Saturday Snapshots

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ AT Home With Books.

Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

Fall 2011 - This year's foliage was not as vivid as in past years, however, (2) weekends ago, I did manage to take a few pictures that seemed worth keeping.  I'm feeling a bit sad as our patio furniture is put away until next year. Snow (1st snowfall) is expected sometime today :(

(Click on photo to enlarge)

(2) weeks later and many leaves are now on the ground

The Leftovers; Tom Perrotta

Title: The Leftovers

Author:  Tom Perrotta
Publication Year: 2011 
Publisher: Macmillian Audio 
Edition: audio book
Reader: Dennis Boutsikaris ( very good) 
Source: Library

Date Completed: 10/27/2011

Setting: Mapleton, (state unspecified)

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes

The Leftovers is a story about the people of the town of Mapleton, who lost family, friends, neighbors and other loved ones when one day they suddenly just disappeared.  It wasn't just some people from this town, but millions of people around the world were also affected.  Their "sudden departure", leaves many believers of the Rapture phenomenon who were left behind stunned and wondering, why the departure seemed to be random. The departed included, non Christians, and non believers alike, while many of the believers found themselves among the "leftovers", here on earth.  Now that everything has changed, those who remain are left to carry on with their lives.

The story begins a few years after the Rapture, with Kevin Garvey, Mapleton’s new mayor, trying to help the members of his town to heal. Yet on the home front Kevin's own life is crumbling. His wife, Laurie, has left home to join a cult called the Guilty Remnant, a group whose purpose is to remind people that the world is coming to an end.  His daughter Jill, once a straight A student is also floundering. She gets involved with the wrong gang of kids at school and her grades begin to fail. Son Tom, decides to drop out of college to follow another cult leader named Holy Wayne, who has multiple young wives.  Even Kevin finds himself confused . He becomes somewhat obsessed with a woman by the name of Nora Durst, who lost her entire family to the "sudden departure", and who can't seem to understand why she was a "leftover" forced to start her life over without them.

Despite the religious overtones, this story really wasn't about religion at all, in my opinion.  As the stories of these people are entwined, it is interesting to see just how each person emerges from their situation in different ways. Each just trying to find a new life that will work for them given what has happened.  I liked this book, but didn't love it. It was definitely thought provoking, and I was glad that I read it.  The audio book was read by Dennis Boutsikaris, one of my favorite narrators. He did a terrific job. The Leftovers, made me think about how much of what some of these people experienced was not so different from losing a loved one unexpectedly, or why when one person dies in a serious car crash, another person in the same car has their life spared. Tom Perrotta has way of making readers think about the big picture in his novels, there is always something to ponder after the final page is turned.

The Grief of Others; Leah Hager Cohen

Title: The Grief of Others
Author: Leah Hager Cohen
Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: Riverhead

Edition: ARC

Source: Amazon Vine

Date Completed: 10/25/2011 

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes

The Grief of Others is a heartbreaking story about the death of a newborn, and how such a loss affects the entire family.  Ricky and John Ryrie's newborn son dies just days after birth, as a result of a serious birth defect. While this situation in itself would be painful enough to deal with, for the Ryries the situation is made worse by the fact, Ricky knew her risk was high for having an infant that might not survive, yet she chose to keep the info to herself, just in case the tests, indicating the possibility of a rare brain deformity, were wrong. She ignores the radiologist's statement that most couples in this situation would opt for an abortion -- for Ricky this was never an option.

When John finds out about the secret Ricky had been keeping from him, their marriage becomes more unstable. To complicate family life even more, while both husband and wife are trying to deal with their own emotional pain and grief, their two other children are dealing with painful situations of their own.  Their thirteen year-old son Paul, is being picked on by school bullies and daughter, Elizabeth "Biscuit", is a mess as well. The 6th grader, cannot understand why her baby brother baby never came home from the hospital. She even attempts a strange funeral ritual for the baby whose life ended before it began.  Sadly, neither child feels like they can count on their parents at this time for answers or comfort, since they are dealing with their own grief.  In addition. there are also two other fairly significant characters who come into the story, both in some ways complicate the situation the Ryries are dealing with, but ultimately they play an important part of the healing process.

