Time for the hop...

Hooray for Friday!

I'm kicking off this Friday the right way by participating in the Friday Blog hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books. It is so simple, you link up your blog and then visit others who have done the same. Its a great way to connect with other bloggers.

Visit Crazy For Books and add your link. Make sure that you blog about it as well so those that visit you have a place to say hello!

If you've come to my blog from the hop, welcome! I read and review a variety of books. Once again this week has been kind of crazy so I don't have a lot of new content up. I do have a bunch of reviews in the pipeline. I'd love to hear from you, check out my blog and say hello.



Thanks for visiting!

Kids Corner: The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

The Very Busy Spider came to us as part of monkey's Easter basket. I'm learning that you can't really go wrong with anything by Eric Carle. On several occasions monkey has picked this one up and can read it to us based on the pictures. I absolutely love that.

The illustrations are typical of Carle's works and the story is lyrical. These are the reason why these books are so wildly popular with the little ones.  It is a great little board book for the toddler set.

Stealing Lumby by Gail Fraser

Synopsis from the back of the book:

Just a dot on the map of the Northwest, Lumby looms big in the hearts of its residents. The townsfolk consider one another family as well as friends. And though the annual cow race can bring out the competitiveness in people, when times get tough, there is no better person to turn to than your nearest neighbor...

Inn owners Pam and Mark Walker are up to their ears in new projects, including planting gum trees for their bees to produce rare honey and expanding their critter collection. But the big news of the day is the theft of The Barns of Lumby, one of the most important paintings of the twentieth century. Town matriarch Charlotte Ross has a very personal connection to the painting- and to the artist, Dana Porter. And as a media frenzy descends on the little town, one of the two actual barns disappears from the landscape- and pieces of it begin showing up all over town in the oddest places...

My thoughts:

The second book in the Lumby series features many of the same characters as the first. We get to know some of the supporting characters from the first book even more. Charlotte Ross is Lumby's much loved matriarch who we meet in The Lumby Lines but we really get to know her in Stealing Lumby. One of the main plot in Stealing Lumby has to do with a painting by artist Dana Porter called The Barns of Lumby. It is in this storyline that we get to know Charlotte while she reminisces about her youth.

We also meet Katie Banks, the current owner of the land on which the famed Barns of Lumby sit. Katie is Lumby's goat farmer that provides milk and cheese to the town. The townsfolk are fiercely protective of her, and she is pretty defensive herself. These two elements make for an interesting story.

We can't forget the monks of Saint Cross Abbey, the Walkers of Montis Inn and of course Hank each making their appearances in the story.

This is such a fun series, I can't wait to see what happens in the next installment. Someone commented in my review of The Lumby Lines that it sounds very cozy. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. What a great way to spend a rainy or snowy day. Curl up with a blanket and your favorite warm beverage and spend some time with the townsfolk of Lumby. They will draw you in and keep you entertained.

Disclaimer: I received my copy of Stealing Lumby from the publicist in exchange for my honest review. Thank you Caitlin.

Let's do the Hop!

Its FINALLY Friday!  Yay!

I'm kicking off this Friday the right way by participating in the  Friday Blog hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books. It is so simple, you link up your blog and then visit others who have done the same. Its a great way to connect with other bloggers.

Visit Crazy For Books and add your link. Make sure that you blog about it as well so those that visit you have a place to say hello!

If you've come to my blog from the hop, welcome! I am a new blogger and read and review a variety of books. This week has been kind of crazy so I don't really have any new content up, but there are some great things in the pipeline.  Check out the blog and let me know what you think.



Thanks for visiting!

The Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser

Synopsis from the back of the book:

Nestled in the Northwest is a quaint little town that its quirky residents are proud to call home. With charming shops lining its one main thoroughfare, Lumby has the oldest apple tree in the county and the smallest bank in the state. And though it's hours from the nearest big city, you'll always find Lumby close to your heart...

Nearly destroyed by fire, Montis Abbey remains a ruin on the outskirts of Lumby. Once home to a resourceful order of monks, it stands abandoned, surrounded by its overgrown orchards. Then Mark and Pam Walker, a vacationing couple from the East Coast, stumble upon it- and upon the answer to their prayers. Leaving behind their hectic lives to restore the monastery and turn it into an inn is a dream come true.

