Sunday Salon...Kindred, Octavia Butler

Sunday Salon finds me enjoying the sunshine, it's cold outside, but sunny, a perfect day to see that I missed washing windows... Ha Ha.  they'll have to wait for warmer weather.  

I finally finished reading Kindred, Octavia Butler.  As I said I'm not a big fan of time travel but, gave this book extra effort to finish.  Octavia's mentor was Harlan Ellison, which is "the word" around here, according to my son.  Well Harlan... I don't know?  It was o.k., but it didn't keep me turning the pages anxiously, had it not been for Harlen, I would have abandoned it.  I persisted, the end took too long to come and yet I wondered what happened to everyone in the book.  I do have to say that Dana and Kevin must have had a strong marriage, I'm not sure I could do that.  What you ask?  travel in time, an unpleasant dangerous time. How does one adjust?  Now I'm glad that Dr. Who is not my doctor. 

What's next, the Paying Guest, Sarah Waters.  

Happy Reading.

It's Monday What are you reading?

It's Monday again, it seems to come so quickly.  I'm just starting to feel better, after some kind of stomach bug.  Let's just say toast and tea are my diet stand bys. 

I'm still reading The Forgotten Seamstress, Liz Trenow.  I thought I'd read off my shelves, (notice the plural, shelf)  and I had further thought I should inpire myself to sew, so hence the choice of book.  WELL, I had not expected to read yet another story line of mental health and how we/they dealt with unfortunately ill individuals, not to mention women. 

I'm not done, unfortunately not feeling well curtailed my reading adventures, but, it's a seriously moving storyline... where will it end?  I'm not disappointed yet.

It took me a while to get into opening it, it's the book hangover thing from Perfect. 

it's Monday what are you reading?...

The Illusionist, Jennifer  Johnson

The Cay, Theodore Taylor

The Angel Makers, Jessica Gregson

This week I finished three books, shocking, two of which were quite short.  The Cay is described as a children's book.  I'm not sure that is the case, it is certainly a book told from the child's perspective.  I really never knew or should I say never thought about the impact of the war in the Caribbean. I felt that I had read extensively on the WWII and never thought about the Caribbean.  What a good story  The relationship of a young boy, in a lifeboat, and of a big black man.  Their survival on a small island, for many months.  They overcome prejudice, and hardship, thirst, and storm, and finally become good friends.

The Illusionist, the story of a young woman, and her daughter living a life of strangeness.  The Illusionist is just that, he creates an illusion around his life with his wife, and daughter and it isn't until he dies that the illusion bursts.  A story of a wife's abuse if not physical, certainly emotional.

and then The Angel Makers

Well this is yet another story of life in a very small Hungarian village, based on a true story.  Now this is an unusual look at life during WWI.  It deals with superstition, life in a very small community, post traumatic disorder, domestic abuse and yet love.  I believe these stories, simply because often my mom would talk about some of the goings on in her village.  Education for women and men was limited, those who embraced teaching their daughters to read was rare, let alone encouraged.  A wonderful look at interaction of POWs and villagers, people who really weren't affected by war directly except for the loss of husbands and sons.  Odd things happen during a war, perhaps a new look at the enemy?  Highly recommended.

It's Monday What are you reading?A Bitter Truth, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend

 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 use  this weekly meme as a way to give short, concise thoughts on the books I've read.

Sheila at

Good morning all,  it's Monday what are you reading?  Well,  I just finished two books, the first being : A Bitter Truth , Charles Todd. (forgot to scan the cover, sorry).  This was a Bess Crawford Mystery.  Bess is a nurse, serving during the WWI in France.  On her occasional return to England to visit her family, she encounters "mysteries".  I particularly like the relationship between Bess and Simon.  Simon is the silent superhero in Bess' life/mysteries.  Each of these mysteries is a connection to the war and the behind the lines adventures of infidelity and crime. This one focused on orphans of soldiers, left behind when their mothers are killed and fathers return to their wives in England.  The heartbreaking events occur often, soldiers nurses become "fond of" die.  Orphans go missing or are doomed to lives of hardship.  All the while the aristocrats complain about not having enough  luxury.  I love the cars that need to be cranked, and the idea of "dressing" for dinner.  (as you know I like to be in pajamas, my idea of dressing for dinner). I read this book for the War Through the Generations Challenge, and thoroughly enjoyed Bess and Simon and one cannot help but wonder, "where will this relationship go".?  While I like a good love story,  I also think it's so very rare to have a steadfast relationship between a man and a woman based on devotion, loyalty and respect, no sex. So we shall see...

book # 2

memoirs of and imaginary friend, Matthew Dicks.  I suspect the title without capitalization is due to the fact that the imaginary friend doesn't know, or was not imagined to be grammatically correct.