The Grief of Others is not a happy novel. I found it quite sad, yet the story was an important one. Each of the characters seemed believable and sympathetic for different reasons.  The author writes well, but at times I felt the writing was a bit too descriptive given the painful subject matter. But, for all the sadness in this book, the ending left me hopeful. In my opinion, when an author can make that happen without making the ending seem contrived, it's a book worth reading. This book is recommended, as long as you are not feeling depressed when you begin it, and the cover is one of the prettiest ones I've seen in a long time.

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating! Want to participate? Post your own WOW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. This book was released this week - 10/24/2011 - published by Simon and Schuster.

Steve Jobs; Walter Isaacson

I decided to splurge for the Kindle Edition when this book was released yesterday.  I'm very interested since Jobs authorized this one.  Like Jobs, both my mom and a brother lost their battle with pancreatic cancer.  

Anyone else as fascinated by this man as me? Do you plan to read his autobiography?

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros ~ The Bent Twig; Dorothy Canfield

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

This week, I wanted to select something written in the early 1900's, and The Bent Twig (1915) seems to fit.

The Bent Twig; Dorothy Canfield

(free Kindle download)

Here's the first paragraph intro:

"Like most happy childhoods, Sylvia's early years lay back of her in a long, cheerful procession of featureless days, the outlines of which were blurred into one shimmering glow by the very radiance of their sunshine.  Here and there she remembered patches, sensations, pictures, scents: Mother holding baby sister up for her kiss, and the fragrance of the baby powder--the pine-trees near the house chanting loudly in an autumn wind--her father's alert face, intent on the toy water-wheel he was setting for her in the little creek in their field--the beautiful sheen of the pink silk dress Aunt Victoria had sent her--the look of her mother's steady, grave eyes when she was so sick--the leathery smell of the books in the University Library one day when she followed her father there--these were the occasional clearly, outlined, bright-colored illuminations wrought on the burnished gold of her sunny little life.  But from her seventh birthday her memories began to have perspective, continuity.  She remembered an occasional whole scene, a whole afternoon, just as it happened."

Mailbox Monday

In October, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit. Thanks Serena !  Hope you all received a few great books last week.

This week's new loot here:

In the Sea of Crocodiles; Fabio Geda

(win from Esme - thanks so much)

The Healing; Jonathan O'Dell

Nan Talese - 2/2012

(NetGalley - eBook)

Obedience; Jacqueline Yallop

Penguin - 1/2012

(NetGalley-eBook)

The Dressmaker; Kate Alcott

Doubleday - 2/2012

(NetGalley - eBook)

Saturday Snapshot

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ AT Home With Books.

Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

Last weekend we took a little ride and came across a small country fair.  These little guys caught my attention, and actually the animals were actually the best part of the ride.  We bought a 10" homemade apple pie for $14.00 that looked wonderful, but it ended up in the trash ---worst pie ever.  Moral of the story -- don't judge a pie by it's beautiful thick outer crust. [ the inside was uncooked and it looked and tasted like someone dumped a tin of cinnamon on the apples]

CLICK on Photos to Enlarge

(see the pure white one underneath)

(this one is obviously photogenic)

(Orthodontist work in his future)

The Days of Abandonment; Elena Ferrante

Title: The Days of Abandonment
Author: Elena Ferrante
Publication Year: 2005

Publisher: Europa Editions

Edition: trade softcover

Source: personal collection

Location: Italy 

Date Completed: 10/17/2011 

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommend: yes

Lately, I've found myself returning to authors that I've enjoyed in the past. Elena Ferrant is one of these authors.  Here is my review of her book, The Lost Daughter, in case you missed it previously. In The Days of Abandonment, the title pretty much says it all. A short novel (188 pages)  but, with a story, and an intro  that packs a wallop.

"One April afternoon, right after lunch, my husband announced that he wanted to leave me.  He did it while we were clearing the table;  the children were quarreling as usual in the next room, the dog was dreaming, growling beside the radiator.  He told me that he was confused, that he was having terrible moments of weariness, of dissatisfaction, perhaps of cowardice.  He talked for a long time about our fifteen years of marriage, about the children, and he admitted he had nothing to reproach with us, neither them nor me,  He was composed, as always, apart from an extravagant gesture of his right hand when he explained to me, with a childish frown, that soft voices, a sort of whispering, were urging him elsewhere.  Then he assumed the blame for everything that was happening and closed the front door carefully behind him, leaving me turned to stone beside the sink."

