tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63685752900399586662024-03-05T06:13:43.158-03:30Gobshites and EejitsBook ReviewsNancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-9693403608933714762013-08-07T10:53:00.000-02:302013-08-07T10:54:13.752-02:30The Casual Vacancy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoMOSjEZKbzzAUHrGEfzzzqD-TnIe-m-BcgMKl0nogrj2BdA7gmvAmHpd689IHIIDvBszDKjTF-gpH6qtVMROPFYQlaffe4O_xv1m7zrD-ij8Z8ENDjrq7_WF6KFk9S4lXstBDnfVY3tv/s1600/the+casual+vacancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVoMOSjEZKbzzAUHrGEfzzzqD-TnIe-m-BcgMKl0nogrj2BdA7gmvAmHpd689IHIIDvBszDKjTF-gpH6qtVMROPFYQlaffe4O_xv1m7zrD-ij8Z8ENDjrq7_WF6KFk9S4lXstBDnfVY3tv/s320/the+casual+vacancy.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By J.K. Rowling</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by Little, Brown and Company</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First Edition: September 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">This is a perfect example of "don't judge a book by its cover". This is truly one of the worst covers I have seen and if the book had not been written by J. K. Rowling I doubt I would have picked it off the shelf. That said, I have since seen the cover for the paperback version and I really like it; <em>that's</em> a book I would pick up and look at.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Cover looks aside, the book is terrific. The story takes place in the village of Pagford where the death of councillor Barry Fairbrother puts the residents of the village at odds with each other. Some residents want the changes that came around because of Fairbrother to stay, while others want his vacant council seat to be filled with someone who can undo what has already been done. The most contentious issue for Pagford is the Fields, the scruffy social housing part of town that houses the local methadone clinic, and where its boundaries should lie.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The cast of characters is huge and Rowling does a good job of managing them. From the opening chapters where news of Barry Fairbrother's death spreads like wildfire, to the depths of the book where the political plotting is at its utmost, to the resolution, the characters remain interesting and true to life. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">There is a lot of darkness in this book. There is drug abuse, rape, domestic violence, bullying, prostitution, and self-mutilation. I found, however, that I cared deeply about the characters and their lives. If you read in bed, this is the sort of book that will leave you lying awake long after you have closed the cover, unable to sleep and wondering what will happen next.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I hear the BBC is airing The Casual Vacancy as a television drama in 2014. Read the book first; it's rare for any movie or series to ever live up to the world you imagined whilst reading the book.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-31689897251405255912013-08-04T16:57:00.000-02:302013-08-04T16:57:13.245-02:30A Week in Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-PBMFjcsU1a3PG4vqfn8rOiaEm4gDsmPgNIykiv7hZCkKzLET7dZDqm8UAkUF2nzrIpNm7fmqM0k6sdQtbN3iY9FI_N1MtUvAmM_QLsVk2LyxIgKpmWTOBgP3if8wIvGC3Yu199-yzDC/s1600/a+week+in+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4-PBMFjcsU1a3PG4vqfn8rOiaEm4gDsmPgNIykiv7hZCkKzLET7dZDqm8UAkUF2nzrIpNm7fmqM0k6sdQtbN3iY9FI_N1MtUvAmM_QLsVk2LyxIgKpmWTOBgP3if8wIvGC3Yu199-yzDC/s1600/a+week+in+winter.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Maeve Binchy</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by Orion Books</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group Ltd.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in Great Britain in 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">It's taken me a long time to write something about this book. Knowing it will be the last Maeve Binchy book I will review is making this an unpleasant task. I have read every single one of her books, her short stories, her plays; whatever she has written, I have read. I have spent many a day in the Ireland of my mind's eye - an Ireland only Binchy could write about.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Set on the cliffs of the west coast of Ireland, Stone House is where guests arrive to stay for a week in winter. Each guest brings their own story to the hotel, and the hotel itself has its own story - previously, it had been the home of the Sheedy sisters and is now owned by Chicky who worked herself to the bone to get where she is. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">As with a lot of Binchy's books, the characters are allotted their own chapters, with some intermittent crossing over of other characters both old and new. The week brings John, an American movie star; Nell, a retired school headmistress; Freda, a librarian; Anders, a Dutch businessman; future in-laws Winnie and Lillian; and the prize-winning Walls, among others. It is Chicky's belief that the lives of her guests will change once they are settled in and discover that walking on the local cliffs and trails and spending time with other people is far better than modern life with all its so-called conveniences. In true Binchy style, the lives of the guests blend nicely with the lives of the staff. Not all of the stories are happy ones, but they are all interesting.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I enjoyed this book and wanted to savour every word. It's a lovely book, and if you're already a Maeve Binchy fan you will certainly enjoy it. If you are new to the Maeve Binchy world (shame on you!), I would suggest starting with the same book I did: Light a Penny Candle. I have only re-read two books in my life and Light a Penny Candle was one of them. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I will miss Maeve Binchy. She brought a lot of joy and introspection to my life as I discovered Ireland through her words.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-73744099198282335642013-06-28T15:13:00.000-02:302013-06-28T15:13:13.273-02:30Saved by Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c8hnTu0Phw0ztqQ0yyVUAxeBNTQI4s6By_9GWxWko4JmNtde1Z5qSKmegKv9ynuu6qOJaC7ByFoyAkPFhb7fIpzlgaa0OE3Ljzlr4yfjLeGJVb0qOaGjvtf_m35X19Jwfes-ZUpTNVbN/s346/saved+by+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8c8hnTu0Phw0ztqQ0yyVUAxeBNTQI4s6By_9GWxWko4JmNtde1Z5qSKmegKv9ynuu6qOJaC7ByFoyAkPFhb7fIpzlgaa0OE3Ljzlr4yfjLeGJVb0qOaGjvtf_m35X19Jwfes-ZUpTNVbN/s320/saved+by+cake.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Marian Keyes</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by the Penguin Group</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">As anyone who has read her novels already knows, Marian Keyes is a very funny woman. What is not so funny is her battle with depression. It's no secret - she has talked openly about her depression, her good days and her bad days, and how Twitter in particular has helped bring her back into contact with the world. What really saved her, however, is baking. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">In the book's introduction, Marian recounts some of her darkest hours:</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"I had a 'suicide bag' that included, among other things, sheets of A4 paper, Sellotape and big markers. These were to write big warning signs to be stuck to the door of the hotel bathroom...I'd decided, after lots of deliberating, that it would be better to kill myself at a hotel."</span></blockquote>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Then, one day, she baked a cake.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">"...I can kill myself or I can make a dozen cupcakes. Right so, I'll do the cupcakes and I can kill myself tomorrow."</span></blockquote>
</div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The concentration required to read the recipes and measure the ingredients was what Marian needed to keep the suicidal thoughts at bay. Lucky for us, her depression started to lift and Marian started to become her old self again. Her old self with new skills, that is. She is now an official cook book author and a pretty dab hand at decorating.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The recipes in her book are a mixture of ingredients and Marian's personal experience in baking the cake (or pie, or meringue, or biscuit). These tidbits of information are often quite funny but seem to be particularly helpful if you have not baked before and are in need of advice from someone who has already made the same mistake you are about to make.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">If you are vegan or vegetarian you will probably not be baking most of these goodies. There are some recipes there that can be veganised, but not all of them can be changed and still provide the flavour of the original. Vegan or not, baker or not, this book is still interesting to read. I enjoyed reading all the recipes, planning what I could do to tweak them to my needs, and laughed out loud at Marian's many asides. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Mostly, I enjoyed her passion for baking. It's a reminder that, when you least expect it, something can happen to turn your life around.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-9985709999718078392013-04-09T13:39:00.000-02:302013-04-09T13:39:49.091-02:30Peaches for Monsieur le Cure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMoiRRaLoGBi5q1z0g8JPeEYHnelkhyphenhyphen54Khl6swytwvxFXn2Ypbwdpu-CpgaMvANtgQmZhMiDC_5ct78Pypx6XN_4FB7nh5Val7EKfqj2cZAmzngNJzGbbEyrns4lLekRi3vGYtLpa4rL/s1600/peaches+for+monsieur+le+cure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMoiRRaLoGBi5q1z0g8JPeEYHnelkhyphenhyphen54Khl6swytwvxFXn2Ypbwdpu-CpgaMvANtgQmZhMiDC_5ct78Pypx6XN_4FB7nh5Val7EKfqj2cZAmzngNJzGbbEyrns4lLekRi3vGYtLpa4rL/s1600/peaches+for+monsieur+le+cure.