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 always feel, at this time of year, that when I'm done with classes I'll have heaps of time to complete my household tasks. HUH! double HUH!. Not so.  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are my cleaning days.  Well last Monday, I went to get my eyebrows done and my hair colored so that was that, and Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday I spent at the seniors home with my mom doing a used book sale.  While the sale was a huge success, it was a lot of work and not my housework, so now I have piles of stuff sitting around that needs clearing up.   (along with leftovers from the sale).  So this week I'm not going anywhere, and I'm cleaning and baking.  I'll be stopping to read of coarse.

Last week I finished (reluctantly, I just didn't want this book to end.) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.  I think I may have to go and re-read this one.  This is a 5out of 5 star for me. I chose this book for my Take Another Chance Challenge, so glad I did.  Although I had read many a review, I really didn't expect to enjoy reading the book so much.  I love reading books that are a series of letters.  My boys always say this is a federal offense, BAH! Reading someone else's mail that is.  BAH I say.  I have a whole box of my mother's letters that I must someday organize, but in the mean time I'll enjoy everyone else's publications.  What's up for the rest of my reading week, well I have the remainder of the list for this challenge.  I believe up next should be the Yiddish Policeman's Union.
Let's hope I don't get too involved and burn my cookies.

When you reach me...

Well I've finished my first book "read with earbuds".  As you may recall I'm always so nervous about losing the ability to read with my eyes, so I thought I'd better learn to listen to books, on tape or CD was not an issue, but with earbuds, welllllll that's a whole nother ball game.  But, it I did it, it took me forever but I did it. My mother's day gift from my eldest son was and little IPod thingy, so my youngest has started to put some of my books on and I finally finished my first one.  When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead.

This is the story of Miranda a young girl living in New York City with her mom.  Miranda talks about the stuff that happens at school, her relationships with friends and her best friend Sal. Her relationship with Sal takes on a whole new strangeness when Sal gets punched in the stomach by a strange kid.  And then to top it off Miranda starts getting these strange notes.  A Wrinkle in Time is Miranda's favourite book and time travel is discussed in the book.  Not only is Miranda concerned about getting the strange notes, but also a little frightened by their contents.

My thoughts:  This was an enjoyable read, a little predictable but certainly enjoyable. If I were reading for the time travelling challenge this would have applied.

Teaser Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser:

I could see the terror in Brynn's eyes as she offered the baby to  me.  I told her no. I didn't want to touch her.  So with shaking hands, Brynn cut the umbilical cord and laid her gently in a little bundle on the floor in a corner of the room.
These Things Hidden, Heather Gudenkauf pg. 69

Coal Black Horses....War Through the Generations

Back in May I read a review about Coal Black Horses, on War Through the Generations blog.  I was impressed with the review so I requested the book from our local library.  And although my teaser of yesterday was GROSs, it was a remarkable book, I started the book on Sunday night and stayed up on Tuesday to finish it.  I do admit on Tuesday afternoon, I had to puke whilst reading it.  Nonetheless it was a compelling read a real "GRAPHIC NOVEL" not the normal graphic novel.  Imagine that we are only reading about it, imagine living it.  At any rate this novel is not for the faint at heart, but it is VERY GOOD, even if the subject matter is horrific.

If you're brave you'll immediately request a copy at your local library and read this one...

Where are you Reading,  Pennsylvania

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Dangerous Neighbours... Oh I know those...

I just finished Dangerous Neighbours.  It's been a week of on the buses.  I took Nise's suggestion and read this book.  It's not long, but it sure is good.


I think the only thing I have to say is, this book is most certainly not "just" for AGES 12-up.  It's a big girl book.  

When I think of dangerous neighbours, I think of our first house, in "New Toronto".  The homes in this area were built close to the waterfront, on lots that were previously summer homes, the lots were divided in half and another home was built.  You can imagine that at this time there were not a lot of home owners with multiple cars. Heck there were not that many cars. So we had a mutual drive.  Our home was brick the home sharing the driveway was frame/ with siding.  The couple that lived next door had 2 adult daughters, the husband worked at a tire factory and his wife worked at a grocery store.  They made their own booze.  The husband had quite a temper.  So what started out to be our dream home, soon became a nightmare.  I heard on Thursday that it sold for a mere $729,000 yip you got it big bucks. It was a two bedroom bungalow, with both bedrooms adding up to 9ft x 12 ft. I remember we had to take the closet door down so we could get into bed.  Give me a break! I suspect that the dangerous neighbors don't live there anymore. 

Where are you Reading - Pennsylvania, 
Support Your Local Libaray
Books Read in 2011

Teaser Tuesday...

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
•  

My Teaser
He found Todd Rosenthal standing at the platform's open edge.  He was dangling a cord of spit from his mouth.  Chuck shoved him and watched his body hit the ground.

This teaser probably is not a true reflection of the story line, but it was such a shocking statement that I just had to include it. 


I've just finished reading The Illumination, by Kevin Brockmeier.  I almost feel like the author was winding up at the beginning of the book, it got a bit weird about 3/4 of the way through, but it was by far the most unusual book I've read this year. 