What follows is the story of a 38 year-old wife and mother with two young child who begins to unravel, losing all sense of normalcy in life with this unexpected announcement by her husband Mario.  Of course, Mario’s confusion is just an excuse, as there is a 20 year-old woman in the picture which is revealed early on. The new woman is actually a student Mario had once tutored, and then began to see on the side.  He told his wife the affair was over, when in fact it was still going on.

Olga was once a writer, but she traded her dreams of becoming famous for marriage and motherhood, and after 15 years of comfortable routines,  she finds herself totally helpless with what has just happened.   Once Olga kept a spotless house, cooked gourmet meals, her home is now in shambles, her children  and  even the family dog , Otto are neglected. She spends her time in desperation, writing  letters to her husband – not even knowing where he is staying.  She spends a lot of time analyzing what and when things started to go wrong in their marriage. She experiences, many of the stages of “death and dying” –denial, anger and rage, a bottomless pit of depression before she moves on to the final stage of acceptance.

She has a hot and heavy sexual encounter with an older man, Carrano, who lives in her building, which could shock some readers. It’s descriptive, complete with foul language and some remorse afterward.  A sad incident involving the family dog occurs, and there is incident when Mario comes over to see the children and she invites him to stay for a meal that really left me chuckling. After several months of watching her own life spiral downward, Olga gradually begins to accept the fact that life as she one day new if will never be the same.

This sparse book was so well written. It was translated from Italian, and the words just flowed so well.  It’s an additive read, told from Olga’s  point of view, which worked perfectly; she was a believable protagonist The story’s ending was hopeful . I invite you read this book, and to go inside the mind of,   “a woman scorned. “

Cold Spring Harbor; Richard Yates

Title: Cold Spring Harbor
Author: Richard Yates

Publication Year: (orig-1986) (this ed. 2008)

Publisher: Delta/Random House

Edition: Trade Softcover

Source: personal copy

Location: New York

Date Completed: 10/10/2011 

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommend: yes 

I'm starting to feel a little sad because before long, I'll have read all of Richard Yate's books.  A wonderful author who really only became recognized after his death. Fans love his marvelous portrayal of the all American family in the 1940-50s America, exposing their warts and all. With Yates, the reader learns quickly that oftentimes, life and relationships just plain suck, and some people just seem to create their own misery.  Cold Spring Harbor, is such a story. It's about unhappy people who make bad decisions to perpetuate their misery. It's was a terrific reading experience.

The novel takes place in a Long Island, New York town just before WWII.  The father figure, Charles Shepard, is a retired WWI Army officer who never fulfilled his military dreams. Three days before the war ended he began to lose his eye site.  He marries a pretty girl named Grace, retires on a small Army pension, and buys a small house in Cold Spring Harbor, but their life is anything but happy.

Grace, is hospitalized for a nervous breakdown, acts like an invalid, and before long becomes an alcoholic.  Her husband Charles does all the housework, the shopping and even fixes drinks for the two of them every evening. Their handsome son Evan's life is just as dysfunctional. He is obsessed with cars, gets in trouble, has fits of anger and no ambition. When Evan's first marriage ends quickly, the twenty-three year-old, moves back home with his parents. One day Charles decides to discuss the situation with his son, as Evan drives him to his eye appointment in Manhattan. When their car brakes down in Greenwich Village, they need to use a telephone and they end up at the pitiful home of Gloria Drake and her adult children Rachel and Phil.

"She may not have been more than fifty, but there wasn't much left of whatever she had in the way of looks.  Her hair was a blend of faded yellow and light gray, as if dyed by many years of drifting cigarette smoke, and although you could say she kept her figure, it was such a frail, slack little figure that you couldn't picture it doing anything but sitting right here, on this coffee-stained sofa.  Her very way of sitting suggested an anxious need to be heard and understood, and to be liked if possible: hunched forward with her forearms on her knees and her clasped hands writhing to the rhythms of her own talk."

Without giving out away too much of this brief (182 page) novel, I'll just say that things go from bad to worse for Evan, and really for both families for that matter. Yates demonstrates with unflinching honesty what can happen when people make bad choices in life. We see what can happen when unrealistic dreams go unfulfilled. Once again Yates has created sympathetic characters, brought together by chance and desperation, characters that you will not easily forget.

The character of Gloria Drake is said to be based on that of Ruth Yate's, mother of the author who had already passed away at the time this novel was written.  From what I've read about Yates, most of his novels are based at least in part on real life situations.

