I have been so blessed lately by the books that I have won in the various blog contests. Thanks to all the bloggers who have made those opportunities available. I too am going to start doing giveaways on my blog as well. You have to return the favors. I have only just learned how to do this blog the correct way, so I am finally getting it slowly, but surely. I am also committed to the blog tours, which I love so very much. I feel priviledged to review a book and post it on my blog. I try not to take that for granted.
What I am really frustrated with currently though, is that my "to be read" list is growing quite large and it seems like I do not have enough hours in the day to tackle the stacks of books like I would like to.
Am I alone in this? Does anyone else feel this same way? I do work full time, and my attempts to read at bedtime, still does not get me through the average novel as quickly as it used to. But I will keep reading on as my love of books is like my love of life itself. There are so many great authors out there to discover it is like a great adventure everyday!
Here's to the journey ahead of us...even though we have those yield signs and bumps in the roads and stop signs that keep us from finishing those books faster than we would like.
Deborah
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Book Review-Saving Cicadas by Nicole Seitz
Saving Cicadas is a book unlike any book that I've ever read. It's the story of a single mother, Priscilla Macy, who learns she has become pregnant with a third child. It is an unwanted child that she carries.Feeling like she is at a crossroad in her life, she packs up her family,8 year old daughter,Janie,17 year old Rainey who has Down Syndrome, Mom, Mona, who is the meanest grandmother in the world (at least it seems to Janie) and Father Poppy, into the car and begins a journey of searching for answers.
The trip seems aimless until Janie realizes they are searching for the father who left them years ago. When they can't find him, they make their way to Forest Pines, SC. Priscilla hasn't been to her family home in many years and finds it a mixed blessing of hope, buried secrets, and family ghosts.
Through eyes of innocence, Janie learns the hard realities of life and the difficult choices grownups make. And she must face disturbing truths about the people she loves in order to carry them in the moments that matter most.
Seitz chose to tell this story using the voices of eight-year-old Janie and her grandma, Mona. I thought Janie’s voice was totally believable, and the story worked with her telling it. I didn’t think Mona worked as well, mostly because of her reserve. Mona told information that was vital to the story, but her character was mean and cold, a major difference to Janie’s. I understand why Seitz used Mona to tell the story, but the only reasoning I could come up with for the harshness of the transition was that some of the story matter itself was harsh and Mona was the one who exposed it. Although I believe Seitz’s story was well worth the telling, I found myself not believing the book, and that made it a less enjoyable read.
The trip seems aimless until Janie realizes they are searching for the father who left them years ago. When they can't find him, they make their way to Forest Pines, SC. Priscilla hasn't been to her family home in many years and finds it a mixed blessing of hope, buried secrets, and family ghosts.
Through eyes of innocence, Janie learns the hard realities of life and the difficult choices grownups make. And she must face disturbing truths about the people she loves in order to carry them in the moments that matter most.
Seitz chose to tell this story using the voices of eight-year-old Janie and her grandma, Mona. I thought Janie’s voice was totally believable, and the story worked with her telling it. I didn’t think Mona worked as well, mostly because of her reserve. Mona told information that was vital to the story, but her character was mean and cold, a major difference to Janie’s. I understand why Seitz used Mona to tell the story, but the only reasoning I could come up with for the harshness of the transition was that some of the story matter itself was harsh and Mona was the one who exposed it. Although I believe Seitz’s story was well worth the telling, I found myself not believing the book, and that made it a less enjoyable read.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Great Interview
Hello my friends!
Our Book Club had a great speakerphone interview today with author, Mary Connealy. We found her to be very delightful and funny. I was not surprised, of course. It was so easy to pass the phone around and everyone had several questions that they wanted to ask her. She was snowed in at her home in Nebraska, so she was not planning on going anywhere today. We all learned more about her, how she got started writing, that she wrote for several years before she finally got published, but she did not give up. We are so glad she did not, because she is a very talented and gifted author! The ladies in our group look forward to reading more of the books that she has written and has in the works, as well.
We also voted on the books for the next 2 months. February's Book Selection will be "Ruby's Slipper's" by Leanna Ellis, and for March we will be reading "Watch Over Me" by Christa Parrish. Both of these books are going to be GREAT reads. Those of you who were not able to make it today, you were sorely missed, but please get your books and join us these next few months, we are going to have a fun-filled reading year!
If you go over to Lucie's blog, she will be doing a giveaway for "Watch Over Me" and you might be the lucky winner of that book!
Blessings* Deborah
Our Book Club had a great speakerphone interview today with author, Mary Connealy. We found her to be very delightful and funny. I was not surprised, of course. It was so easy to pass the phone around and everyone had several questions that they wanted to ask her. She was snowed in at her home in Nebraska, so she was not planning on going anywhere today. We all learned more about her, how she got started writing, that she wrote for several years before she finally got published, but she did not give up. We are so glad she did not, because she is a very talented and gifted author! The ladies in our group look forward to reading more of the books that she has written and has in the works, as well.
We also voted on the books for the next 2 months. February's Book Selection will be "Ruby's Slipper's" by Leanna Ellis, and for March we will be reading "Watch Over Me" by Christa Parrish. Both of these books are going to be GREAT reads. Those of you who were not able to make it today, you were sorely missed, but please get your books and join us these next few months, we are going to have a fun-filled reading year!
If you go over to Lucie's blog, she will be doing a giveaway for "Watch Over Me" and you might be the lucky winner of that book!
Blessings* Deborah
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