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Joanne Harris</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in Great Britain in 2012</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">by Doubleday a division of Transworld Publishers</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Vianne Rocher returns to Lansquenet after receiving a letter from her old friend, Armande. Her old DEAD friend, Armande. Armande believes Vianne should return to Lansquenet as the people there need her. As the wind blows, Vianne returns.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Upon her return, Vianne discovers Lansquenet is not as she had left it. Gone are the days of the river gypsies and Vianne's chocolate shop. There is friction between the Catholics and Muslims; a church bell competing with a call to prayer. Vianne, always the peacemaker, tries to bring the community together with her magical chocolate and her good common sense. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Harris explores the very contemporary topic of different religions trying to co-exist with respect and intelligence. More difficult topics are handled sensitively; the situations never getting to the point where the reader can't take any more. Quite possibly, Harris has many readers questioning their own beliefs or, at the very least, wondering why they can't be more open-minded towards others.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A wonderful book for those who have loved Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes. An introduction to Harris' brilliance for those picking up one of her novels for the first time.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-71814752718702215322013-04-07T11:53:00.002-02:302013-04-07T11:53:38.892-02:30Rules of Civility<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjmuVxqQ51X4-kR5U3BP04bFg_36d7ZFOQS4EELNOpNya6Tuc00AtHmf7aSbUKGj29PQ2JdrdydRL9f39wrX8PBVchNvJKrApHa9uqurIsRNejVx8RnbxGZDSqS2hx2Evc-jyVhPU4vKc/s1600/rules+of+civility.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJjmuVxqQ51X4-kR5U3BP04bFg_36d7ZFOQS4EELNOpNya6Tuc00AtHmf7aSbUKGj29PQ2JdrdydRL9f39wrX8PBVchNvJKrApHa9uqurIsRNejVx8RnbxGZDSqS2hx2Evc-jyVhPU4vKc/s320/rules+of+civility.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Amor Towles</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by the Penguin Group</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in the United States of America by</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Viking Penguin, 2011</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">On New Year's Eve, 1937, Katey Kontent's life changes when she meets Tinker Grey. That's all you need to know. Really. This book is so beautifully written, once you start it you will be unable to put it down. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">You will be caught up in the New York of 1938 and the complicated, gorgeous characters Amor Towles has created: Katey Kontent, Tinker Grey, Dicky Vanderwhile, Eve Ross, and Wallace Wolcott. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Buy it. Read it. Love it.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-44871873171201486072013-03-24T09:29:00.000-02:302013-04-09T12:58:35.797-02:30Been Away Too Long...Reviews of Sharon Owens, Kate Collins, Shappi Khorsandi, Marian Keyes<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Wow...I didn't realise how long it had been since I last posted until just now, when I saw the last post was almost a year ago. It's been busy - teaching, studying, living. While I have managed to squeeze in a book for pleasure here and there, its mostly been a textbook world for me. I vow to try to get back on track with reading and reviewing.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">With that in mind, I have read a few books over the last year that I would like to mention. Unfortunately, they won't get their own full-page review, but I promise they all are interesting books and worth a read.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpEUixmIfeBRoh_QTFnU14GVMQ6BoKj-XsPQBgHHi-COcx19pc_Roa03PlROxafQY_toT8dyvMmMK2o1QP_aBNWT6nOQEp3i9ovsMGhGkUNyx51Iamaui1msXzMdHPJrHzGN3hqYVB_BF/s1600/the+trouble+with+weddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQpEUixmIfeBRoh_QTFnU14GVMQ6BoKj-XsPQBgHHi-COcx19pc_Roa03PlROxafQY_toT8dyvMmMK2o1QP_aBNWT6nOQEp3i9ovsMGhGkUNyx51Iamaui1msXzMdHPJrHzGN3hqYVB_BF/s1600/the+trouble+with+weddings.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Sharon Owens</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by Poolbeg Press Ltd.