This novel is beautifully written and did not disappoint. I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Literary Giveaway ~ We Have Some Winners!

I was amazed by the response to the Literary Giveaway which began on Saturday and ended today.   The best part of the entire blog hop to me, was discovering so many new blogs in the process. I was thrilled to old friends stop by, and to have so many new visitors as well.  

Thanks so much to Leeswamme's Blog for coordinating this fun event.

Now for The Winners

 1ST PRIZE

2ND PRIZE

Thanks so much to the (105) people who stopped by to enter.  I hope you will all be back to visit again! Join me congratulating the lucky winners.

A Trick of the Light; Louise Penny

Title: A Trick of the Light 

Author:  Louise Penny 
Publication Year: 2011 
Publisher: Macmillian Audio 
Edition: audio book
Reader: Ralph Cosham ( very good) 
Source: Amazon Vine

Date Completed: 10/16/2011

Setting: Canada

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes

Once again mystery author Louise Penny returns her readers the small picturesque village of Three Pines near Montreal for her seventh novel. Most people would expect life in this beautiful village would be peaceful and safe. Not so - another murder has occurred in Three Pines.

In her last novel, Bury Your Dead, an armed raid led by Chief Inspector Armand Gamache does not go as planned and a blood bath results with people dead and the Inspector and his second Lieutenant, Jean Beauvior critically wounded. Beauvior is still addicted to pain meds and his marriage is less than stable as a result.  Several of the characters from the last novel return to this one, so in my opinion, it would be good to read A Brutal Telling, (book 1) and  Bury Your Dead (book #2) before reading this one.

In this mystery, Clara Morrow and her husband Peter are artists. Peter is confident, good-looking, and has had some success as an artist, while Clara, insecure and plain in appearance, has lived in her husband's shadow. She has gone pretty much unnoticed until now.  Finally, Clara is recognized for her art work.  She is having a solo show at the Musee d'Art Contemporin in Montreal. Clara is riding high, while her husband is not exactly thrilled about his wife's recent success.  When an unpopular art critic, Lillian Dyson's, body is found in Clara's garden, after a celebratory barbeque, Chief Inspector Gamache and Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir find themselves with a murder to solve.  Since the deceased has made many enemies, there are more than a few suspects on their list.

What I liked about this audio book -- The reader, Ralph Cosham, who has read other book by Louise Penny, was very good. He uses a French accent so at time, some words were a bit hard to grasp, but I didn't feel like I missed a lot because of it.  Because, there were quite a few characters in the mystery, in some respects, I think that the print version might have been a better choice. Everyone would have been easier to keep track of. If you have never read a book by this author, her mysteries, in my opinion, are more substantial than most cozy mysteries, but yet there is no blood and gore either. The author's greatest ability is to provide interesting characters, and to create a small town feel.  Her characters are often dealing with everyday situations like, relationship problems, addictions, and other emotional issues. Her novels are at times serious, and at other times just plain funny.  One thing that is also true about her mysteries is that there will be plenty of secrets to unravel in the process. As a reader you will always have plenty invested in solving the mystery. I never feel bored with her books.

If you haven't tried this author, you should; a very good mystery.

Waiting on Wednesday; 1Q84; Haruki Murakami

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating! Want to participate? Post your own WOW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. Here's a soon to be released (October 25th) book by an author I've enjoyed a lot in the past.   (I impulsively preordered this one for my Kindle so I would have it on the day of its release).  

Are you a Murakami fan?

1Q84; Haruki Murakami

(About the Book)

“Murakami is like a magician who explains what he’s doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers . . . But while anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it's the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves.” —The New York Times Book Review
 
The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.

A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 —“Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.” Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s—1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

This week's selection is The Marriage Plot; Jeffrey Eugenides - loved Middlesex and Virgin Suicides by this author.

