tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64668302284978725142024-03-13T18:17:36.288-07:00Book Lovers Sharing their Love of BooksBriannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-33374219729522661062011-08-07T14:25:00.001-07:002011-08-07T14:37:15.802-07:00The Help<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS7olhnUnmbs9sWEPRs-O4hmZdbD2xNFkLfyb2w01Srli-mgeEsUaSqbwvf9Gz_cKE_HQi6pOWQ3nJTXZwiHY2vByE0q7jeHDWFIhpee5QepHFMsxPLhR3cnuwKXSMZ4Qa-AuIWS3mjo/s1600/41eKoQORnFL.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 258px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638228572118973922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgS7olhnUnmbs9sWEPRs-O4hmZdbD2xNFkLfyb2w01Srli-mgeEsUaSqbwvf9Gz_cKE_HQi6pOWQ3nJTXZwiHY2vByE0q7jeHDWFIhpee5QepHFMsxPLhR3cnuwKXSMZ4Qa-AuIWS3mjo/s400/41eKoQORnFL.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Read July 2011<br /><br />My Rating: 4 out of 5<br /><br /><em>"Minny, Miss Celia, Aibileen, and Yule May are maids employed by Skeeter's friends. Each woman cooks, cleans, and cares for her boss's children, suffering slights and insults silently and sharing household<br />secrets only among themselves. In the wake of the Junior League push to create separate bathrooms for the domestic help within private homes, Skeeter contacts a New York book editor with an idea. Soon she's conducting clandestine meetings<br />with "the help" to capture their stories for publication. It is a daring and foolhardy plan, one certain to endanger not only the positions but the lives of the very women whose stories she transcribes -- as well as her own."</em><br /><br />My review: This was, as promised by many, an incredibly inspirational novel, and it was a joy to read it. I laughed, and cried, and I when I was reading this book, I felt like I was being swept away and living in it. The characters are all so courageous, strong, and inspiring. I am sooo very much looking forward to watching the movie, even though I already know that it won't compare to the beautifully written words. Every where I turn, I see someone reading this book. There was one day on our lunch break at work where there were three of us reading it, it looked like we were having a book club meeting at work :) it's popular for a reason... go and read it!! :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-37447063832934066032011-07-26T16:48:00.000-07:002011-07-26T16:56:26.481-07:00One Day by David Nicholls<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uLUWHW5NxwI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />This is my next book to read!! Super excited to read it and then go see it :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-86256040224051769142011-07-20T15:27:00.001-07:002011-07-20T15:48:39.195-07:00Water for Elephants<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoqVMXTeLXOn2hoVJa4T0QN8zElXQUxc8vTIqYJoKErsXULurrCVSguFDIBZGkeiiqLC4dgWEIAy8TFk5hnPTYEhIZpPRgTqN3cvzNeZTkBA-ZOp5ekVnuvgH62VQyuZejNf251lBDyU/s1600/43641.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 258px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631564819323242434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoqVMXTeLXOn2hoVJa4T0QN8zElXQUxc8vTIqYJoKErsXULurrCVSguFDIBZGkeiiqLC4dgWEIAy8TFk5hnPTYEhIZpPRgTqN3cvzNeZTkBA-ZOp5ekVnuvgH62VQyuZejNf251lBDyU/s400/43641.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Read: July 2011<br />My Rating: 3 out of 5<br /><br /><em>"Though he may not speak of them, the memories still dwell inside Jacob Jankowski's ninety-something-year-old mind. Memories of himself as a young man, tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Memories of a world filled with freaks and clowns, with wonder and pain and anger and passion; a world with its own narrow, irrational rules, its own way of life, and its own way of death. The world of the circus: to Jacob it was both salvation and a living hell."</em><br /><em></em><br />My Review:I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to watching the movie. I think I had my expectations set a little high, and though I enjoyed it I wouldnt rave about it. I liked the main character, and the story line was different making it a unique read. Also makes me really love elephants :) I just wish the love story would have been a little more in depth.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-37988180728081907422011-06-27T14:56:00.000-07:002011-06-27T15:20:14.596-07:00The House at Riverton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Se4MYgoQpJvJGuOSeBkzNihK7hdp-jNmthYrb9uc9_6v0GTx7GcfWAObaNSpQovdYlwxqW92tTRUPT10pUJGkdZaCJaIgLu5r88z2YMTKi4yGtr0dcCXKN_AYKVOO6UwKABubGcQ9o/s1600/51OKPCIhDtL.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 258px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623027166009264066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3Se4MYgoQpJvJGuOSeBkzNihK7hdp-jNmthYrb9uc9_6v0GTx7GcfWAObaNSpQovdYlwxqW92tTRUPT10pUJGkdZaCJaIgLu5r88z2YMTKi4yGtr0dcCXKN_AYKVOO6UwKABubGcQ9o/s400/51OKPCIhDtL.jpg" /></a><br />Read June 2011<br /><br />My rating: 4 out of 5<br /><br /><em>"Grace Bradley, ninety-eight, one-time housemaid of Riverton Manor, is visited by a young director making a film about the poet's suicide. Ghosts awaken and old memories - long consigned to the dark reaches of Grace's mind - begin to sneak back through the cracks. A shocking secret threatens to emerge, something history has forgotten but Grace never could.<br /><br />Set as the war-shattered Edwardian summer surrenders to the decadent twenties, The House at Riverton is a thrilling mystery and a compelling love story."</em><br /><br />My review:I enjoyed this book, her writing style is very catchy. It starts off slow but as you get further and further into the story, you know there is so much more to come, yet she leaves you guessing till the very end. Good love story.Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-43545819454758837352011-04-11T11:36:00.000-07:002011-04-11T11:45:22.686-07:00The Good Daughters<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ayuoj-X8BsVEOPw6Oxd74A1lmchh5Yn6MobMoGDR2RMBqh5robcwxsBj9XAJoiNwFps2w_zP_IPlua9uojUJ7oaloVgSAaPYkellhyphenhyphen4KQIIvg7U7NF4cAd9oXKrBaFZDvIdOl29xfog/s1600/8134469.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 264px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594397975588058898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Ayuoj-X8BsVEOPw6Oxd74A1lmchh5Yn6MobMoGDR2RMBqh5robcwxsBj9XAJoiNwFps2w_zP_IPlua9uojUJ7oaloVgSAaPYkellhyphenhyphen4KQIIvg7U7NF4cAd9oXKrBaFZDvIdOl29xfog/s400/8134469.jpg" /></a> Read March 2011<br /><br /> My Rating: 4 out of 5 <em><br /><br />"They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike. Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations. Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness." </em><br /><br />My Review: This book was easy to enjoy, the story was good and rather interesting. I thought I had guessed what was going on, but ended up being only partly right. I enjoyed all the characters, and each one of their stories. It was a tough decision to make this a 4 star instead of a 5, but although I thought it was really good, I couldnt say it was amazing. Would recommend this book to my friends for sure :) <br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-85438285274090629782011-04-10T16:24:00.000-07:002011-04-11T11:17:43.442-07:00The Kitchen House<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vrCs0ssrmay33Ouk2PVKFJid0m30hwAxdapUoxW8J-vA_BeEawlBBlNASK_CL1wLpzZz76dVabDHajyhpx5GUCYMLfWD5zUblVbWwWCKckwxKFp5_3rR2iKzojOmjJxJkPK0bvX3Vow/s1600/kitchenhouse-724235.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594100064550634018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_vrCs0ssrmay33Ouk2PVKFJid0m30hwAxdapUoxW8J-vA_BeEawlBBlNASK_CL1wLpzZz76dVabDHajyhpx5GUCYMLfWD5zUblVbWwWCKckwxKFp5_3rR2iKzojOmjJxJkPK0bvX3Vow/s400/kitchenhouse-724235.jpg" /></a> Read March 2011 <br /><br />My rating: 5 / 5 <em><br /><br />"Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin. Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk. The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail." </em><br /><br />My Review: AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! I would recommend this book to everyone! The story is so captivatingm and I love all the characters (except for the ones you are meant not to like) I felt so bad for Labrinia, such a tough little girl with a bright future who just wanted everyone to be happy, and to relive the past. I loved the writing style and couldn't put this book down, and when I did, all I could think about was when I was going to pick it up again. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-31510899143905742562011-03-24T16:33:00.000-07:002011-03-24T16:46:05.216-07:00Saving Max<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QN9ajEHsEa7LBxl2d4DOur3kyT3zlLtKGpPNTGCW7DCufUgydpy8d7wK3M4C-AokGfhYN0Hzi21MpJk8Touov8t2sqvUdh7VVM0Tu8YLiFf9u7MI4nTEKhE0wuExWUhbBLG0LpBk8Bo/s1600/7895937.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 260px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587793986014932802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4QN9ajEHsEa7LBxl2d4DOur3kyT3zlLtKGpPNTGCW7DCufUgydpy8d7wK3M4C-AokGfhYN0Hzi21MpJk8Touov8t2sqvUdh7VVM0Tu8YLiFf9u7MI4nTEKhE0wuExWUhbBLG0LpBk8Bo/s400/7895937.jpg" /></a><br />Read March 2011<br /><br />My Rating 3 out of 5<br /><br /><em>"Max Parkman—autistic and whip-smart, emotionally fragile and aggressive—is perfect in his mother's eyes. Until he's accused of murder.<br /><br />Attorney Danielle Parkman knows her teenage son Max's behavior has been getting worse—using drugs and lashing out. But she can't accept the diagnosis she receives at a top-notch adolescent psychiatric facility that her son is deeply disturbed. Dangerous.<br /><br />Until she finds Max, unconscious and bloodied, beside a patient who has been brutally stabbed to death.<br /><br />Trapped in a world of doubt and fear, barred from contacting Max, Danielle clings to the belief that her son is innocent. But has she, too, lost touch with reality? Is her son really a killer?<br /><br />With the justice system bearing down on them, Danielle steels herself to discover the truth, no matter what it is. She'll do whatever it takes to find the killer and to save her son from being destroyed by a system that's all too eager to convict him."</em><br /><em></em><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">My Review: I have to say that I enjoyed this novel, and would lend it to a friend, but can also say at the same time that it was not the greatest book I've read. I have been busy lately and this took me three months to read, which may be part of the reason I wasn't so engaged, but at the same time, if I was really enjoying it, I would make sure to set aside some reading time. The book was easy to read and easy to understand, however I was expecting a completely different story. At times I found that certain parts of the novel were a little unbelievable, however I have to remember that the novel is fiction. Not the worst book I've read, but not the greatest either, good book to pass the time, and set down for a period of time, and get back into it easily.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><em><br /></em></span><br /></span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-1449876254407796392011-01-03T17:28:00.001-08:002011-01-03T17:35:32.532-08:00Little Bee<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0xYpCyDuWJGoB5OMy-ph3bIBTMos5QC4ca5cC-Wd1TowENbmaUahSP1Wi95w-J8MrwxpRy0muFzwoI4zyMS7z30O4t_nfv46lKlg1w8DdUE8xLqwlz_sLENcuUruii_szYpW03VaCA/s1600/littlebee.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 268px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558136645530459346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimj0xYpCyDuWJGoB5OMy-ph3bIBTMos5QC4ca5cC-Wd1TowENbmaUahSP1Wi95w-J8MrwxpRy0muFzwoI4zyMS7z30O4t_nfv46lKlg1w8DdUE8xLqwlz_sLENcuUruii_szYpW03VaCA/s400/littlebee.jpg" /></a><br />Read: December 2010<br /><br />My rating: 4/5<br /><br /><em>"We don't want to tell you what happens in this book. It is a truly special story and we don't want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know enough to buy it , so we will just say this: This is the story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice, the kind of choice we hope you never have to face. Two years later, they meet again. The story starts here..." </em>.<br /><p>My Review: Strong debate whether to make my rating of this book a 4 or 5, and decided on 4 as I am trying to only use 5 if the book is absoloutley rediculously amazing, and this book is sooo close to there. I love the way this author writes, and the way the words can paint a picture. As a male author, he does a very good job at writing as a woman, and I love how he went back and forth between the two main characters. His writing is captivating and the as they tell you ahead of time, the true specialness in this book is how the story unfolds. It may not have made it to 5, but is still an excellenct, excellent book and i definatley recommend it.</p><p><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a> </p>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-51407521869763888382010-12-07T18:16:00.000-08:002010-12-09T14:16:03.904-08:00The Life You've Imagined<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcVhCdTlDjbsj8k0f2agMyTnbE50Y9YHqtUtAFtrw9ILE2ajxA0X2N6_JaIP-tHYCMyDtV6p3UKngyHJoiL_K8FPDiB5U10y3uq9CqtYjw3M6m7pPnhmpikzDHbz7S1dpFYJF_ts-22I/s1600/The_Life_You%2527ve_Imagined.