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">2007</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Julie is a wedding planner who doesn't believe in weddings, marriage, or love. Julie's company, Dream Weddings, is the hot wedding planning company that will plan a Gothic-style wedding for an aging rock star and a supermodel. Mags is Julie's personal assistant who, like most personal assistants, ends up with all of the work and none of the glory.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The story really kicks off when Julie meets a young hottie and spends her time with him, instead of spending time on her business. Mags is left running the business and trying to plan the aforementioned wedding on her own. But Mags has her own problems, not business related but family related. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">This is a funny, easy to read book. Even in the more dramatic moments, Owens keeps it light. There are many chuckles along the way (particularly with the Goth wedding plans), but there is also a lovely theme throughout of friendship and family love.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lBNbdUaiBRRnnE_PD6H0eTfkqZPq1LEYT436Z-tQE9_dFpS1dPIZfGCCnJq5zKRjpknSFabi94t4y05OftZj6-wxz45j1q71EA4fr4_PPJkCXxpRz0ft_Jh4iwlTm8tUXlQdCL6Y1bnL/s1600/nightshade+on+elm+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lBNbdUaiBRRnnE_PD6H0eTfkqZPq1LEYT436Z-tQE9_dFpS1dPIZfGCCnJq5zKRjpknSFabi94t4y05OftZj6-wxz45j1q71EA4fr4_PPJkCXxpRz0ft_Jh4iwlTm8tUXlQdCL6Y1bnL/s1600/nightshade+on+elm+street.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Kate Collins</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First printing, November 2012</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">ARC courtesy of Kate Collins</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The thirteenth installment of the Flower Shop Mysteries centres around Abby's ex-fiance, Pryce Osborne, when Abby helps him find a woman who has gone missing from the Osborne's beach house. This brings about a cast of interesting characters as Pryce's neighbours are all considered suspects in the case. As usual, Abby's cousin, Jillian is hilarious in her ditziness, especially now that she is pregnant but doesn't want anyone to know. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Of course, Abby still runs the flower shop, her mother still tries to pawn off her crazy art projects there, and Marco is still the hunk of all hunks. Abby is finding it difficult to balance all of this with planning her wedding shower which, in itself, is not an easy task as the wedding couple's mothers want to be involved, as well as the flower shop staff, and (it seems to Abby) everyone else she meets. Really, she just wants to run everything herself. But can she?</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Another delightful book by Collins. Her characters make me happy and the plots keep me interested.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_lyRypAmlpb2dmAG1B_rZI1VwvQw20ZpH69aimBzQ3_YvGbamBzqzU1armPYE2wK_McdiFr5i20tQsQNfCYmrVwAgxBqGCfgUNYkaJF3vv_Oj4HL8K_61ZsI1Gav8hUPkYLXg8aNMMOS/s1600/a+beginner's+guide+to+acting+english.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd_lyRypAmlpb2dmAG1B_rZI1VwvQw20ZpH69aimBzQ3_YvGbamBzqzU1armPYE2wK_McdiFr5i20tQsQNfCYmrVwAgxBqGCfgUNYkaJF3vv_Oj4HL8K_61ZsI1Gav8hUPkYLXg8aNMMOS/s1600/a+beginner's+guide+to+acting+english.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Shappi Khorsandi</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in 2009 by Ebury Press,</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">an imprint of Ebury Publishing</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Random House Group 2010</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I saw Shappi Khorsandi interviewed on The Graham Norton Show and liked her immediately - she was extremely funny and interesting. Admittedly, I had never heard of her, but I was interested in reading her book.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The book tells the story of Khorsandi's family and their transition from living in Iran to being exiled to London. The story is written from Khorsandi's perspective as a child experiencing these changes and not necessarily understanding why things are unfolding as they are. Her story is funny and moving, although not as well written as I would have liked it to be (she is, after all, a comedian, not a writer). </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Marian Keyes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Published by the Penguin Group</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">2012</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I waited so long for a new book from Marian Keyes, and she didn't disappoint. Helen Walsh, who has appeared in many of Keyes' other novels centering around the Walsh family, is a private investigator going through some tough times. She has lost her flat because she's not getting enough PI work and has to move back home with her parents. Just when things are at their bleakest, an ex-boyfriend of Helen's hires her to find a missing person - the missing person being a member of a former boy band trying to make a comeback.