A Madman in Love

" To start with, look at all the books. There were her Edith Wharton novels, arranged not by title but date of publication; there was the complete Modern Library set of Henry James, a gift from her father on her twenty-first birthday; there were the dog-eared paperbacks assigned in her college courses, a lot of Dickens, a smidgen of Trollope, along with good helpings of Austen, George Eliot, and the redoubtable Bronte sisters.  There were a whole lot of black-and-white New Directions paperbacks, mostly poetry by people like H.D. or Denise Levertov.  There were the Colette novels she read on the sly.  There was the first edition Couples, belonging to her mother, which Madeleine had surreptitiously dipped into back in sixth grade and which she was using now to provide textual support in her English honors thesis on the marriage plot. There was, in short, this mid-size but still portable library representing pretty much everything Madeleine had read in college, a collection of texts, seemingly chosen at random, whose focus slowly narrowed, like a personality test, a sophisticated one you couldn't trick by anticipating the implications of its questions and finally got so lost in that your only recourse was to answer the simple truth. And then you waited for the result, hoping for 'Artistic,' or 'Passionate,' thinking you could live with 'Sensitive,' secretly fearing 'Narcissistic' and 'Domestic,' but finally being presented with an outcome that cut both ways and made you feel different depending on the day, the hour, or the guy you happened to be dating: 'Incurably Romantic.' "

What do you think of this first paragraph? 

(I thought it was rambling, but in a good way, if that makes any sense.)

Mailbox Monday

In October, Mailbox Monday is hosted by Serena at Savvy Verse & Wit. Thanks Serena !

I was quite excited as I opened packages from publishers and authors this week. I had blogged about a couple of these books previously as ones that I was looking forward to reading.  Have you read, or are you hoping to read any of these?

• The Marriage Plot; Jeffrey Eugenides (sent by Farrar, Straus and Giroux) - thank you
• The Time in Between; Maria Duenas (sent by Simon and Schuster)-thank you
• Model: The Ugly Business of Beautiful Women; Michael Gross (it Books)
• Bright and Distant Shores; Dominic Smith (Simon and Schuster)
• The Girl on the Cliff; Lucinda Riley (author and Penguin) - thanks so much
• Treasure Island!!!; Sara Levine (Europa) - thanks so much
• Immortal Bird; Doron Weber (Simon and Schuster) - thanks so much

Hope you had a great week for new books!

Saturday Snapshot

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce @ AT Home With Books.

Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.

CLICK on Photos to Enlarge

(not that this tongue needs to be enlarged)

Petite Lily (age 8) and the longest tongue ever:)

This is the sweetest cat ever - I want to clone her.

Literary Giveaway Blog Hop

The Literary Giveaway Blog Hop hosted by Leeswammes’ Blog, runs from Saturday, October 15th through  Wednesday, October 19th. More than (50) bloggers are participating, each participant will be giving away some literary selections in the process.

If you are a new visitor to my blog, I'd describe it as a mixture of book reviews: generally, literary or contemporary fiction, with some non fiction, with an occasional review of a childrens book I may find delightful.  I also like to showcase soon to be released books that appeal to me and, I've been known to post occasional photos I take, hoping that some readers might enjoy a change from just books now and then.

For first time visitors, I hope you will become regular visitors after today. If you are an old friend, THANK YOU, as you all make blogging worthwhile. I LOVE COMMENTS, and while I do like to respond to comments via email, for some reason, not everyone's comments link back to an email :( I still haven't figured that one out, but I'm with blogger so I know at least some of you understand).

THE GIVEAWAY

• 1st Prize - You select (1) Literary Fiction Title from Amazon.Com ( $20 max)
• 2nd Prize - New Trade Softcover - The White Woman on the Green Bicycle; Monique Roffey

 (about the book)

A beautifully written, unforgettable novel of a troubled marriage, set against the lush landscape and political turmoil of Trinidad
Monique Roffey's Orange Prize-shortlisted novel is a gripping portrait of postcolonialism that stands among great works by Caribbean writers like Jamaica Kincaid and Andrea Levy.


When George and Sabine Harwood arrive in Trinidad from England, George is immediately seduced by the beguiling island, while Sabine feels isolated, heat-fatigued, and ill-at-ease. As they adapt to new circumstances, their marriage endures for better or worse, despite growing political unrest and racial tensions that affect their daily lives. But when George finds a cache of letters that Sabine has hidden from him, the discovery sets off a devastating series of consequences as other secrets begin to emerge.

 

DETAILS for a Chance to Win

• Open to US and International residents
• If you are new to my blog and have never commented here before today, you MUST become a follower to be entered in giveaways.
• One entry per person  - just leave a comment with a way to contact you if you win
• You Need not have a blog to enter
• GOOD LUCK to EVERYONE who gets entered
• Winners will be selected after 8PM on the East coast on Wednesday - October 19th
•  THANKS so much for stopping by. I hope you stop by again sometime.
• Now I'm off to visit your blog.