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 210px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548130162861586258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmcVhCdTlDjbsj8k0f2agMyTnbE50Y9YHqtUtAFtrw9ILE2ajxA0X2N6_JaIP-tHYCMyDtV6p3UKngyHJoiL_K8FPDiB5U10y3uq9CqtYjw3M6m7pPnhmpikzDHbz7S1dpFYJF_ts-22I/s320/The_Life_You%2527ve_Imagined.jpg" /></a><br />Read December 2010<br /><br />My Rating 3 / 5<br /><br /><em>"Is the life you're living all you imagined?<br /><br />Have you ever asked yourself, "What if??" Here, four women face the decisions of their lifetimes in this stirring and unforgettable novel of love, loss, friendship, and family.<br /><br />Anna Geneva, a Chicago attorney coping with the death of a cherished friend, returns to her "speck on the map" hometown of Haven to finally come to terms with her mother, the man she left behind, and the road she did not take.<br /><br />Cami Drayton, Anna's dearest friend from high school, is coming home too, forced by circumstance to move in with her alcoholic father . . . and to confront a dark family secret.<br /><br />Maeve, Anna's mother, never left Haven, firmly rooted there by her sadness over her abandonment by the husband she desperately loved and the hope that someday he will return to her.<br /><br />And Amy Rickart—thin, beautiful, and striving for perfection—faces a future with the perfect man . . . but is haunted by the memory of what she used to be.<br /><br />Kristina Riggle's The Life You've Imagined takes a provocative look at the choices we make—and the courage we must have to change."</em><br /><br />My Review: This book was a good read, nothing amazing, but a good read nonetheless. I liked all the characters, and I liked the stories they came with, they were all very realistic. The thing I enjoyed most about this book is how everyone helps each other out, whether they want to or not. Good book to pass the time, I will be looking into some of her other novels.<br /><br /><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" />Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-85553437662551387102010-11-09T10:25:00.000-08:002010-11-09T10:27:37.505-08:00I haven't forgot about everyone, and haven't forgot about my books!<div>I have literally been reading The Shack since September... I have had a lot of stuff going on, but my god that book was boring me. I have not yet given up on it, just setting aside to read another. Starting today I will be reading "the life you've imagined" by Kristina Riggle. Hope it gets me out of this reading dry spell!</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-10845444156074835392010-09-26T10:02:00.000-07:002010-09-26T10:35:22.208-07:00Her Fearful Symmetry<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJhs13858k4RrDwDwCrch1z9wBNr4C53TnrtbRNIzcYZZ7qFG7xOh4XtCWIwkDV_Vf28T75uGzGEjf-mLEYudP6qCATSYASD9eGSMvijiibB6nzvPhgc8X8-GmkSWc47wLFPqy7bkvFk/s1600/her-fearful-symmetry-PB1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521268960778027058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbJhs13858k4RrDwDwCrch1z9wBNr4C53TnrtbRNIzcYZZ7qFG7xOh4XtCWIwkDV_Vf28T75uGzGEjf-mLEYudP6qCATSYASD9eGSMvijiibB6nzvPhgc8X8-GmkSWc47wLFPqy7bkvFk/s320/her-fearful-symmetry-PB1.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">Read September 2010<br /><br />My rating - 2.5 out of 5<br /><br /><em>"When Elspeth <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Noblin</span> dies of cancer, she leaves her London apartment to her twin nieces, Julia and Valentina. These two American girls never met their English aunt, only knew that their mother, too, was a twin, and Elspeth her sister. Julia and Valentina are semi-normal American teenagers--with seemingly little interest in college, finding jobs, or anything outside their cozy home in the suburbs of Chicago, and with an abnormally intense attachment to one another.<br /><br />The girls move to Elspeth's flat, which borders <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Highgate</span> Cemetery in London. They come to know the building's other residents. There is Martin, a brilliant and charming crossword puzzle setter suffering from crippling Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Marjike</span>, Martin's devoted but trapped wife; and Robert, Elspeth's elusive lover, a scholar of the cemetery. As the girls become embroiled in the fraying lives of their aunt's neighbors, they also discover that much is still alive in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Highgate</span>, including--perhaps--their aunt, who can't seem to leave her old apartment and life behind.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Niffenegger</span> weaves a captivating story in Her Fearful Symmetry about love and identity, about secrets and sisterhood, and about the tenacity of life--even after death."<br /></em></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:verdana;">My review: {be warned, this review will contain spoilers} Where to start with this book.... I read the reviews online, and most people were very <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">disappointed</span> with this novel. However most people who read this book, read the Time Traveler's Wife beforehand, and were all comparing the two novels. I think many people who read this book had high expectations because of Time <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Traveler's</span> Wife, so I decided to give it a shot, as I have not read the Time Traveler's Wife yet. It started off really well, and I was enjoying the story. Most other people claimed that they did not like the characters, and at the beginning of the novel I had liked all the characters, and I liked where the story was going, therefor at the beginning of the novel, my rating most likely would have been a 5. About half way through, I thought it was getting a little strange, as there was a ghost involved, and Robert started dating Valentina, who was not only much too young for him in my opinion, but was also his deceased lover (the ghost's) <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">niece</span> (which later turns out to be her daughter.) So at that point of the novel, my review started going downhill, as I didn't agree with that relationship. I looked past the relationship, and then the ghost got unbelievable. I've read novels with ghosts before and I enjoyed them, but this was getting out of hand. I started to hate all the characters for many different reasons, but in the end, ALL of them were selfish and irritating, and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">immature</span>. And at the end, I was like, really??? A ghost just killed and took over her daughters body? They stole a body from a grave after a funeral? So unbelievale, and I did not relate to this novel at all. The only part of this novel that I enjoyed, is the character named Martin; Martin lived upstairs and has serious OCD. His story was the only one I enjoyed, reading about him dealing with his disease, and slowly overcoming it for love. I really wasn't sure how to rate this novel, as I enjoyed the writing style more than some of the other novels that I have rated a 3, however I didn't enjoy the story. I wish anyone good luck who reads this novel. I hope that when I read Time Traveler's Wife, I will enjoy it, as everyone else.