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Keyes is back on form with her quick wit and hysterical descriptions of Walsh family life. I found this book most compelling, however, in the way Keyes wrote of Helen's depression, how it was slowly consuming her and how she struggled daily to keep from falling back into the pit of depression despair. While I laughed at the funny bits, I found a I had stomach pangs for Helen's challenges with depression. This is a talent only Keyes could have - to bring one from laughter to tears in such a short time is a true writing talent.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I'm glad Marian Keyes is back and I look forward to reading anything she has to offer.</span></div>
Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-28770703952945012902012-05-05T21:13:00.000-02:302012-05-05T21:13:18.474-02:30All For You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyzU0-IZFJQyTh-HvysMUOQuBzuDKoMh4Zl8C5rYC3y77u6JSnwH6vFLJHTVtfZvzpahlHYQrx88Xgs-s8nny5IbXbHXCiR3WmhaL0I4PNcCJv_NA59i62YVcsVyDxTPtBklxZlx_c8_d/s1600/All+For+You.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyzU0-IZFJQyTh-HvysMUOQuBzuDKoMh4Zl8C5rYC3y77u6JSnwH6vFLJHTVtfZvzpahlHYQrx88Xgs-s8nny5IbXbHXCiR3WmhaL0I4PNcCJv_NA59i62YVcsVyDxTPtBklxZlx_c8_d/s1600/All+For+You.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Sheila O'Flanagan</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by Headline Review</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">an imprint of Headline Publishing Group</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in 2011</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Lainey Ryan is a meterologist living in Dublin. Tall and beautiful, she is a hit as the local TV station's "weather girl". She longs to be married and this longing leads to a life of failed relationships.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Deanna Ryan is a high-profile feminist living in California. Stern and opinionated, she is a hit in the world of publishing. She longs for women to be equal to men and this longing leads to a life of failed motherhood.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Deanna is Lainey's estranged mother who left Lainey to be raised by her grandparents in Ireland whilst Deanna lived and worked for the feminist cause in California.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">While the name of the book leads you to believe this is a typical chick-lit type of book where the lead character finds her dream man and lives happily ever after, this book is more about the choices women make for love. For Deanna, her choice to leave Lainey with her grandparents was because she knew Lainey would have a better life; Deanna wasn't cut out to be the kind of mother Lainey needed. For Lainey, her choices in men were due to never having a father and feeling the need to be loved by a man in order to fill that void in her life - and any man at all is acceptable.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">The novel goes back and forth between Deanna's life as a young woman in California and present-day Ireland. While obviously a tool to see how Deanna's and Lainey's lives unfold, it was annoying to be in the present day and then be sent back in time. A story told from beginning to end would have been more effective.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">SPOILER ALERT:</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">I liked O'Flanagan's decision to end the novel with Lainey unattached and liking it. However, I </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">detest the idea of Deanna suddenly dyeing her hair and buying more flattering clothes because she has met a man. After reading an entire novel where Deanna was a strong feminist character with unwavering opinions, it was disappointing to see such a change in her character. As well, I felt the backstory for Lainey's father fell a bit flat.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">O'Flanagan has written a good story of love for grandmother, mother, and daughter, and how women's lives have changed since the 1970s. However, it's not as well thought out as her previous novels, the characters are not as compelling, and the ending a disappointment.</span><br />
