It's Monday,what are you reading? Sanctuary Line

Book Description from Amazon.ca

Release Date: May 1 2012

A highly acclaimed national bestseller, Sanctuary Line is a riveting story of family legacies, love, betrayal and loss by award-winning author, Jane Urquhart.

Set in the present day on a farm at the shores of Lake Erie, Jane Urquhart's stunning new novel weaves elements from the nineteenth-century past, in Ireland and Ontario, into a gradually unfolding contemporary story of events in the lives of the members of one family that come to alter their futures irrevocably. There are ancestral lighthouse-keepers, seasonal Mexican workers; the migratory patterns and survival techniques of the Monarch butterfly; the tragedy of a young woman's death during a tour of duty in Afghanistan; three very different but equally powerful love stories. Jane Urquhart brings to vivid life the things of the past that make us who we are, and reveals the sometimes difficult path to understanding and forgiveness.

my thoughts:

Why I read this book? as   many of you may have presumed, I enjoy historical fiction.  In my effort to read at least 10% Canadian authors, I chose to read this book based on the conversations by the author and our news anchor on November 11, 2013 during the Rememberance Day celebration.

They went on and on, on the topic of repatriation of our fallen soldiers from Afghanistan and the Highway of Heroes, since I've always felt interested in this spontaneous phenomenon, I thought I'd give this novel a try, thinking I'd gain some special insight.  FORGET IT! it wasn't until page 165 this was briefly mentioned and I got NOTHIN' out of that.  This was singularly the most boring book I have ever read, the ending was predictable, the story line not exciting at all, yet there were elements that could have been.  I want to march in protest, on the over pass of the Highway of Heroes, she did not do it justice at all. 

I'm ever so glad I didn't buy this book. I loaned it from our library.  It will be some time if ever  that I read this author at again. 

  This is a weekly meme run by Book Journey!

Sunday Salon...

Sunday Salon finds me winding down from a lovely day spent with family and friends.  We celebrated the baptism of our Grand Niece.  She was lovely, her siblings, were very lively today.  Delicious food, good company and lovely weather.  EXCEPT I forgot my camera. So no pics.  I finished reading The Welsh Girl.  

Summary

Set in the stunning landscape of North Wales just after D-Day, Peter Ho Davies's profoundly moving first novel traces the intersection of disparate lives in wartime. When a POW camp is established near her village, seventeen-year-old barmaid Esther Evans finds herself strangely drawn to the camp and its forlorn captives. She is exploring the camp boundary when the astonishing occurs: Karsten, a young German corporal, calls out to her from behind the fence. From that moment on, the two foster a secret relationship that will ultimately put them both at risk. Meanwhile, another foreigner, the German-Jewish interrogator Rotherham, travels to Wales to investigate Britain's most notorious Nazi prisoner, Rudolf Hess. In this richly drawn and thought-provoking work, all will come to question where they belong and where their loyalties lie.

While I find the summary of the book somewhat accurate, it does not mention the evacuees, or the family that surround Esther, or her trials.  I enjoyed this book, because you do know that there must be two sides to a story, well here Ho actually shows us more sides.  A good crossection of "views" of the war and the difficulties everyone must have felt. 

I can't remember who recommended this book, but thank you. 

Chains, a readalong,... week one

Today is week 1 of our group read-a-long of Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson.  This week we read chapters 1-10, Here are a few questions to get us talkin'.  Thanks to War Through the Generations for hosting.

1.  What are your first impressions of the book so far?
 I don't know why, but when a book opens with a death, it always piques my interest, I'm morbid that way.  I like Isabel, and I'm curious about Ruth.  I do however think that their situation is all too common in that day and time. I'm not sure Curzon would have approached Isabel so soon, wouldn't they be a little more cautious, although,  since they , slaves are not considered people/?  I like the feeling that the battle is about to begin, I'm morbid that way.

2.  When we meet Isabel after the death of her owner, why do you think she turns to the tales of ghosts to guide her?

I think ghost stories were very much the norm, I can remember my mom telling us stuff like that, so I do think Isabel turning to her ghost mom for guidance is very typical of the time.  Superstition is a big thing in some cultures,  not to mention that the girl is in desperate need of an adult to help her.  She's grasping at the only thing she knows how to do.

3. Once under the control of the Locktons, do you think Isabel has the ability to protect herself and her sister? Just herself? Just her sister? or Neither?
Quite the contrary, I think Isabel has no hope of protecting herself and her sister.  She is literally at their mercy.

4. Do you think Isabel does the right thing by seeking out Curzon with information about the Locktons, or do you think it makes more sense for her to take Becky’s approach and stay loyal to the Locktons, no matter her opinion on the war, in order to keep her and Ruth safe?

I have to admit, I admire her bravery, but think it's a dangerous thing for a slave to defy their masters, they could beat her, kill her and Ruth without even having to explain themselves, should they find out.I'm for a safe existence, much like Becky. I'm enjoying this book so far, and I'm not sure I can drag out reading it for a month. 

It's not too late to join in, the chapters are short. 

Here is the Reading Schedule, Discussion on Fridays:
Sept. 1-6: Chapters 1-10
Sept. 7-13: Chapters 11-24 (end Part 1)
Sept. 14-20: Chapters 25-36
Sept. 21-27: Chapters 37-45 (the end)

It's Monday what are you reading?