</span><br /></span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-30468452459064235832010-09-12T14:51:00.000-07:002010-09-12T15:04:25.550-07:00I think I have a book buying additction...<span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:85%;">They are sooo expensive, but it's an addiction. You walk into a Chapters, and the smell of Starbucks and the smell of new books puts me under a spell, and the $20 tag on the book, no longer deters me from taking out my bank card. I have 10 books piled on my bookshelf in the 'to read' pile, yet I just bought three more books... hope they are good :)</span><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zsbvJD3QwTCcf5q2Xu4xrsf8dFft7bW-eQ9z6cy0cJ6XzC1IlPV8ovNOOl3wfnJqH7QK-T-c76KPuBEfogq8OUq5ZbcyaDhY81-XkBWzsQzeCeARkupeenK5nUPhIdOmarSG4Ne4KKE/s1600/5118fWce9jL__SL500_AA300_.jpg"></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zsbvJD3QwTCcf5q2Xu4xrsf8dFft7bW-eQ9z6cy0cJ6XzC1IlPV8ovNOOl3wfnJqH7QK-T-c76KPuBEfogq8OUq5ZbcyaDhY81-XkBWzsQzeCeARkupeenK5nUPhIdOmarSG4Ne4KKE/s1600/5118fWce9jL__SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516149455118153010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1zsbvJD3QwTCcf5q2Xu4xrsf8dFft7bW-eQ9z6cy0cJ6XzC1IlPV8ovNOOl3wfnJqH7QK-T-c76KPuBEfogq8OUq5ZbcyaDhY81-XkBWzsQzeCeARkupeenK5nUPhIdOmarSG4Ne4KKE/s200/5118fWce9jL__SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT946CwlTURIN_fJGsp3XXRSQ8eo8Ekv3bkbL8olW8z7r9EjPPkhrbHy_a06g995Hkh7z6r5MaYY9koJi_5bCCI0GkhvmkyldaQIw0UxGkbEpQg9gIlW7vhq5YThYWcS2rrROoC6K9m4w/s1600/Tsiolkas.jpeg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516150476988226834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT946CwlTURIN_fJGsp3XXRSQ8eo8Ekv3bkbL8olW8z7r9EjPPkhrbHy_a06g995Hkh7z6r5MaYY9koJi_5bCCI0GkhvmkyldaQIw0UxGkbEpQg9gIlW7vhq5YThYWcS2rrROoC6K9m4w/s200/Tsiolkas.jpeg" /></a><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 131px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516150226751119906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPZoiEPRLbCCaOtlfaQFHQzUwo5dZY2FDJEOzV92UoV4M59FZEFxnfkVAemZFG35eEIQlbnInMWGgwj6YsUIHiemob9L-hnDtDn6QT9i9wDv4MaVLWbgXrqxjJU9SS1SU15UctL9SN6c/s200/The_Life_You've_Imagined.jpg" /> <a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-49219739655426987642010-09-08T14:56:00.000-07:002010-09-08T15:08:58.264-07:00The Language of Trees<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XK_f3qV4iVt0hbUvzi1klNXmniFdOuFt4Vfv1NisbDxigu940zgPBTRUVqykKQymvXYYj2fv7I9T7D5d1uLs13F0WTPgXa8MTeg0INuGzrs_Q9YbutIYOsozMl41AREi-OjWFSWVixI/s1600/the-language-of-trees.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6XK_f3qV4iVt0hbUvzi1klNXmniFdOuFt4Vfv1NisbDxigu940zgPBTRUVqykKQymvXYYj2fv7I9T7D5d1uLs13F0WTPgXa8MTeg0INuGzrs_Q9YbutIYOsozMl41AREi-OjWFSWVixI/s320/the-language-of-trees.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514664968046988722" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Read: September 2010</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">My rating: 5/5</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, Times, serif; line-height: 20px; "><span style="font-family: verdana; "><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">"Echo </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">O'Connell</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> knows that summer hold its secrets. They are whispered in the rustling trees, in the lush scent of </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">lilacs</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">, in the flurry of the mayflies batting against the screen door, and in the restless</span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">spirits</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> that seem to clamor in the scant breezes on hot evenings. It is in the summer that she returns home to </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Canadaigua</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">, to confront these spirits, both living and not, and to share a secret with her first love, grant </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Shongo</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> - a secret that will forever change the loves of many people in the town and put to rest the mysterious </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">disappearance</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> of a little boy more that a decade earlier.</span></span></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><em></em></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; "><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Grant, a descendant of the Seneca Indians who call this place "the chosen spot" has also come back to face his past. After a broken marriage, he has moved into his childhood home, a lake house that has withstood happiness and tragedy. he knows the spirits of the past must be </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">dealt</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> with - that of the little boy who disappeared all those years ago; the boy's </span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">sister</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"> who never overcame the loss; and the love Grant still has for Echo. But before the healing must come the forgiveness..."</span></span></em></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Brianna's Review: I would have to say that of all the books that I have read this year, this is probably my favourite, and for so many different reasons. I could go on and on and on about how much I love this book. The book has amazing reviews. When I was reading the beginning of this book, I can't say I was overly loving it, so I read some more reviews for inspiration,which I'm glad I did, because once I got a few chapters in, the story was just so captivating I couldn't set it down. It was full of secrets, mystery, romance, tears, and surprises. I love how in some way everyone is connected. I can't remember the last time I stayed up past my usual bed time to finish a book, but I just couldn't wait to figure out how it ended. Ilie Ruby is an amazing writer. The way she describes things, makes you really imagine. When one character is giving advice to another, she doesn't come right out and make them say it, they say it in a way that you really have to think about the advice they are giving. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about the story and couldn't wait to sit down and keep reading. There are so many more things I can say that I loved about this book, but I just can't explain it in words (I am clearly not an writer, haha). </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;" /></a></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-67472649450471773582010-09-05T17:15:00.000-07:002010-09-08T15:09:24.271-07:00A book that made me smile, and I can't even remember what it was about...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNSbwJYrrQ-svz-58wLRqQNheqe85lFPM6hHbf0FCCXJKFBqOZlVFjqB16RISwhfiQgBRTmIdZhTc_nAgzWgLxm-lj8-b0bLeiD7aFTNd1u-7ciBvABjmljKOQETZ0krza4HLeIlRYF8/s1600/FlowersForAlgernon.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 194px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513589379738262466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNSbwJYrrQ-svz-58wLRqQNheqe85lFPM6hHbf0FCCXJKFBqOZlVFjqB16RISwhfiQgBRTmIdZhTc_nAgzWgLxm-lj8-b0bLeiD7aFTNd1u-7ciBvABjmljKOQETZ0krza4HLeIlRYF8/s320/FlowersForAlgernon.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">I was just going through one of the lists on the Goodreads of what to read next, and came across a book I read sometime around when I was in grade 8ish. Flowers for Algergon by Daniel Keyes. I can't remember what it was about, but just seeing the cover made me smile. All I can remember is that I was young, and even then I knew a good book when I read one. I am very much so putting this on my list of books to read, and the next time I am in a book store, you can bet that I will buy it, because I'm so excited to read this book once again!!!</span></span></span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-83749413500599333082010-09-04T16:07:00.001-07:002010-09-08T15:09:58.868-07:00Without a Backward Glance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xpA4kfU4QLaCjObMWm_d-2ZeMSRgHHtAAmoXTP_Nd7fdYyqIgzcKEf72BNeP9LJPkP-Jx6KLoWkA6dGCDTaY8vfDpE5wQkcZAyGjnnCGb8j6mOA3ARnGNK__63SP6aooWy1XM5k6OWA/s1600/withoutabackwardglance.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513199631139090546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7xpA4kfU4QLaCjObMWm_d-2ZeMSRgHHtAAmoXTP_Nd7fdYyqIgzcKEf72BNeP9LJPkP-Jx6KLoWkA6dGCDTaY8vfDpE5wQkcZAyGjnnCGb8j6mOA3ARnGNK__63SP6aooWy1XM5k6OWA/s320/withoutabackwardglance.jpg" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read September 2010<br /><br />My Rating: 5/5<br /><br /><br /></span></span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"On a stifling Christmas Eve in 1967 the lives of the McDonald children - Deborah, Robert, James, and Meredith - changed forever. Their mother Rosemarie, told them she was running out to buy some lights for the tree. She never came back. The children were left with their father, and a gnawing question: Why had their </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mother</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> abandoned them?</span></span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><em></em></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Over the years, the four siblings have become practiced in concealing their pain, remaining close into adulthood, and forming their own families. But long closed wounds are reopened when a chance encounter brings James face to face with Rosemarie after nearly 40 years. Secrets that have each sibling has locked away come to light as they struggle to come to terms with their mothers reappearance, while at the same time their beloved father is progressing into dementia. </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Veitch's</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> family portrait reveals the joys and sorrows the complexity and ambiguity of family life, and poignantly probes what it means to love and what is means to leave."</span></span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"></span></span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brianna's Review: Wow.... where to start. This again was another book that I bought for only $4.99. From the first page I was so interested in this novel, and stayed interested for the entire thing, reading at every chance I possibly could. The story and the characters, my goodness she did an amazing job at making you understand them and what they are going through. A mother of four children and an amazing husband decides to abandoned her family with no explanation or warning, and on Christmas Eve of all nights. From the beginning of the novel I disliked her, she had an amazing life and yet was unhappy. The author wrote out some of the mothers thoughts, and they were terrible. She </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">genuinely</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> seemed like she hated her children and her husband. So she ups and leaves. The oldest daughter, Deborah is left in the mother role, and the dad has totally shut Rosemary out of their life. Each child has their own characteristic, most </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">likely</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> resulting from the impact of their mother abandoning them at such an early age. One of the children an alcoholic, one with </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">OCD</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, one an organization and control freak, and one incapable of love. During the novel they meet up with their mother, and their problems slowly are </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">going</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> away or becoming better. This novel reminds me a little of Jodi </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Picoult</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> as you are really thinking of </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">everyones</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> feelings. I mean I understand if you are unhappy, then leave and make yourself happy, but to just abandon your children? Who does that? And then as the children reconnect with her, you wonder what in the world would make them want to? and to accept her back so quickly? The mother was selfish, and even at the end when her thoughts were still being written out, she still seemed mean (mean.. I know, such a wonderful word to use :) ) This novel just has so much going on, I mean your trying to follow what is going on with each of the children </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">separately</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, as well as together, with their mother, and </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ofcourse</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> the beloved Alex, their father with progressing dementia (</span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">whom</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> I just loved and felt sadly for.) Its interesting to see how each of the family members react together as well. I just loved loved loved this book! I very much would recommend this to everyone. The only </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">question</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> that I have, and would love for someone to explain to me - WHAT WAS UP WITH THE LAST PARAGRAPH? The entire book was amazing and I was thinking how great it was going to end, and then it just ends so randomly?? I still </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">recommend</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> people to read it, but my goodness I'm left confused with why she put that part in. </span></span></span><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Definitely</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a great discussion book as well. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-53351631920885202872010-08-31T17:51:00.000-07:002011-01-03T18:06:34.394-08:00One Thing Led to Another<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFqUbFGpSdPS9us2sW1-35UpVSfCNqQO-SN2GA-AHLaf1pBocDiNUMlTkXibxnxC5kXQ4U8yRSBAm3KeUs8vgRDStdobLa5_zcZnz8kFF1meJUuWDpnnjHVY1ZKQ4s-WI5nQIjOCR_YA/s1600/n295351.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 211px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511741622894214194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJFqUbFGpSdPS9us2sW1-35UpVSfCNqQO-SN2GA-AHLaf1pBocDiNUMlTkXibxnxC5kXQ4U8yRSBAm3KeUs8vgRDStdobLa5_zcZnz8kFF1meJUuWDpnnjHVY1ZKQ4s-WI5nQIjOCR_YA/s320/n295351.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Read August 2010 * * *</span></span></span> <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">"</span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Tess Jarvis has always been one to wing it, but she's fast realizing that her bank of blag is running out of funds. At 28, is it time to grow up? Maybe having a baby with your best friend isn't the best way to start."</span></span></span></i></span></div><div><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px" class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;color:#666666;"><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 20px;font-size:small;" class="Apple-style-span" ><i><span style="FONT-STYLE: normal" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Brianna's Review: I was walking through the book store one day and went to the bargain section, buying this book for $4.99, thinking that when I have no other books to read, I couldn't beat the price. But it was exactly what it was called, a Bargain book, a really good book for a really good price. It is a very quick and simple read, nothing that is going to win any awards or be on the 'top 100 books to read before you die' list, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The main character is cute, and her best friend (father of her child) is the sweetest thing ever. If you get a chance to read this book, or see it on sale somewhere, its worth it!</span></span></i></span></span> <div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/277/DD10C80B1C70DC72CEBEBD9E64825552.png" /></a></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-25597177631149262952010-08-16T14:17:00.000-07:002010-08-16T14:30:17.881-07:00The Forgotten Garden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJzYNKPcTNgjojAu8RZlmeygaGSbwokyz0kBB0F2R37Uc4NUhCNN4zuVq7iqrmf9rjTZL_3jbOmjbK96gjtwBgpdpZflyT29xfSMK1i7Vy1k2yLO9R4usy_i2nUeVSHvsbqTGiLPPFJ4/s1600/forgottengarden.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJzYNKPcTNgjojAu8RZlmeygaGSbwokyz0kBB0F2R37Uc4NUhCNN4zuVq7iqrmf9rjTZL_3jbOmjbK96gjtwBgpdpZflyT29xfSMK1i7Vy1k2yLO9R4usy_i2nUeVSHvsbqTGiLPPFJ4/s320/forgottengarden.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506120118857141138" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Read August * * * * *</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:georgia, serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton.<br /><br />Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.<br /><br />Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth abo</span></span></span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; line-height: 18px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ut their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself</span>.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">"</span></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px; font-family:georgia, serif;font-size:12px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Brianna's Review: This book took me a long time to read, but not because it wasn't good! This book was beautifully written. It is a mystery about a family, starting in the 1900's and ending in 2005. The mystery is good, and as she tells the story in different characters views throughout those years, you get lots of clues, but never know whats going to happen until the very end! I thought for sure I knew how it was going to end, but was quite surprised. It's a story about mystery, love, family, relationships, and how much someone wants to remember the past. The way that the author makes her characters out to be is also really well done. For instance, there is one character in the book (if you read it you will know pretty quickly to whom I am speaking about) who is in all ways like a witch in a fairytale, and the way she writes it makes your imagination grow wild. Another thing I loved about this book is how she incorporates fairy-tales. One of the characters writes fairy tales, and she puts a couple of stories in with the book, and after you read them you can see how they relate to the characters. At the end of the novel when everything comes together, you will be surprised, but happy at the same time that the family mystery is finally solved. This is a book that I would definatley recommend, and if anyone is looking for a book club book, I think this book gives a large amount of topics to discuss. </span></span></span></span></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-45101707028351857052010-08-12T05:29:00.000-07:002010-08-12T05:30:22.430-07:00I'm being pokey!I am still reading the Forgotten Garden, don't take me wrong, its a very good book, but I have been working crazy hours and had 3 wedding this summer! Can't believe its taking me so long, so hopefully after this weekend I will have a review and will get back in my groove!Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-663572573291032712010-07-13T13:36:00.000-07:002010-07-13T13:41:04.376-07:00Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">As someone who reads a lot, I hate not finishing a book. I usually make myself read it no matter how much I dislike it, but this time I can't. Its taken me I don't know how many days to read only 100 pages, its like homework - I had to force myself to read. I got to 100 pages, and decided I could not force myself to read another 230 pages, it would have taken me forever. The writing style is dreadful, and boring, the story is not near as interesting as one would think for it being a book of travelling, and I hate the main character and the story that got her where she was. I have only not finished one book, EVER. This book has just made my second, and I feel guilty doing it. I can't believe people actually recommend this book.