BLOG HOP and GIVEAWAY PARTICIPANTS 

1. Leeswammes
2. Devouring Texts
3. The Book Whisperer
4. Seaside Book Nook
5. The Scarlet Letter (US only)
6. Rikki’s Teleidoscope
7. Bibliosue
8. Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea
9. The Book Diva’s Reads
10. Gaskella
11. Lucybird’s Book Blog
12. Kim’s Bookish Place
13. The Book Garden
14. Under My Apple Tree
15. Helen Smith
16. Sam Still Reading
17. Nishita’s Rants and Raves
18. Ephemeral Digest
19. Bookworm with a View
20. The Parrish Lantern
21. Dolce Bellezza
22. Lena Sledge Blog
23. Book Clutter
24. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (US only)
25. The Blue Bookcase
26. Book Journey (US only)
27. The House of the Seven Tails (US only)
28. In One Eye, Out the Other (US only)
29. Read, Write & Live
30. Fresh Ink Books

31. Living, Learning, and Loving Life (US only)
32. Bibliophile By the Sea
33. Laurie Here Reading & Writing Reviews
34. Amy’s Book World (US only)
35. Teadevotee
36. Joy’s Book Blog
37. Word Crushes (US only)
38. Thinking About Loud!
39. Kinna Reads
40. Sweeping Me
41. Minding Spot (US only)
42. Babies, Books, and Signs (US only)
43. Lisa Beth Darling
44. Tony’s Reading List
45. SusieBookworm (US only)
46. Tell Me A Story
47. Close Encounters with the Night Kind
48. Nerfreader
49. Mevrouw Kinderboek (Netherlands, Belgium only)
50. Boekblogger (Netherlands only)
51. In Spring it is the Dawn
52. No Page Left Behind
53. Elle Lit

 

Why I LOVE My Kindle and Free Kindle Library Books

One year ago if anyone were to say if I tried reading books using a Kindle, I wouldn't care if I ever read a print book again, I would have said, "NO WAY".  But guess what happened, just (1) year later.  I LOVE my Kindle, and if I could afford to exchange all 600 of my paper books for eBooks, I'd do it in a heartbeat, to carry my whole library with me 24/7. 

To me it's easier on the eyes, easier on my hands which sometime get numb holding hardcover books, and I can highlight quotes, make notes with relative ease, and I only have to charge it about every 4 weeks.  Right now I have about 200 books on my Kindle, but I can have as many as 3,500 - an attainable dream - knowing me! Seriously, I'm pretty selective with what I download. I don't download books just because they are free. It has to sound like something I'd really want to read. Recently, I joined NetGalley and love the ability to preview some soon to be released titles, even though the format can often be a bit funky at times.

But, a new amazing discovery now has me hooked.  In Massachusetts, if you have a public library card for any library in the state, you can get a Boston Public Library Digital Library Card number.  The selection of Kindle-ready eBooks is amazing and the process couldn't be more simple.  I can create a wish list, place holds, and when the item is available, I have (5) days to check it out and the (14) days to read the book.  They even send you an email (3) days before the download is due to expire so that you can speed up your reading for that download. Popular new books often have multiple copies, and although there might be a wait list, it goes pretty quickly, and there are so many other great books to choose from that you'll always be able to find something good to download.

Have you tried Kindle eBooks from your library? What did you think?  If you haven't tried free Kindle Library books available in your state, maybe it's time to check it out, and save yourself a lot of money in the process.

FREE KINDLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKS

(Info from Amazon Website)

Check Out a Public Library Book for Kindle

You can borrow Kindle books from your local library's website, and, with the click of a button, have them delivered to your Kindle device or free reading app.
Instructions:

1. Visit the website of a U.S. library that offers digital services from OverDrive.
2. Check out a Kindle book (library card required).
3. Click on "Get for Kindle." You will then be directed to Amazon.com to redeem your public library loan. You may be required to login to your Amazon.com account -- or create a new account -- if you're not already logged in.
4. Choose to read the book on your Kindle device, free reading app, or Kindle Cloud Reader.