Support Your Local Library 
Where are You Reading- Arkansas (the story line takes place in several areas, but I chose this one as my main one.

Annexed, Sharon Dogar

 

My thoughts: WoW! I read Nise's review some time ago, and although it's been a long time since I read Anne Franks Diary, I was drawn to this story, although it was fictional, just because... I visited Auschwitz when my mom and I visited Poland a number of years ago.  It was the most incredible experience.  It has been something I will never forget, and reading the personal accounts real or factious has been a particular interest for me.  It may seem like a most gruesome interest, but such and important time that I cannot seem to forget.

Where are you Reading (Holland)
Photo of book I own.

Faithful Place, 2nd round of our Read a Long.

Chapters 7-12

Well Faithful Place is thrown into quite  a frenzy, with the discovery of a body, one Frank suspects is Rosie.  Needless to say, his family is as he left them, dysfunctional.  A detective, Frank doesn't particularly like , is assigned to the case.  After much questioning and investigation no real answers are found.  And just when Frank starts to sober up, yet another murder is committed.  Frank is once again thrust into "Family" traditions and devastated once again with the death of someone he cared for deeply.  Kevin, Franks brother is found dead at the same scene of Rosie's burial site.  More questions than answers are found, and Frank is untrusted amongst his community.  After all, things happen when he returns. Although he has been told to stay away from the case, he goes ahead and gets details by manipulating individuals who can give him answers.

What a hunk!

My thoughts, I don't have a clue as to who committed these murders. Twenty two years apart seems like a long time for motive. After all it has been established that Rosie, the love of Franks life, was killed the evening she and Frank were to meet to run off to England and begin a new life.  Frank has for twenty two years thought she left without him. I've been casting the characters of this book as if I were a casting director.  I'm  thinking about Aidan Quinn,for the role of Frank,  but Rosie would have to be Nicole Kidman, Kevin would have to be Christian Bale,after all some of us would want to push Chris out a window when he spouts off, I'm thinking Sandra Bullock as Nora and I'll keep thinking...

Don't forget to read what everyone else, in this challenge ,is saying and thanks to our hostess Carrie at Books and Movies.

The Chocolate War, Cormier

When I began reading this book, I started to think of the chocolate sales that many of our schools still participate in.  I know we never co conspired with any student group to promote or not promote the sales.  But, I must say it is a drive that makes one really go nuts.  We actually had one mother take her daughter out of school for the day so she could get a jump start on her sales.  As the Co-Chair of the council my kids sold chocolates, but were never included in the totals, simply because heaven forbid they win something, everyone assumed it was fixed because I was involved in the sales.  I'm so glad I'm done with that nonesense.  If I could give any parent advise it would be to "pull a Jerry Renault".  The fund raising monies never really did anything significant , in my opinion, and only proved that "fundraising is the government education cut backs at work".  I hate the idea that in this particular story line, this was a Educational Institution and their behaviour is appalling.  One question?  Where were the parents of these boys?  

You can tell that I'm deeply affected by this book.  I was also very shocked to see that it was the 30th Anniversary of it's publication.  SHOCKING!   It sort of gives you something to say to all those individuals that claim things are getting worse, they were never that good according to this book.  I know this is a fictitious storyline but... 

I'm giving this book a 5star, I don't think I'll be getting it out of my mind for some time.  I can't remember who recommended this book on their blog, but thank you.  

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Where are you Reading (New England, I'm saying Maine)

The Ship of Brides...

I just finished The Ship of Brides, Jojo Moyes, what a good story. The books setting is on a Aircraft carrier, headed from Australia to England with brides. Young women who married English servicemen were transported to England to reunite with their husbands. The War is over, and the prospects of a new life are exciting, little do the brides realize the tough life on board a aircraft carrier. My mom came on such a ship to be reunited with my dad. She was brought from Mexico to England. Her trip to Mexico, I believe, from Bombay to Mexico was during wartime, and yes they were on a battle ship. Six weeks below deck, with action happening, yes battles. You can imagine how not excited she was when she had to board yet another ship to be reunited with my dad, who was in England, and then one more time from England to Canada.We didn't really hear of adventures on board, only of adventures in Mexico. 

The Ship of Brides was a historical novel, a little romance a little character development, not at all what my teacher said I should read but nonetheless enjoyable. It was pleasant, an easy read, somewhat longer than I expected, but shorter than Musashi. (but isn't everything).I only almost cried once, or twice. 
I give it a 41/2 *
Chunkster Reading Challenge
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Where are you Reading  
(Australia)

A Year on Lady Bug Farm... I could only dream

My Thoughts.
I enjoyed this book, even though you knew what was going to happen, I loved the relationship between the friends.  I get that relationship, I have a good friend like that, except I don't think we'd ever make it on a farm, neither of us could handle all that disaster, but it's an o.k. dream.

This book was part of my Book Blogger Recommendation Challenge , can't remember what blog recommended it, probably Nise.

Where are you Reading Challenge - West Virginia