I haven't been reading as much as I was during the winter months.  Even though hubby bought me a Kindle for Christmas and I have been downloading a bucket load of free books on it, I haven't been reading them.  I don't know what I think I am saving them for but I know that I will eventually get around to reading again.

Don't think I am not reading at all, though, I have been.  I have been reading books on diabetes, cooking books, self help books, and many others that I didn't feel that would interest anyone.  But, duh, they interest me so I should blog about them, right?  Not that anyone is out there reading my blog but it's a fun way to keep track of what I have been reading.

Well, the latest book I got from the library is on how to make concrete ornaments for the garden.  We are currently working on making a leaf bowls from rhubarb leaves.

We have our first one done and curing but we are not 100% happy with it, so we want to make another this weekend, if we have time.

If you have more rhubarb leaves than you know what to do with, try this fun project.  Warning: all the ingredients you have to buy 'add up' so if you decide to do it, make sure you get enough 'stuff' to make several for gifts!

Have fun and happy reading!!

Char

Friendship Bread: A Novel by Darien Gee

Oh what a wonderful book!!!  A downright 'Feel Good' book about how one small gesture can bring about a big change in the lives of so many people.

Julia Evarts and her 5 year old daughter, Gracie come home to find a small gift of a loaf of bread and a bag of starter on their doorstep.  There is just the note, "Hope you enjoy it".

Julia has suffered a loss and subsequently has been estranged from her parents and sister ever since.  This is a wonderful story of how this one loaf of bread starts a domino effect spreading through the small town of Avalon.

Julia, with the encouragement of her daughter decides to go ahead and bake the bread and then she decides to share it with two people she just met,  the owner of a newly opened Tea Salon, Madeline Davis and Hannah Wang de Brisay, a concert cellist, who has found herself unsettled in her marriage and career.

The rest of the story revolves around these three women as they meet at Madeline's Tea Salon and become better acquainted and then get involved in a huge benefit to help another town who have been hit by a storm and eventually figure out what they need to do with their lives. 

The author also has a website where you can go and print off the recipe for the starter and over 190 recipes for Friendship Bread.  There is even a member forum where you can ask questions and get help with different issues concerning your Friendship Bread.

Pick up this book, I don't think you will be disappointed!!!  I got mine via my local library and had it sent to my Kindle.

She also writes under Mia King.

Enjoy!!!

Char

Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever who saved him

Long title but good book!

Basically the story is about a soldier that returns from the war in Iraq, disabled, both mentally and physically.  He eventually enters a program where returning disabled soldiers are paired up with a service dog and the rest of the book is about that and how they are perceived out in public....how they aren't always welcomed because the man doesn't 'look' disabled....or blind.

The book delves into his experiences during the war, his dissatisfaction on how the war was handled by both Presidents Bush and Obama, so be forewarned if you can't take criticism of your political views.   I found his honesty of how things were handled hard to take at times because we always want to 'think' that our soldiers are being well taken care of....but he lets the readers know, up front and personal that this is not always the case.

It made me uncomfortable, at times, knowing the things he had to endure that weren't necessary....all because of politics and I found myself skipping over some parts because they did make me uncomfortable.  I don't normally read stories about war but found I had to in order to get the whole gist of the story he was trying to tell.

I just fell in love with Tuesday and I think you will too.  It will also enlighten you as to what a 'service' dog really does.  They are not only for the blind but also others that suffer from physical and mental disabilities.

Just be forewarned, it's not a 'feel good' book...although it has 'feel good' parts.....but, it will make you stop and think!

Char

The Devil in Pew Number Seven

This is a true story told by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo and how she grew up in a Christian home and from the age of 18 months old, their being terrorized for years by a member of a church her Father pastored.

The man that tormented their family for years went to their church, although not a member, but had tons of money and influence over this church until this Pastor took over.

It started at church with little gestures and disruptions during service and escalated to phone calls in the middle of the night and eventually setting off dynamite near their home numerous times, trying to run the Pastor over with a car and escalated to the eventual killing of the Pastor's wife.  But, I am getting way ahead of the story.

What the book is really about is forgiveness and Rebecca tells her story of how she and her brother chose to forgive this man for the years of tormenting he put their family through.  

I cannot for the life of me understand how this was allowed to go on for as long as it did, by the other community members, the police and whoever else was involved...but it did.

It also proved to me, once again, how a person/people can get so wrapped up in what he/she/they believe is right and are going to win no matter what the cost to others.   

It was a very interesting read and I found my emotions running the gamut!

Char

Murder in Plain Sight by Marta Perry

The first book in the Amish suspense series is "Murder in Plain Sight".  

There is a murder in an Amish community and an Amish boy is accused of it.  Almost the entire town believes he is guilty.