Note: Public library books require an active Wi-Fi connection for wireless delivery to a Kindle device. Library books will not be delivered via your Kindle's 3G connection. If trying to send to a Kindle device and do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, you may instead choose to load your library book via USB. Both Mac and Windows users can manage Kindle content through a USB connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is this book not available for Kindle from my local library?

Availability of books and length of loan will vary by library. We recommend you check with your local library for more information regarding the availability of public library books for Kindle.

Will I be notified before my public library book loan expires?

Yes. Three days before the end of the loan period, we will send a courtesy reminder e-mail about the loan expiration. Once the loan period has ended, an additional e-mail notification will be sent. Availability of books and length of loan are determined by your local library.

How do I view the status of my loan?

You can view the status of a public library book for Kindle from the Manage Your Kindle page. Click on the "+" symbol next to any title to view more details about any book that you've borrowed including the expiration date.
You can also access all of the materials that you currently have checked out on your library's OverDrive-powered website. Within your library's digital site, look for links to My Account, My Bookshelf, or something similar.

What happens to my notes and highlights after a loan expires?

You can always access their notes and highlights through kindle.amazon.com, even after a book expires. And if you check a book out again, or purchase it from Amazon.com all of your notes and highlights will appear in the book as before the loan expired.

Are public library books for Kindle available internationally?

At this time, public library books for Kindle are only available at U.S. libraries.

What Kindle devices can I read public library books on?

You can read borrowed Kindle books on any generation Kindle device or all free Kindle apps, as well as in your web browser with Kindle Cloud Reader. Public library books require an active Wi-Fi connection for wireless delivery to a Kindle device. Library books will not be delivered via your Kindle's 3G connection. If you are trying to send a library book to a Kindle device and you do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, you can load your library book via USB instead.

How do I send library books to my Kindle device or reading app?
Once a public library book has been redeemed, you can send it to any registered Kindle device or reading app from the Manage Your Kindle page. Public library books require an active Wi-Fi connection for wireless delivery to a Kindle device.
Library books will not be delivered via your Kindle's 3G connection. If trying to send to a Kindle device and do not have an active Wi-Fi connection, you may instead choose to load your library book via USB. 

Darkness, My Old Friend; Lisa Unger

Title: Darkness, My Old Friend 
Author:  Lisa Unger

Publication Year: 2011

Publisher: Random House Audio

Edition: audio book 

Reader: Nancy Linari ( very good)

Source: Library 

Date Completed: 10/10/2011

Setting: New York

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes

Having enjoyed all of Lisa Unger's earlier books, I was anxious to return to The Hollows, after reading her last book Fragile.  It would be good to read Fragile first, but not absolutely required.

The Hollows is a sleep rural town full of secrets.  Willow Graves, age fifteen, and her mystery writer mother, Bethany have relocated from Manhattan to The Hollows after her parent's divorce.  Willow has a hard time adjusting to life here; she just doesn't seem to fit in.  She likes to fabricate stories to make herself seem more interesting, and she gets in with the wrong crowd as well.  Despite her behavior, I felt sorry for Willow, as high school is difficult enough without beating to a different drummer, as was the case with Willow.  Early on, one day Willow decides to leave school early, and while cutting through some woods, she sees a man digging a massive hole, with what looks to be a huge bag near by.  He spots Willow when her cell phone begins to ring. Startled she drops the phone and runs all the way home. He however, has he phone ----

Jones Cooper is recently retired from the Hollows Police Department. He moonlights doing odd jobs for neighbors and watching their homes while they are away.  He's encouraged to do some PI work, and eventually agrees to help look into the disappearance of a woman year's earlier at the request of her adult son.

Eloise Montgomery, lost her husband and son in a car crash and nearly died herself. She survives, but  when she recovers she finds she has psychic abilities, which are both a blessing and a curse.  She teams with Jones to try and solve the disappearance.

There are a few lesser characters as well, but the commonality for everyone in this novel seems to be the fact that each person has a dark secret from their past or "darkness" in the present which they need to confront.  There was a lot going on in this mystery / psychological thriller.  The setting created by Unger seemed ideal for this particular story, and although the story wasn't perfect, I remained anxious throughout to see how the story would end.  I liked this novel, it held my interest, but I thought the ending was a bit predictable.  The reader Nancy Linari, did a terrific job. 

Have you read this one or other novels by Lisa Unger?  What did you think?

