian, who steers Miles toward the writings of Rasputin, he becomes desperate to know more–most important, what really happened to the family of Russia’s last tsar?

His only companion is Akilina Petrov, a Russian circus performer sympathetic to his struggle, and his only guide is a cryptic message from Rasputin that implies that the bloody night of so long ago is not the last chapter in the Romanovs’ story . . . and that someone might even have survived the massacre. The prophecy’s implications are earth-shattering–not only for the future of the tsar and mother Russia, but also for Miles himself."https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75020.The_Romanov_Prophecy

Does this entice you as well? I hope so.

Happy Reading!

Friday Funny!

Best Sellers List

http://www.iauthor.uk.com/theme/international-bestsellers-2-13:429

I came across this link since I enjoy sharing book list with you to see how they add up to your reading list I thought I would pass this along. I do not know about you but when I go into Barnes and Noble (Without my toddler) I tend to gravitate to the best sellers bookshelves. Because I like to see what the world thinks I should read, sometimes I find a smashing book and I feel like a conformist (i.e The Fault in our Stars, though that book was phenomenal!)...other times I think "Really world? THIS is the best you have to offer?" But on the off chance that they are correct and I find that one book that speaks to me in a way that I am forever changed, I always still check. So here is me sharing this with you as a way to see how we measure up in the reading world.

Happy Reading!

Atlantis by David Gibbons

Now I know I am not the only one here that tangles with the ideas of where Atlantis was? Did it actually exist? You know the usual History Channel show questions. So in an effort to expand my reading horizons, and to expand yours as well, I brought this book to your attention. Here is the synopsis;

"Archaeologist Jack Howard is a brave but cautious man. When he embarked on a new search for buried treasure in the Mediterranean, he knew it was a long shot. When he uncovered a golden disc that spoke of a lost civilization more advanced than any in the ancient world, he started to get excited. But when Jack Howard and his intrepid crew finally got close to uncovering the secrets the sea had held for thousands of years, nothing could have prepared them for what they would find.."
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1149593.Atlantis

What do you think? Before you check it out on goodreads.com let me burst the bubble for you...this is a start of a series. Kind of like Dan Browns series with Robert Langdon. Where is contains the same guy but not a lot of carry over from each book. So though it is a series, I do not think that the books depend on one another for understanding. (Does that make sense? Hope so.) 

Happy Reading! 

Let's Do This!!

Happy Reading!! 

January 5-26

Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson

If and when you look this book up online (whether your site of choice be Goodreads.com or Barnesandnoble.com) You will see that next to the title of this book is (A proper romance) makes me smile a little bit honestly. And even though this book recommended to me, I would have wanted to read it just for that snipit of cuteness.  Here is the synopsis of the book says;

"Kate Worthington knows her heart and she knows she will never marry. Her plan is to travel to India instead—if only to find peace for her restless spirit and to escape the family she abhors. But Kate’s meddlesome mother has other plans. She makes a bargain with Kate: India, yes, but only after Kate has secured—and rejected—three marriage proposals.

Kate journeys to the stately manor of Blackmoore determined to fulfill her end of the bargain and enlists the help of her dearest childhood friend, Henry Delafield. But when it comes to matters of love, bargains are meaningless and plans are changeable. There on the wild lands of Blackmoore, Kate must face the truth that has kept her heart captive. Will the proposal she is determined to reject actually be the one thing that will set her heart free?

Set in Northern England in 1820, Blackmoore is a Regency romance that tells the story of a young woman struggling to learn how to follow her heart. It is Wuthering Heights meets Little Women with a delicious must-read twist"

Have I captured your attention? I hope so. I cannot wait to read this and come back to you with a review!

Happy Reading!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!