In comes Jessica Langdon, a big city lawyer, who needs to save her career by taking on such a case.  Only one person in the town believes he is innocent and she has hired Jessica to defend him.

The woman's grown son, Trey, thinks he is guilty but Jessica must rely on him because he has ties to the Amish and she is not at all familiar with the Amish community and their way of living.

The book keeps you guessing.

Kindle Reading

Well, on Christmas Eve, I joined the many others who are reading books via an e-reader.  My hubby bought me a Kindle Touch for Christmas.  I wasted no time going to Amazon and downloading a lot of free books.

I like reading via my Kindle but I also like reading the 'old' way...a book!  :-)  It will be nice to have my Kindle for when I am in between library books.  I seem to go back and forth...Kindle/library book/Kindle/library book and yes I do know you can rent books from the library onto your Kindle but not all titles are available at my library. :-)

I have started, once again, keeping track of the books I have read and I am trying to see if I can read 50 books this year.  That's about one book a week.  So far, so good :-)

The first book I read this year was "Coming Home, Whitetail, Minn. Series" by Julie Sellers.

Here is a description from Amazon.com.

When Lillian's husband learns he's the cause of their infertility, he's gone before morning. Lillie does what any self-respecting woman would do, she turns to Ben and Jerry's and refuses to leave the house. Eventually, she has to venture out to replenish her supply of Phish Food, and runs into her mother-in-law, struggling with the care of her special needs niece.

Ashamed by her self-indulgent behavior, Lillie finds strength she didn't know she had to create the family she'd always wanted. Later when Jonathan returns, Lillie hopes to find the closure she lacked from his speedy departure. But instead, he needs a favor and Lillie's the only one who can help. She knows the best thing to do is to forget the past and put her crumbled marriage behind her...or is it?

Sometimes coming home, isn't to a place on the map...but a place in your heart.


This is a full length novel of approximately 72,000 words or 288 pages.

Hope you enjoy it!

Char

Back to reading...

Hmmm, now that's not correct because I HAVE been reading, just not blogging.  I don't know where the time goes.

I have fallen so far behind in keeping up with my blog and keeping up my reading spreadsheet,  So, I have decided to just 'let it go' and start from square one.  I will start a brand new spreadsheet on January 1 and will challenge myself to read at least 50 books.  The last time I challenged myself to read 100 books and I read 159 in a year's time.

I think one book a week is a good challenge and hopefully, I will exceed that :-)

I recently finished two books by Richard Paul Evans, "The Walk" and "Miles to Go".

The Walk is the story of a man, from the Seattle area, who loses EVERYTHING including the love of his life and after deciding not to end his life, he packs the bare necessities and makes a decision to walk to Key West, FL, the farthest point on his map.  Along the way, his experiences and the people he encounters and the lessons they share with him,saves his life and will encourage you.

 Miles to Go is the sequel to The Walk.  Alan makes it as far as Spokane, WA before he encounters some hoodlums that jump him and stab him multiple times.  He wakes up in a hospital not able to do the very thing he set out to do, WALK.  A mysterious woman, that he happened to help earlier, on his route, gets called by the hospital and he ends up going to her home to recover and get his strength back.

As it turns out, he ends up being used to save her life before he returns to his journey months later.

The next in the series is "The Road to Grace" which is due out in 2012.  Can't wait!!!

Enjoy your day!!!

Char

Let's Do Lunch by Roger Troy Wilson

No really, this is the title of a book I just finished.  You have to admit, the title is catchy!

The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®.

The author, Roger Troy Wilson, lost 230 pounds and has kept it off for years.  In his book, he tells you how he came to write this book and sharing the plan that was revealed to him by God.

In his book, Roger explains the plan and then gives pointers on eating at fast food restaurants, stocking your shelves, making wise choices at salad bars and parties, conquering cravings and even gives you a 14 day meal guide and a section of recipes to get you started.
I felt that he explained the program so that anyone could follow it.  Although I, personally, would miss some of the things he suggests that you go without to lose the weight, I would be eating healthier than I am now.  It certainly does make sense to eat this way for a healthier body!  It just may be the eating program that I could incorporate into my lifestyle.  No more calculating points, weighing my food and and journaling,  you have to love that.

If you would like to check it out, here is his website:  http://www.letsdolunch.com/ 
 
Happy Reading,

Char

Catching up once again

Summer is almost over and maybe I can get back into a routine of reading and posting.  I HAVE been reading, just not posting.

My Granddaughter did it...she got me to read an Amish series by Wanda Brunstetter.  I just finished my first series by Wanda Brunstetter.  It is called  "Daughters of Lancaster" series.  The first book is "The Storekeeper's Daughter", then "The Quilter's Daughter" and finally "The Bishop's Daughter".