</span></span>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-85949109492780996612010-07-05T06:27:00.001-07:002010-07-06T08:20:42.414-07:00Secret Daughter<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nzaooiNYC7_Fp4H9XvLAS-war7Ko75M-jqDX8RzdviHhjMgmrcBmGI2kBE9NudKkadczKFpdqCsHCFitEzGKVrtzve9_Vqyjfx2230_4ptQMynkeUAs8ZCGLQHlibY8B1qC2zrwETO0/s1600/secret-daughter.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1nzaooiNYC7_Fp4H9XvLAS-war7Ko75M-jqDX8RzdviHhjMgmrcBmGI2kBE9NudKkadczKFpdqCsHCFitEzGKVrtzve9_Vqyjfx2230_4ptQMynkeUAs8ZCGLQHlibY8B1qC2zrwETO0/s320/secret-daughter.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490413380345461538" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Read June 2010 * * * * *</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to a baby girl. But in a culture that favors sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughter’s life is to give her away. It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after the arrival of their cherished son.</span></i><span id="moretext" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background- color:transparent;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /><br />Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When she and her husband, Krishnan, see a photo of the baby with the gold-flecked eyes from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion. Somer knows life will change with the adoption but is convinced that the love they already feel will overcome all obstacles.<br /><br />Interweaving the stories of Kavita, Somer, and the child that binds both of their destinies, “Secret Daughter” poignantly explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love, as witnessed through the lives of two families – one Indian, one American – and the child that indelibly connects them.</span></i></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> "</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Brianna's Review: This book was amazing in soo many ways. I haven't read very many books involving culture, and Shilpi Somaya Gowda made this novel, based in India, and California a good and easy read. With her descriptions, I was able to imagine India, and she did it without making the story boring. This book is really about family, and how the two families live within the 20 years with the choices they have made. This book made me want to erase the rest of the world, and just sit and read. The ending cleared everything up beautifully. This being her first novel, I can't wait for her next, truly a moving book and I would recommend it to anyone.</span></span></p></span></span></i></span></span></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-44941666403968940662010-07-03T06:40:00.000-07:002010-07-03T06:41:52.761-07:00'Eat, Pray, Love' Trailer HD<div>I have been meaning to read this book for quite some time, as I have heard it is good and is on many 'must read' lists. Now that it is becoming a motion picture, I think it's time to take it off my book shelf. As soon as I am done my current book I will be starting it! Hopefully I enjoy the book and eventually get to see the movie!</div><div><br /></div><object style="background-image:url(http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/iZzmqHJ0gPU/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iZzmqHJ0gPU&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iZzmqHJ0gPU&hl=en_US&fs=1" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-24048131000888556262010-07-02T16:08:00.000-07:002010-07-02T16:13:13.922-07:00Summer People<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvtoTXtLrdfFeHROx-rNMB8yoibVqESj7B4UOK7C2dBQL9mRdAYxU4viV0k5KOYFHpMu8dO4_h1y10vRPA1XaCBM5Nwy_ovzUsWCrVTXDoDkYUd2KMhWbmwuJ7CfbHi8vEO7sK9pgQa8/s1600/9780312997199.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRvtoTXtLrdfFeHROx-rNMB8yoibVqESj7B4UOK7C2dBQL9mRdAYxU4viV0k5KOYFHpMu8dO4_h1y10vRPA1XaCBM5Nwy_ovzUsWCrVTXDoDkYUd2KMhWbmwuJ7CfbHi8vEO7sK9pgQa8/s320/9780312997199.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489449794308646066" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Read June 2010 * * * * * </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 17px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">``Every summer the Newton family retreats to their beloved home on Nantucket for three months of sunshine, cookouts, and bonfires on the beach. But this summer will not be like any other. When Arch Newton, a prominent New York attorney, dies in a plane crash on his way home from a business trip, his beautiful widow, Beth, can barely keep things together. Above all, though, she decides that she must continue the family tradition of going to Nantucket, and at the same time fulfill a promise that Arch made before he died. Beth invites Marcus, the son of Arch`s final and most challenging client, to spend the summer with her and her teenage twins, Winnie and Garrett, who have mixed reactions to sharing their special summer place with this stranger. Always a place of peace before, Nantucket becomes the scene of roiling emotions and turbulent passions as Marcus, Winnie, and Garrett learn about loss, first love, and betrayal. And when they stumble upon a shocking secret from Beth`s past, they must keep it from destroying the family they`ve been trying so hard to heal.``</span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 17px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><br /></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 17px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;">Brianna's Review: I enjoyed this book even more than I enjoyed the last one. Another quick good read for the summer, and another one making me longing for the days without school and work, where I could just relax at my cottage. At the beginning of this novel, I found myself angry with Beth, the widow, but by the end I got over my anger and just loved the whole book. The nice thing about her endings, is that though they end with everything summarized, and in a good way, but the ending is not always what you may have expected. I loved the characters in this novel, and how close they grow together, it was hard to set down once I really got into it. </span></span></span></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-12544106636969712062010-06-28T05:07:00.000-07:002010-06-28T05:14:59.248-07:00The Opposite Of Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIc7IkntVAU24CI8fCSrJqiyaKIF9MyRtXN4kCyUlbolAendOn83oTi0tzoCS2eHCDdFA8lEuX7XMCTJ4VcihJzeSl5vWDWSPYeYYYIUXkjPMSjq5_w-wQspcpplYMlgDAgVsPY3gp_Q/s1600/final_cover_TheOppositeofMe.