The House of Tomorrow; Peter Bognanni

Title: The House of Tomorrow
Author: Peter Bognanni

Publication Year: 2010

Publisher: Penguin

Edition: eBook

Source: Library Kindle Download

Location: Iowa

Date Completed: 10/5/2011 

Rating: 4/5

Recommend: yes 

Sixteen year old Sebastian Prendergast is not your typical teen.  He's been an orphan since both of his parents died in a plane crash when he was just six years old.  Sebastian has lead a sheltered life ever since, living in a geodistic dome in Iowa with his elderly and somewhat eccentric Nana Josephine.  His Nana does not believe in  public school education; she thinks its "myopic and wrong".  As a result, he is home schooled by Nana using the teachings of a futuristic 20th century philosopher.  Nana believes its up to Sebastian to save humanity.

To supplement Nana's pension income they give tours of their dome, and run a little gift shop inside as well. One day while the two are giving a tour, to the Whitcomb family (mother and teenage son), Nana suffers a stroke and is hospitalized. The Whitcomb's bring Sebastian out from his bubble dome and into their home. It is here that Sebastian experiences a new kind of family. Janice,is  a newly separated mother; she has a teenage somewhat misunderstood, brat of a daughter, Meredith. She also has a son, Jared about Sebastian's age. He has medical issues and problems of his own. It is here that Sebastian gets to experience some of the things teens at that age face: smoking, rock music, the opposite sex. A fun coming of age novel.

This debut author did a terrific job creating a believable character in Sebastian. His depictions of situations and the boys reactions to the outside world seemed accurate and appropriate.  In some ways he even reminded me of the boy in A Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night Time, even though Sebastian was not autistic. This novel is laugh out loud funny at times, as Jared and his sister are not your ideal role models by any means. Somewhat social misfits themselves, they too long for acceptance and friendship.  Even though at times I felt sad for some of the characters in this novel, ultimately, the story left me hopeful, and wondering if a sequel might be someday in the works.

A few other blogger reviews for this novel can be found here: Booklady's Blog; Book Chatter and The Crowded Leaf.

Waiting on Wednesday - I Hadn't Understood; Diego de Silva

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating! Want to participate? Post your own WOW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. Here's my pick (I think it sounds awesome):

I Hadn't Understood; Diego de Silva

Europa Editions - February 28, 2012

(description)

Malinconico is a Neapolitan lawyer without a single case. He goes through the motions every day, leaving for the office punctually, shuffling papers when he gets to the studio he shares with a group of un-gainfully employed professionals like him. His personal life is a shambles: his wife has left him, his two teenage children are rife with adolescent angst and busy screwing their lives up royally. And his professional life, as noted, is nonexistent.

But one day a miracle occurs. Indeed, two! The first is that he is assigned a case. And not any old case! He has been named the defense attorney for a member of the Neapolitan underground, Mimmo the Burzone. The second miracle bears the name Alessandra Persiana-the most beautiful woman to ever grace the Neapolitan courthouses -who, it appears, has fallen in love with Malinconico.

However, the real miracle for readers in this rollicking novel is the hilarious and eccentric voice of Vincenzio Malinconico. The novel orbits around the bizarre and irresistible mind of Malinconico, a mind that pauses to contemplate every aspect of the life he sees before him, the life he has lived, his memories and his future; a voice that seduces, entertains, and moves the reader from the first page to the last.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

Every Tuesday, I'll be posting the opening paragraph (maybe two) of a book I decided to read based on the opening paragraph (s). Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

This week's selection is a Europa Edition by an author I enjoyed previously, Elena Ferrante.

The Days of Abandonment; Elena Ferrante

"One April afternoon, right after lunch, my husband announced that he wanted to leave me.  He did it while we were clearing the table;  the children were quarreling as usual in the next room, the dog was dreaming, growling beside the radiator.  He told me that he was confused, that he was having terrible moments of weariness, of dissatisfaction, perhaps of cowardice.  He talked for a long time about our fifteen years of marriage, about the children, and he admitted he had nothing to reproach with us, neither them nor me,  He was composed, as always, apart from an extravagant gesture of his right hand when he explained to me, with a childish frown, that soft voices, a sort of whispering, were urging him elsewhere.  Then he assumed the blame for everything that was happening and closed the front door carefully behind him, leaving me turned to stone beside the sink."

Would you continue reading this one based on the opening paragraph? (I want to kick him in the butt already...LOL)