The author does a wonderful job of introducing you to each character in the first book and then having you follow along as she unveils a little of each character's life through out the series.  Of course the books basically follow the lives of a few characters throughout the series.

I enjoyed this series immensely.  I have to admit to getting a tad impatient towards the end, though, when the 'secret' was to be revealed to everyone in Lancaster County but someone or some thing would keep interrupting that person each time he went to reveal that secret.  GRRRRR!  But, I guess it made for 'suspense'. :-)

It's been fun reading the same books as my Granddaughter and then being able to discuss them afterwards.  It was so hard for her, at times, to not give away anything since she had already read them :-)

Well it's off to start another book.  I think I'll take a break from Wanda Brunstetter and read a mystery/thriller next.

Have a wonderful day!

Back to blogging

I have been reading, just not blogging.  Our life has taken a little unexpected turn of events since last March. Things have finally sort of calmed down somewhat so now I am back to blogging once again.

I haven't done a ton of reading, but since the first of the year, some of the books that I have read include:

Fit to Die by JB Stanley

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

I have to say that One Tuesday Morning was the first book I had ever read by Karen Kingsbury and I am SOLD on that author.   I will definitely be reading more of her books.  I loved how she intertwined the  fictional stories of several different people that had lived through 911.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

 Sarah's Key was excellent.   I just know that my heart broke for this little girl going through what she did.  I kept hoping against hope that the ending would be different than it was.

Here is an excerpt from Google
.
Just Take my Heart by Mary Higgins Clark
7th Heaven by James Patterson
8th Confession by James Patterson
And, of course, what can I say about James Patterson.  He is what he is.....an EXCELLENT author.  I have The 9th Judgment sitting on my bedside table waiting to be read, next..

Right now, I am finishing up"Hand of Fate" by Lis Wiehl.  GOOD author.  She also wrote "Face of Betrayal" which I had read prior to this one.

 AND, my 15 year old Granddaughter has found Wanda Brunstetter books and she has been reading them non stop.  In fact, we will be heading to the library when I am finished with this post.   She has yet three more of her books on hold there :-)  I am thinking I need to read them also.

So many books....so little time!!   Now that I have somewhat caught up, I can start sharing each book as I read them.

Ok, we are OFF to the library.......see ya next time!!!

Hugs,
Char

Left to Die

Oh gosh, must be on a thriller kick!! I think it's time to change genres for the next book :-)

Left to Die written by Lisa Jackson was another page turner.

A serial killer is on the loose. Four bodies have been found in the woods around Grizzly, Montana. Brutally tortured and left to die in the freezing cold...naked!

Their only clues.....the women have all been killed the exact same way with only a few clues left by the killer, himself.

One being cryptic notes that supposedly make up a phrase of which will eventually give them the clue to his identity and a star carved in the trunk above their heads.

But, the clues come sporadically, not in order.

Will the detectives find the killer before all the clues and, worse yet, victims are found?
What makes this even more exciting is the introduction of a copy cat trying to kill and have the blame fall on the original killer. But, the killer doesn't follow the serial killer's exact MO and messes up on the clues left behind.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was at the end.......you have to get the next book to find out who the serial killer is......but you do find out who the copycat killer is. But, it's been ordered from my library....so hopefully, I should find out soon! Chosen to Die is the sequel.

I'll definitely read more by Lisa Jackson.....not only because I liked her style...she's a native OREGONIAN!!!

Sworn to Silence

Linda Castillo, another new to me author. While I enjoyed this book, I don't normally read thrillers but I wanted to read something outside the norm for me.

Basically, though, I checked it out because it had an Amish theme.

Synopsis (taken from FantasticFiction.com)

Kate Burkholder, who grew up in the Amish community of Painters Mill, Ohio, before leaving for the outside world and the study of law enforcement, has recently been appointed Chief of Police in her former hometown. Her knowledge of the Amish, their language and customs, makes her the perfect candidate. When a serial killer, whose spree sixteen years before was dubbed The Slaughterhouse Murders, returns with spectacular violence, Kate is determined to catch him. But she is also desperate to keep a secret from her past: the reason she fled the Amish world is that she was the young girl the killer attacked before disappearing - and she killed him in self defense. No one knows, except her Amish father and brother who helped bury the body. So who is behind the current murders? And what is the connection to Kate's past?

It does keep you going right to the end!!

Lots of books to share

Wow, It's been a busy summer and I am so behind in blogging my books. Actually, to tell ya the truth, I didn't keep really good track this summer :-(

But, I will attempt to get myself back up to speed with the books I feel were my best reads.

This was my first time reading anything by
Jennifer Erin Valent, "Fireflies in December". I will definitely be reading more by this author.

When Jessilyn Lassiter's best friend, Gemma, loses her parents in a house fire, the Lassiter family take the girl in. The only trouble is, Gemma is black, the family is white and the year is 1932 and they live in a small Virginia town.

