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... Earth Hour

So how did everyone spend earth hour?  I was a little confused (what else is new) and thought it was 8-9 p.m. when in fact it was 8:30 to 9:30p.m. so I've added another hour on to the no lights zone.  I had made a tea and brownie prior and sat down to do nothing only to find my tea cold and brownie untouched.  I guess my brain said no lights, must be time to sleep.  My neck is a little crooked today.  

 Beyond that, Sunday Salon finds me "FINALLY" finished  In The Woods, Tana French.  It took me almost a month to read that book, not that it was not good, but I just found some of the parts a little TOO disturbing for me at this point in my life.  I was stumped as to "who dunit" until well into the book.  I really hate the statistics that show it might have been one of the parents. At any rate, In The Woods, was a mystery/thriller, in every sense of the description.  Story set in Ireland, against the backdrop of political intrigue (minor element) and missing/murdered children, and a detective team that are very unusual.  I truly had hoped that there would have been a resolution to the underlying mystery, but the conclusion was well played anyway.

My week has been the usual, I'm on March break this week, and the basement is calling.  I was hard at it yesterday, on the ladder, and the phone just didn't stop, it wasn't until I finally fell reaching for it that I said, "NO MORE CALLS".  My arm is a little sore and my back quite sore.  Today is Palm Sunday so there will be no housework.  My youngest is a little under the weather so I'll be pampering him.  No idea what else.  Maybe some Advil and a rest.  Up next on the reading front is " The Burning Air,' Erin Kelly.

Tony Goldwyn

Quinn

In the Woods was read for the Ireland Challenge and I'm giving it a 4.5stars. I much preferred it to A Faithful Place,also Tana French, although I must say A Faithful Place had me turning pages much faster, I didn't appreciate the end of that one nearly as well. And the characters were more attractive, visual.  If I had to type cast Rob Ryan from the description in In the Woods it might have to be someone like Tony Goldwyn and Demi Moore, don't care for either of them, but Faithful Place would have had to be Aidan Quinn, but only if Johnny Depp was not available.  Oh heck who am I kidding it would have had to be Quin all the way, with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock.  But, Tony Goldwyn looks like the right one for Rob Ryan.  

Reading The Burning Air
Listening to (trying to listen) Miss Marple Investigates.

Have a great weekend. 

Borderlands, McGilloway, Brian

In the old days, when I shared my television viewing with both my sons,we often watch CSI the original one, with Grisom.  Haven't watched much of it lately.  One of the episodes a foot is found as part of the crime scene, and Grisom says: "the games a foot"... or something much like that.  That phrase has always been part of our humorous rant (the boys and I ) like in ... I say, "my feet are killing me" the response would be " well Mom,the games a foot" or "put your shoes away", "well Mom the games a foot" you get the idea.  So as I was cruiseing the posts on the Ireland Challenge the blogger posting after me is "the games a foot" I had to read what he recommended..
http://ignacioescribano.blogspot.com/2011/02/borderlands-by-brian-mcgilloway.html

Borderland, by Brian McGilloway was MUCH better than Faithful Place in my humble opinion.  I must say that I don't think I'd encourage my children to go into law enforcement in Ireland, I'm almost not wanting them to even visit.  I was all packed up and ready to leave, got my passport and everything after reading The Book of Tomorrow  and then I read Faithful Place and hesitated now I'm down right "a feared".
Anyway, loved it, had appropriate twists and turns and way too many bodies for a small town. But, there was rhyme and reason for these crimes, and the ending was not obvious, at least to me it wasn't, and even if it became so, it was almost the end of the book, which is a good reason to label it a page turner.  It was a shortish read, *didn't have to wait for the next train to get some reading done, but recommend it anyway.
 equally unclear.

* I read mostly on public transit, and sometimes if the book is really good I wait for the next train so I can finish it.

Ireland Challenge 2011
Where Are You Reading - Ireland
Support Your Local Library

Faithful Place, Tana French Read along Wrap Up

I Should explain that Faithful Place is a Ireland challenge, read along, hosted by Books and Movies  I needed this challenge to just get me onto reading other authors, other than Agatha, you know I love her. So I jumped in. ..I read the whole book in a few days, I'm just not good at waiting to see what happens, I posted my three previous thoughts earlier this month. 

My Thoughts.
I was very anxious in this book, it was so difficult to put it down  and wait for the scheduled reading that I didn't.  I read and then wrote my posts and used post options to publish.  She had me until chapter 21 and then, I thought you've got to be kidding there must be more, is that all, there must be another twist to this whole thing.  I was sort of hoping that Rosie's dad, who knew she wasn't his child, did it to stop her from sleeping with her 1/2 brother. Am I sick. Or Frank's Da, who knew Rosie was his daughter and tried to stop her. Or he was just drunk and got violent.    Anyway, I'm done. Frank is not as cool as I had first pictured him, so he gets cast differently, it's going to be Nicolas Cage, I'm keeping Quinn for a more appealing role.  I hate that he(Frank)  didn't step in to save Holly sooner, she's a child Frank, not a witness and he's her uncle you dork!  And Shay well that just stupid to stick around for what?  Get help you idiots.  I don't know..  this isn't the 50s where this was a big deal, women leave their husbands who are abusive. And to have  a character, such as Shay, who is obviously hostile be the "murderer" that's just not very creative.  How disappointing.  I was so ticked off that I've passed on Tana's first two books, unread, to my niece, maybe I 'm missing something.  Now I really need to read an Irish author's works that doesn't have the family living on the dol.  How does this country exist if this is the norm, is this the norm?