But some residents of Lumby take a while to warm up to outsiders. One of them is irascible William Beezer, owner of The Lumby Lines- the newspaper "worth the paper it's printed on." At every turn, he tries to hinder the Walkers' efforts. The couple soon learns that for every citizen like William, there are many more willing to lend a hand, and that Lumby isn't just a place- its a way of life.

My thoughts:

This first installment in the Lumby series introduces us to the main characters in the town of Lumby. Only a few of them are mentioned in the synopsis. The title comes from the name of the small town newspaper which provides several blurbs in the novel.

There are several appearances by the town "mascot", Hank. You'll have to read the story to find out how he gained his status. The story has a little bit of everything. You have romance, intrigue and humor. There is also plenty of small town gossip. The authors husband does the artwork for the books and it is fantastic.

It is a easy and very entertaining read. I thoroughly enjoyed this installment in the Lumby series. I would recommend the story to anyone who likes a pleasant read that will draw you in. You might even learn a thing or two. You can't go wrong when there are recipes at the end as well.

You might also check out the website http://www.lumbybooks.com/. It has some fun info about the series.


Disclaimer: I received my copy of The Lumby Lines from the publicist for my honest review. This did not affect my review in any way. Thank you Caitlin for introducing me to a great author!

ALA's Top 10 Challenged Books of 2009

I discovered this on a friends blog and have to share it with you. The ALA's Top 10 Challenged Books of 2009.

1. “TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series), by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs

2. “And Tango Makes Three” by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality

3. “The Perks of Being A Wallflower,” by Stephen Chbosky
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide

4. “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee
Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

6. “Catcher in the Rye,” by J.D. Salinger
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

7. “My Sister’s Keeper,” by Jodi Picoult
Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence

8. “The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things,” by Carolyn Mackler
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

9. “The Color Purple,” Alice Walker
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

10. “The Chocolate War,” by Robert Cormier
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

How many have you read? I read "To Kill a Mockingbird" in High School. Sure its controversial, that is what made some of our discussions so interesting. It was a learning experience for all of us. I read "My Sister's Keeper" a couple of years ago. I'm not sure what age group it is specifically targeted to, but I think it was okay for the teen crowd. Especially when you consider the things that they are watching on television and at the movies.

A couple of them are on my TBR list. I'm thinking it is about time to get to them. I have to admit, I've never had the desire to read the Twilight Series...

Anyone want to read through this list with me?

Friday Blog Hop!

TGIF! Its time to do the Friday Blog hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books. I love the idea, you link up your blog and then visit others who have done the same.

Visit Crazy For Books and add your link. Make sure that you blog about it as well so people have a place to say hello!

If you've come to be from the hop, welcome! I am a new blogger and read and review a variety of books. Check out the blog and let me know what you think.

Thanks for visiting!

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center

Summary from Goodreads:
Jenny Harris always expected that she’d fall in love, get married, and have a baby–in that order. Now, very pregnant and not quite married, she actually doesn’t mind that she and her live-in fiancé, Dean, accidentally started their family a little earlier than planned; she’s happy to have so much to look forward to. But Dean–whom Jenny loves enough to overlook his bad facial hair, his smoking habit, and his total commitment to a cheesy cover band–is acting distant, and not in a pre-wedding-jitters kind of way. The night he runs out for cigarettes and just doesn’t come back, he demotes himself from future husband to sperm donor.

And the very next day, Jenny goes into labor.

In the months that follow, Jenny plunges into a life she never anticipated: single motherhood. At least with the sleep deprivation, sore boobs, and fits of crying (both hers and the baby’s), there’s not much time to dwell on her broken heart. And things start looking up. She learns how to do everything one-handed, makes friends in a mommy group, and even manages to give dating tips to her sweet, clueless father–who’s trying to court her sassy mother again, fifteen years after their divorce. She also gets to know a handsome, helpful neighbor–with a knack for soothing babies–who invites her out dancing. But Dean is never far from Jenny’s thoughts or, it turns out, her doorstep, and in the end Jenny must choose between the old life she thought she wanted and the new life she’s been lucky to find.

A spirited debut novel with a terrifically appealing voice, a fantastic sense of humor, and a lot of heart, The Bright Side of Disaster reminds us that sometimes it takes the worst-case scenario to show us the best in everything.

My thoughts:

After reading Katherine Center's Get Lucky I knew I wanted to read more of her work. On our recent tour of the local used bookstores I found a copy of The Bright Side of Disaster and immediately picked it up.