Sheila at Book Journey hosts this weekly event where we celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week.

 I just finished reading this book, excellent, right up my alley.  I love historical, and a good story line,with a little romance.  What sort of threw me was I was watching some antique show and there was Murrow, with Frankie's recording machine. Talk about freaky. (or a machine like Frankie's, I should say)
Up next is Chains, a read along with the War Through the Generations Gang. I haven't done a read along this year so it's time.  enjoy your week.

photo taken of book I own

Teaser Tuesday... Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English

My Teaser today is not from a book, it's from the mailman. He's such a tease. I deduced that a large envelope meant some kind of offer for further study, I phoned my eldest to discuss, and we concluded at 10 p.m. (yes I waited all day, the tease arrived unusually early) Yes, my son received a large envelope with a return address that was most acceptable. (Usually it's Amazon.ca, he orders a great # of books.) Since it's a federal offense to open mail not addressed to you,or so my boys keep telling me,  and I really wanted him to get the good news first, I had to watch it sitting there ALL DAY.  YES it is good news.  He's been offered admission to a Graduate Studies Program.  WOO HOO! his mother is delighted I think he is too. I will enjoy yet another first day of school.  After grade eight they really didn't want to pose for pictures, but knew their mother would nag the cr_p out of them if they didn't.  WOO HOO again.

On the other front of reading, I've finished reading Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English, Natasha Solomon.  I REALLY enjoyed this story.  I don't know why I have a link to refugees, and England but I do. Perhaps it's my parents being refugees and the many stories we listened to about their encounters throughout those years in their lives we will never really understand, or perhaps it's a previous life I'm remembering (time travel you know).   I loved all the characters and the story line delightful.  I know how Sadie felt trying to remember her mother and father, and holding on to the past that was so sacred to her.  How brave refugees are,imagine leaving everything you know to trade it in for a life that you thought would be a whole lot safer and happier and then to find out it was not all that you thought it would be AND never being able to go back. I remember some forty years ago, when my parents first returned to their homeland for a short visit.  I was with my mom, she hadn't seen her brother since he was twelve and here he was middle aged, she knew little about them and yet the visit seem to flow together as though they had been together all those years.  She darn near died when she saw the shambles her family home was in.  WAR is such a waste of everything.  My parents, just like the Rosenblums, rebuilt their lives and became proud Canadians, but one wonders?

I read Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English as part of my Regan Arthur Challenge
I'm also reading off my shelves this summer, no new books for at least June, July and August and I'd like to say part of the War Through the Generations Challenge WWII, but I'm a couple of years late on that one, so we'll say it's part of my What's in a Name.


Up next, The Wisdom of Hair, Kim Boykin.

Crime Fiction Alphabet... Catch up

The Alphabet in Crime Fiction - a Community

This week's letter is the letter A

Here are the rules

By Friday of each week participants try to write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week.

Your post MUST be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction.
So you see you have lots of choice.
You could write a review, or a bio of an author, so long as it fits the rules somehow.
(It is ok too to skip a week.)
You probably won't have to do a lot of extra reading in order to participate, but I warn you that your TBR  may grow as a result of the suggestions other participants make.
Feel free to use either of the images provided in your blog. The Alphabet in Crime Fiction is hosted by Mysteries in Paradise.

I'm late, I'm late, I'm late.  I missed the deadline for this meme, but thought I'd include my recent read.

   A while ago Purple Sage and Scorpions introduced me to Charles Todd, so naturally my first post for this meme is An Impartial Witness, Charles Todd.  These mysteries appealed to me particularly because I'm reading for the War Through the Generations Challenge, and had sort of had enough of descriptive war terrors.  I want to read more about regular people during the war years, and how their lives were affected by the war.  So her we go... from Charles Todd Home Page.

An Impartial Witness: A Bess Crawford Mystery

 I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery.

Scarecrow in Gray... Barry D. Yelton

Show me five:

1.  the book I read was Scarecrow in Gray, Barry D. Yelton

2.  Two words to describe it:  Civil War Fiction

3.   The book is set in the south, we follow the last 8 months of the civil war with a young man from Rutherford County who has volunteered, reluctantly to join General Lee's army.  Francis, walks to meet with the army, he meets a neighbor and they stay together throughout the duration of the war.  

4.  What I liked about the book an what I didn't like about the book.

I liked the characters for the most part, I like the fact that these men hated killing in the war, that they felt for the enemy, and each other.  I liked their loyalty to one another, to their families, to their country, and how honorably they served.  I like the faith in God they had, and were willing to share.

I didn't like the fact that it was a bit slow.  It was quite graphic, and I found I had to read it in bits.  The characters were very stereo typical southerners.  I'm ever so glad there were no banjos.  I think anything bad that could happen, happened to this group, a little unbelievable, particularly in the short span of their travel.  Almost like the author needed to tell all the stories he could think of through these characters.  I would have liked to know a little more about what happened to them after their arrival at home. 

5 five stars or less for the book.  While I liked this book, I needed to finish it, just to see what happened.  I knew the main character would live, (too many spoilers throughout the book). I give it a 3.5 stars.  I read this book as part of my Civil War Challenge, I felt I read so many books from the point of view of the Northerners I needed to see the Southerners point of view.  I think the scene that will be in my mind for some time is the "piles of limbs" amputated from many a young soldier on both sides of the battle.   Horrific.

Photo of book I own.