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidIc7IkntVAU24CI8fCSrJqiyaKIF9MyRtXN4kCyUlbolAendOn83oTi0tzoCS2eHCDdFA8lEuX7XMCTJ4VcihJzeSl5vWDWSPYeYYYIUXkjPMSjq5_w-wQspcpplYMlgDAgVsPY3gp_Q/s320/final_cover_TheOppositeofMe.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487795051885308514" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Read June 2010 * * * * * </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">"Twenty-nine-year-old Lindsey Rose has, for as long as she can remember, lived in the shadow of her ravishingly beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. Determined to get noticed, Lindsey is finally on the cusp of being named VP creative director of an elite New York advertising agency, after years of eighty-plus-hour weeks, migraines, and profound loneliness. But during the course of one devastating night, Lindsey’s carefully constructed life implodes. Humiliated, she flees the glitter of Manhattan and retreats to the time warp of her parents’ Maryland home. As her sister plans her lavish wedding to her Prince Charming, Lindsey struggles to maintain her identity as the smart, responsible twin while she furtively tries to piece her career back together. But things get more complicated when a long-held family secret is unleashed that forces both sisters to reconsider who they are and who they are meant to be."</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 22px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Brianna`s Review: CUTE! Twins, who are clearly not identical, have two completely different personalities and life dreams. As they get older they drift apart, and barely really talk anymore. Then something happens to bring Lindsey home, and she is stuck spending more time with her sister. I thought this book was adorable, funny, and realistic. I loved all the characters, including mom and dad (they were funny). And of course, what you think would be the main part of this story is the sisters, but there is sooo much more. As far as I know, this was her only novel, but if I see another, I will definatley be reading it. This book makes you want to call up your sister, just because. </span></span></span></span></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-20393736127888307552010-06-22T18:24:00.000-07:002010-06-22T18:27:57.754-07:00Crow Lake<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvy2x-299Zw4LNSKfqoDG1QHiqEH1Y0HVH9y1ZvfvPKR1WGegl3BlLBgXOdVVaRJ0cdQgwb48Krv3-uYnOHbwwDPQ_KiJs5FbGGvoyKyHOj_x4Nnh-SDASOVBB98lf8gxk6NU4q1_OmE/s1600/crowlake.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvy2x-299Zw4LNSKfqoDG1QHiqEH1Y0HVH9y1ZvfvPKR1WGegl3BlLBgXOdVVaRJ0cdQgwb48Krv3-uYnOHbwwDPQ_KiJs5FbGGvoyKyHOj_x4Nnh-SDASOVBB98lf8gxk6NU4q1_OmE/s320/crowlake.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485773953799646642" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Read June 2010 * * * * *</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Mary Lawson's debut novel concerns a young woman, Kate Morrison, a zoologist who is hundreds of miles away from her childhood home of Crow Lake in the isolated regions of northern Ontario. Yet she can't escape the memories of her past, the car accident that killed her parents, her older brother who took her out to the pond to teach her about the wildlife there, and the violence of the neighbors whose lives were intertwined with her family. Embarking on a new love, Kate must come to grips with her past to fashion her own future. This novel has received high praise from almost all reviewers. The Washington Post calls </span></span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Crow Lake</span></span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, "the kind of book that keeps you reading well past midnight; you grieve when it's over."</span></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Brianna's Review: this book was beautifully written. I loved this book from the beginning to the end. It was believable, and understandable, and I love how it is written in the characters view mostly when she was around the ages of 7 and 8. A story that really makes you love your family, and cherish everything that you have. </span></span></span></span></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6466830228497872514.post-5378620174967965582010-06-19T14:24:00.001-07:002010-06-19T14:32:16.674-07:00Barefoot<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cNDMGqXvg-ox9-IpF4A7PYtpGgMVmm5ffadapM_VfTs0QigdEGeF0lq7ymWefFfh0U6jii_C8wRCTuuNmzPeRUCpP222dZtlGfaf6IWFuYebm2VYj_3dstekyvPgWUqEiNoo8k_6yvc/s1600/n224286.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3cNDMGqXvg-ox9-IpF4A7PYtpGgMVmm5ffadapM_VfTs0QigdEGeF0lq7ymWefFfh0U6jii_C8wRCTuuNmzPeRUCpP222dZtlGfaf6IWFuYebm2VYj_3dstekyvPgWUqEiNoo8k_6yvc/s320/n224286.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484599258561027778" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Read June 2010 * * * *</span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">"Three women arrive at the local airport, observed by Josh, a Nantucket native home from college for the summer. Burdened with small children, unwieldy straw hats, and some obvious emotional issues, the women-- two sisters and one friend--make their way to the sisters' tiny cottage, inherited from an aunt. They're all trying to escape from something: Melanie, after seven failed in-vitro attempts, learned her husband was having an affair, and then discovered she's pregnant; Brenda embarked on a passionate affair with an older student that got her fired from her prestigious job as a professor in New York; and her sister Vicki, mother to two small boys, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Soon Josh is part of the chaotic household, acting as babysitter, confidant, and, eventually, lover."</span></span></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></span></span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;">Brianna's Review: Good summer read, really made me want to be up at my cottage! The story is about three women, and a young man named Josh, and they each have their own issues going on, but are all intertwined. I loved all of the characters, and thoroughly liked the ending. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><i></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:verdana;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></i></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrhY4gmFqMeAUbwRXd9ClOBmVa9Hupnk5qUa6XY-JMA46Tb3PGATsUx3lM3S6OLRwyLzKRu3VvPQuPpUMd6KJdGKo-xHxVYZHEUmLW5dpX9RcmPr2Lyfb5Ya6EDQornxJPkc12l8Lmwo/s1600/n224286.jpg"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#999999;"><br /></span></span></a><br /></div>Briannahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052858599652612356noreply@blogger.com0