So the new cast of this  "murder (not so mysterious) mystery is.

I've had to rethink the whole cast and so far, it's Nick Gage as Frank, Stacey Keach as his dad and I'm not sure about the rest.

Ireland Reading Challenge
Ireland Read Along
Chunchster Challenge 2of 6 (do these books make my butt look big level)
Buy One Book and Read it.

Teaser Tuesday

• Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...
• 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!
•  

I followed John's example, and went out into the hall, where Miss Howard was endeavouring to extricate herself from the voluminous mass of veils that enveloped her head.  As her eyes fell on me, a sudden pang of guilt shot through me.  This was the woman who had warned me so earnestly, and to whose warning I had, alas, paid no heed!

The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha Christie from my own collection. (pg. 61)
After Annexed and Faithful Place I needed a comfort read, and it's perfect.

The Book of Tomorrow...

My thoughts:  First off I want to say, I'm getting me one of these books.  I think actually the book was not such a huge part of the story. Tamara is certainly struggling. and I for one have never really considered how a young person would grieve.  It only just occurred to me through Tamara that perhaps my kids will have difficulty when one of their grandparents passes.  I don't know how one helps young people, they are too often not open to help.  I enjoy this book in spite of the "grief" I love the twists and turns, and I loved the historical descriptions of the surrounding "castle" and I particularly loved that Tamara appreciated it.  A good read.  Thank You to the blogger who recommended this one.

Ireland Reading Challenge

Support Your Local Library,

Where are You Reading.

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.

Faithful Place, read a long

I've just finished reading the first portion of our read along.  chapters 1-6.  The book is set in Ireland, in a small village.  We meet Francis/Frank Mackey who is a cop in Dublin, he's introduced to us as a divorced father of one daughter, Holly..  On his weekend with his daughter he gets a call from his sister Jackie.  Other than Jackie,  Frank has been estranged from his family for 22 years.  The call brings him back to his childhood home.  Apparently a suitcase was found containing items which give Frank reason to believe his girlfriend of the time Rose left this suitcase in a house where teens met to do their socializing.  The house had been vacant and was now under construction, the suitcase found stuffed in a fireplace.  Frank returns to his home to discover that his parent had not really changed, and other than deaths and marriages things in his home town are pretty much the same.  When he begins his investigation he soon discovers the possibly of Rose never leaving the abandoned house and calls in a possible crime.  By the end of chapter six we have a pretty good idea that Rose is the skeleton in the basement of Number 16.  Frank is both devastated by losing Rose for a second time and relieved to know that she didn't leave him, as he had thought for the 22 years he has been away from Faithful Place.

My Thoughts:  OOOOOOOOoooo! I love Frank.  I love how French describes the dysfunctional community of Faithful Place.  I know little about the Irish, but from the description in the book, they are people with families and lives much like anyother community.  I have no guesses yet as to the murderer.  And I'm off to keep reading...

Tuesday and things are looking up... way up

Does this ever happen to you?   Do you hear a phrase and immediately think of something totally unrelated? For example when someone says look up, way up  I immediately think of the friendly giant, my son loved that show, and it was so simple. 
So I'm sitting on the train reading, and the phrase is ...She scrapped the martyr's share of the fry up onto her plate and joined us at the table.  This was in reference to the mother of the family.  I can't tell you how many times we refered to our mother as a martyr.  She always had a come back.  Now that I'm that martyr it's not so funny.  Just shows you that as original as you think you are, there is someone saying the same thing to their mothers. 

I'm in the beginning stages of our Irish Author Read a long.  I don't know if I can drag this out to be a month.  So I'm barrelling ahead. 

It was a beautiful crisp, sunny day today, I did a little walking and a lot of laundry.  Re-organized my painting bag and I'm off to do a little piece tomorrow.  I'm so glad the weather man was wrong.  Hope he's still wrong tomorrow.

The Lilac Bus, Ireland Challenge.

An number of years ago I was standing in a line, on a very hot day, and the lady ahead of me finished Quentin's she sighed heavily and said what a good read it was, and asked me if I'd like it. Since there were still many, many people ahead of me, I said " yes". Well that was it for me, I needed to read more, so the next was Scarlett Feather and Echoes and Evening Class, and now when I need a comfortable read I add Maeve Binchy to my list of choices.

This is my first book of my Ireland Challenge.I'm going for "Kiss the Blarney Stone Level 6 books.  I just felt after reading The Bells, I needed to relax a little with some regular folks, with ordinary family problems. What I like most about reading Maeve Binchy is quite honestly the net she weaves with the individual characters. This book is no exception. It  is simply the story of the passengers of the Lilac Bus. As one who travels on buses daily, I think this is an awesome account of those passengers. Ordinary people leading ordinary lives and yet quite extraordinary.

Not a very long read only about 200 pages. I believe this is Maeve's 2nd book, I've decided to read them all in order just to watch her style evolve. I've read quite a few, but there will be re-reads. 

Ireland Challenge-
Support Your Local Library 
Where Are You Reading 

photo of book I own.