I think that this is a story that every woman can relate to. Having gone through a difficult breakup herself or knowing someone who has. It is about Jenny's relationship with Dean, but also with herself. It chronicles Jenny's plunge into single motherhood with humor. Anyone with children will frequently laugh in agreement with the things that Jenny goes through.

I found myself getting frustrated with Jenny, wanting her to realize the things that she was oblivious to. The way that Dean was treating her, the subtle clues that things weren't quite right. All of those things that we can all see so clearly in hindsight in our own lives.

I devoured this book in short order and am looking forward to picking up more from Katherine Center. I would recommend this one to anyone who enjoys reading about motherhood from the new mom's perspective.

Get Lucky by Katherine Center

Summary From Goodreads

How do you change your luck? Katherine Center’s marvelously entertaining and poignant new novel is about choosing to look for happiness—and maybe getting lucky enough to find it.

Sarah Harper isn’t sure if the stupid decisions she sometimes makes are good choices in disguise—or if they’re really just stupid. But either way, after forwarding an inappropriate email to her entire company, she suddenly finds herself out of a job.

So she goes home to Houston—and her sister, Mackie—for Thanksgiving. But before Sarah can share her troubles with her sister, she learns that Mackie has some woes of her own: After years of trying, Mackie’s given up on having a baby—and plans to sell on eBay the entire nursery she’s set up. Which gives Sarah a brilliant idea—an idea that could fix everyone’s problems. An idea that gives Sarah the chance to take care of her big sister for once—instead of the other way around.

But nothing worthwhile is ever easy. After a decade away, Sarah is forced to confront one ghost from her past after another: the father she’s lost touch with, the memories of her mother, the sweet guy she dumped horribly in high school. Soon everything that matters is on the line—and Sarah can only hope that by changing her life she has changed her luck, too.


My thoughts:


Is luck something we have or something we create? I've been pondering this since I first read Get Lucky. I think in many cases, including Sarah's it is made. She realizes, albeit unconsciously that her life isn't working for her and something has to change. From the point in which she forwards the email, Sarah has taken control of her life. The story explores Sarah's path as she leaves behind the life that she once thought she wanted and moves toward the life that he didn't know she did. Following this path of self discovery she learns things about her relationships with her father, her stepmother, her sister and even her deceased mother. As well as friends old and new.

This is a fantastic story about growing up and finding the life that you truly want.

I had gotten away from reading books that were classified as "chick lit" because I would get so frustrated by the characters and the total lack of reality. I never felt this with Get Lucky, I was hooked from the very first page.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story that explores the relationships between sisters and likes to read about strong women. It is a great light read that will keep you engaged.

Upon finishing I knew I would be picking up more of Katherine Center's work.

I won this Advanced Readers Copy from the GoodReads first reads program.

Kids Corner: Nursery Rhyme Treasury

This book recently came into our home with the celebration of the little monkey's second birthday. He is at the stage where he repeats EVERYTHING so nursery rhymes are very appropriate.

Its a collection of nursery rhymes broken down into categories. You've got the classic rhymes, counting rhymes, action rhymes, food rhymes, animal rhymes, nonsense rhymes, playground rhymes, and bedtime rhymes.

Right now our favorite is Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.

Whether you have a little one on the way or a child that is a bit older I think this one is worth picking up. It will be a favorite in your library for a long time to come.

Have I mentioned that being two years old again is great fun?

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

I hadn't heard of Sandra Dallas until May of 2009 when a friend on Goodreads read The Chili Queen. Whenever this particular friend gives something a favorable rating or review I generally add it to my TBR list. I finally got to read it last August and really enjoyed it. On a recent book buying binge at the local used bookstores I picked up several other novels by Sandra Dallas, including Tallgrass.

Summary from Goodreads


An essential American novel from Sandra Dallas, an unparalleled writer of our history, and our deepest emotions...

During World War II, a family finds life turned upside down when the government opens a Japanese internment camp in their small Colorado town. After a young girl is murdered, all eyes (and suspicions) turn to the newcomers, the interlopers, the strangers.
This is Tallgrass as Rennie Stroud has never seen it before. She has just turned thirteen and, until this time, life has pretty much been what her father told her it should be: predictable and fair. But now the winds of change are coming and, with them, a shift in her perspective. And Rennie will discover secrets that can destroy even the most sacred things.
Part thriller, part historical novel, Tallgrass is a riveting exploration of the darkest--and best--parts of the human heart.