An excellent book.  I thought I'd be more annoyed at the narrator being a young boy,(as I was in The Bear) but if I had read this book when my children were very young,  I would have learned to behave as a better parent.
This is a story narrated by the imaginary friend, of a young boy, with issues.  He's bullied in school, labelled and loved.  He has huge difficulties relating to others, but is very bright.  He is thrust into a scary situation and manages to deal with it, much to the surprise of his parents.  I really hate when parents are portrayed as the bad guys, but perhaps that is what children feel.  I'm sure this is all a passage of time.  However, a must read for anyone ... but especially for mom/dads.  Enlightening and scary all at the same time. I may have Book Hangover.

Up next:  The Illusionist.

Sunday Salon...Tell the Wolves I'm Home...

I just finished this book.  WOW! it's definitely going on the list for the top ten reads of the year.

 description from Amazon.ca
 1987. There’s only one person who has ever truly understood fourteen-year-old June Elbus, and that’s her uncle, the renowned painter Finn Weiss. Shy at school and distant from her older sister, June can only be herself in Finn’s company; he is her godfather, confidant, and best friend. So when he dies, far too young, of a mysterious illness her mother can barely speak about, June’s world is turned upside down. But Finn’s death brings a surprise acquaintance into June’s life—someone who will help her to heal, and to question what she thinks she knows about Finn, her family, and even her own heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even though it took me way too long to finish it.  I laughed and cried, not necessarily at the same time.  I have Nise to thank for suggesting this wonderful read, Russian Teapot and all...

 Sunday Salon finds me in a reflective mood, if only because, my body is aching from gardening, and the usual household tasks.  I don't normally do gardening or any real gardening until July 1st.  Canada Day.  Historically it's been the first opportunity I've had to get at it, consequently I had planted perennials to show their blooms before then, making it look like I've been slaving away, when in fact I've been busy elsewhere.  But, the weeds didn't get the memo.  So Saturday is a good day to begin the weedin'.And what a lot of weeds have survived this harsh winter.  the plants not so much.  I've lost all my water lilies, and couple of roses and the evergreens look tired.  I managed to clear off the patio weeds, and only dropped one stone on one finger, I won't be flipping anyone off for awhile, it hurts too much.  Today it's on to the rose garden, what's left of it.  Apparently my nursery is open on Canada Day so I'll be heading out to get a few things.  I do have to say that about 5 minutes into the weedin' a red spider bit me, and it hurt like the dickens,  I though I might be radioactive and you could call me Spider Woman, even today it's still a hard spot.  After our major house improvement, (which has only just begun with the roof replacement) I think I may call someone to level my patio, I've already paid Dan for this job, but it's taking too long to get it finished.  NEVER HIRE A RELATIVE.  I'd like to get rid of the ugly pavers and put in some flat field stone,  more my style, it would also blend in quite nicely with the pond surround.  But for today... Let get those weeds out,  I may even crash and read a bit.  

It's Monday What are you reading? This Dark Road to Mercy

I just finished reading "This dark road to Mercy, Wiley Cash" .  I pretty much read it in one day, (S. Vincent was marking exams/essays or something and I had to be quiet, so no vacuuming or anything going).  It was good.

from amazon, book description
After their mother's unexpected death, twelve-year-old Easter and her six-year-old sister Ruby are adjusting to life in foster care when their errant father, Wade, suddenly appears. Since Wade signed away his legal rights, the only way he can get his daughters back is to steal them away in the night.
Brady Weller, the girls' court-appointed guardian, begins looking for Wade, and he quickly turns up unsettling information linking Wade to a recent armored car heist, one with a whopping $14.5 million missing. But Brady Weller isn't the only one hunting the desperate father. Robert Pruitt, a shady and mercurial man nursing a years-old vendetta, is also determined to find Wade and claim his due.

Now I'm saying it was good but,  I have a few questions, I almost need to re-read it, did I miss something.  O.k.  I got the Brady Weller background and the Wade background, but Pruit? not sure where all the anger came from.  Did I miss something? And what happened to Marcus?in the end. 

I loved Easter and Ruby, what a couple of sweethearts.  And I liked the ending, I didn't believe that Brady would do what Easter thought he did, either.  I mean really, sometimes the law is not always good for the kids, and sometimes it fails them miserably. The ending I liked was Wade doing what he did.

I didn't read this book for any particular challenge, it was just a good book, a few loose ends for me, but good.  I'd recommend with a 4 star rating.

Up next:  The Painted Girls.