This author shows how one family endured the threats small and large of a prejudiced community while maintaining their moral integrity.

I give this book an A+

Face of Betrayal

Face of Betrayal by Lis Wiehl

This book was recommended by Bill O'Reilly, on his nightly show. He interviewed Lis Wiehl, a Fox news commentator, and after listening to her talk about the book, I just had to get it from the library! She wrote this book along with April Henry, a mystery author.

Seventeen year old Katie Converse is a Senate page in D.C and is home for Christmas break visiting her parents in Portland, OR when she disappears while walking the family dog.

This case attracts the attention of three women, FBI agent Nicole Hedge, Federal Prosecutor, Allison Pierce and TV reporter Allison Shaw who make up their mind that they are determined to find Katie and bring her kidnapper to justice.

Only, things take on a whole new perspective when it's found out that Katie wasn't the picture of innocence that her parents portrayed her as. When it's found out that she had an affair with a Senator and the Senator's career could be in jeopardy if this hits the news, the plot thickens and it's a road of twists and turns till the ending.

Great book!!! Can't wait till her next one comes out in April of 2010 called "Hand of Fate".

Before Green Gables

Before Green Gables by Budge Wilson

What a FUN FUN read!!! If you have read the Green Gables series....and even if you haven't.....you have to go get this book and read it.

This is an authorized prequel to the popular series by L. M. Montgomery's classic series about the red-haired orphan knows as Anne of Green Gables!! (With an E)

Set in Nova Scotia, the author allows us to get to know Anne's parents and then follow her after she is orphaned at 3 months old by her school teacher parents.

We read as Anne ends up in a myriad of foster homes, through various circumstances and watch her build up hope, that finally she found a home, only to find that once again happiness is snatched away from her.

Until finally, she goes to an orphanage and then is adopted by the Cuthbert's.

FUN and interesting read!!!

Columbine

Columbine by David Cullen

Ten years after the Columbine tragedy, David Cullen offers his eyewitness testimony and research that went into his telling of this horrific event.

It does take some getting used to as he jumps back in forth in time, but he gives insight into the massacre and suicides and clarifies misconceptions that soon followed the tragedy.

He includes not only survivor interviews, writings from Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold but also gleanings from police reports.

He documents his resources at the end of the book.

This book was a very interesting read, not only because it's a true event but because he offers so much information and insight into the two boys that performed this act and the survivors as well.

The Judges

The Judges by Elie Wiesel

I don't know what my problem was with this book. Yes, I did make myself finish it, but I also found myself skipping parts because it seemed the book skipped forward and back in time and it just didn't keep my interest. I really have to say, it didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. I guess I still am a little confused about it all.

Please, someone read it and let me know what I missed out on....cause I don't think I would recommend it to anyone.

Here is what my library had to say about the book:

It's hardly surprising that Le Monde called this latest from Nobel Peace Prize winner Wiesel astonishing, though harrowing is another word that comes to mind. When a plane bound for New York from Tel Aviv makes an emergency landing, five passengers find refuge with a stranger who slowly compels them to reexamine their lives. Then he announces that the least worthy will die.

Blood of the Prodigal

Blood of the Prodigal by Paul L. Gaus

This mystery is set in Ohio among the Amish. A Bishop's grandson, Jeremiah, disappears. The bishop turns to a local "English" professor to help locate the boy, as he really doesn't want the whole matter to go public by contacting authorities. He feels that the grandson is with his father, who was banished from the community 10 years earlier.

Eventually, the Bishop's Son is found.....dead......shot to death near the Bishop's farm...but still no sign of his grandson.

With no other recourse, the case does go public as the professor works with the sheriff and his deputy to solve the murder and find the grandson.

Mystery Read-A-Thon

Hi,

I just joined a 12 hour Mystery Read A Thon over at http://mysteryreadathon.blogspot.com/

It will be June 7th, you pick the 12 time slot :-)

First time I have ever done anything like this, but it sounds FUN!!! One whole day set aside to do nothing but read mysteries.

Come on over and join me!!!

Hugs,
Char

Quaker Summer

Another great read by Lisa Samson.

Quaker Summer is a story about Heather Curridge who has what some would call, EVERYTHING, a successful, loving husband, a wonderful teenage son, a beautiful home and a life most would envy. But, Heather feels as if she is falling apart on the inside.

She buys, buys, buys and does, does, does....to help fill that inner void within herself. But is her affluence keeping her from the will of God?

When her Son is the target of bullying, at school. Heather struggles over the guilt of her own past of bullying two less fortunate children.

Through unusual circumstances, Heather ends up at the home of two elderly Quaker women and through their example, she comes to learn what it is she is actually seeking...forgiveness and a purpose in life.