My thoughts

I was never one who really enjoyed history class. It was all very dry and something I felt like I had to endure. I have found that I LOVE historical fiction. It makes things so much more real. Sandra Dallas has successfully transported the reader back to WWII. I could feel the resentment that the townspeople felt against the Strouds for doing what they had to do to keep their farm running. I could feel their change of heart as they got to know their Japanese American employees. I was part of their trials and tribulations.

Tallgrass is set in Southeastern Colorado which made it that much more interesting to me. As the story was coming to its conclusion I really liked the fact that we are told how all of the main characters are doing and what has happened to them. This was not a predictable story by any means. I was engaged the entire time in order to see what was going to happen next.

If you've not read any of Sandra Dallas' work yet, I would highly recommend that you pick one up. I can guarantee that I will. Both of the novels I've read to date are among my favorites and I will hold on to them to read again.

I might be crazy

I love reading and I love sharing the things that I read with others. That is how this blog came about. Between the blog and my personal challenge I have been reading quite a bit.

I belonged to a local book club a couple of years ago which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately with time constraints and life in general I haven't gotten together with those ladies for quite awhile. Today in the course of my blog hopping I came across The Busy Moms Online Book Club. They've made their April selection Love at First site. It looks like a fun read.

Why do I think that I might be crazy? I've made a few commitments and my TBR pile is quite large, but I've decided to give it a try. I'm intrigued by the format and looking forward to a good discussion. Check it out and sign up with us.

Friday Book Blog Hop!

Its Friday once again and I'm participating in the Friday Blog hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books. I love the idea, you link up your blog and then visit others who have done the same.

Visit Crazy For Books and add your link. Make sure that you blog about it as well so people have a place to say hello!

If you've come to be from the hop, welcome! I am a new blogger and read and review a variety of books. Check out the blog and let me know what you think.

Italian for Beginners by Kristen Harmel

Summary from the Publisher:

Thirty-four-year-old Manhattan accountant Cat Connelly has always lived life on the safe side. But after her little sister gets married, Cat wonders if she has condemned herself to a life of boredom by playing by the rules. She decides to take a chance for once, accepting an invitation to spend a month with an old flame in Italy. But her reunion with the slick and gorgeous Francesco is short-lived, and she finds herself suddenly alone in Rome. Now, she must see if she has the courage to live outside the lines for the first time - and to face a past she never understood. It will take an unexpected friendship with a fiery Italian waitress, a whirlwind Vespa tour of the Eternal City with a handsome stranger, and a surprise encounter with an old acquaintance to show Cat that life doesn't always work out the way you expect, but sometimes you have to have fall in order to fly.

My thoughts:

I found this to be a super quick read. It tells a story of something that I think every woman goes through at some point in her life. It is a story of self discovery. I found the characters to be completely believable. I found that I could easily relate to Cat. As the oldest of three girls, I often feel responsible for my younger sisters just as Cat does for Becky. Having said that, I have to admit that I wouldn't go to the lengths that Cat goes to for her sister. Perhaps that is a result of my own period of self discovery?

There are some moments where the story is a bit far fetched, but that is what makes it a good story, right? We don't want to spend our precious time reading about our mundane daily lives, we want things that are a little bit unbelievable.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who wants a fluffy and quick read.

Kids Corner: Go Dogs Go by P.D. Eastman

This is another of the little monkey's favorites. He knows the story so well now that he reads along with us.

It is a simple story about dogs getting to a dog party and their different modes of transportation. They have to stop and go at the traffic light and consider other travelers.

While I have read this one several times, I don't quite have it committed to memory. It is a smaller board book suitable for tiny hands.

Like the other books that I've mentioned in my Kids Corner Posts, we've been reading this one to the monkey since he was just months old. It thrills me that he already finds the joy in reading. He often will pick up a book and bring it to one of us asking to have it read to him. He doesn't care if it is the same book over and over again, which can get a little tedious for us, but he loves it. I hope hope his love for books continues to grow as he does.

Welcome to the Hop!

Its Friday once again and I'm participating in the Friday Blog hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books. I love the idea, you link up your blog and then visit others who have done the same.

Visit Crazy For Books and add your link. Make sure that you blog about it as well so people have a place to say hello!

If you've come to be from the hop, welcome! I am a new blogger and read and review a variety of books. Check out the blog and let me know what you think.