<br />Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-85122696134069381772012-01-01T20:47:00.000-03:302012-01-01T21:36:42.479-03:30A Season to Remember<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Sheila O'Flanagan</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Published by Headline Review</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">an imprint of Headline Publishing Group</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">First published in paperback in 2011</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Claire and Neil Archer own the Sugar Loaf Lodge, a luxury hotel with an award-winning restaurant and a breathtaking spa - an oasis of peace and serenity withing striking distance of Dublin. With the economic downturn in Ireland, the Archers wonder if the hotel will be filled for Christmas this year and how they will get by if it is not. </span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Nestled in what is known as the Garden of Ireland, the Lodge provides the perfect backdrop to a gorgeous handful of integrated short stories centering around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve the Lodge begins to receive its guests. Mostly families arrive - some want a break from the cooking and overkill that is Christmas Day, some want to repair the damage the year has brought them, some want to be alone, some want to reunite. Mix well with a few singletons and, believe it or not, a visit from a ghost, and you have the recipe for some lovely Christmas stories.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">O'Flanagan always gets to the heart of family life, be it good or bad, and she gets it just right when writing about families at Christmas. Although a joyous and family-filled time of year for some, it can oftentimes be the opposite for families and both views are reflected in this book. </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"></span> <br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Although O'Flanagan has written a novel, the stories can be read as separate entities. Characters from one story appear in other stories to keep it cohesive.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">A Season to Remember is a lovely novel to read at any time, but it was certainly nice to read it over Christmas. There's still a few days left to the season - fit it in if you can.</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-55987079262683586302011-11-13T17:59:00.008-03:302011-11-13T18:59:19.725-03:30To Catch a Leaf<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSH-Xm4-t5FIKpB4wruTepqZPxNXlku1HJab2KrgkCpqSvfJ6luKpPyhxJUTAHf_KTOXIpaRjdO0RA552pB_W-e-I-in7meXb36biZo8OtesAHrIxp7qS_4Dk4cHwnBzoHjssuwVFqk5z/s1600/to+catch+a+leaf.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5674596649430317826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSH-Xm4-t5FIKpB4wruTepqZPxNXlku1HJab2KrgkCpqSvfJ6luKpPyhxJUTAHf_KTOXIpaRjdO0RA552pB_W-e-I-in7meXb36biZo8OtesAHrIxp7qS_4Dk4cHwnBzoHjssuwVFqk5z/s400/to+catch+a+leaf.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 198px;" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">By Kate Collins</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library, </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">First printing, November 2011</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">ARC courtesy of Kate Collins</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">Abby Knight and Marco Salvare (and their mothers) are planning their wedding showers - one for each family, of course. They need to book venues, pick out shower invitations, and try to keep their mothers from interfering too much. What could possibly interrupt their plans? A dead dowager, that's what.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">And not just a dead dowager, a dead dowager whose body was discovered by none other than Grace Bingham, Abby's dear friend and co-worker. To heighten the mystery, Grace has been left with some rather odd bequests from her dead friend which only serves to make Grace the number one suspect in her death. As usual, Abby and Marco are on the case.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">The usual cast of characters are at play here - Abby's mom, her cousin, her roommate, her roomate's cat, and her co-workers at the flower shop. Added to the fun on a regular basis is Francesca, Marco's mom. Hopefully, we'll see more of her in future installments.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">While solving the murder, Abby and Marco spend a considerable amount of time interviewing the deceased's family, and what a dysfunctional crew they are! Collins writes the characters in this family with a cracking wit and yet with a believability that only she could bring to such a wealthy, art-infested, lover-sharing, self-centered family.</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">Installment twelve of the Flower Shop Mysteries has a bit of everything - money, art, cats, ghosts, flowers, and murder. How could you resist?</span></div>
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</div>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-90279487050835750852011-08-22T09:52:00.017-02:302011-10-02T13:57:05.325-02:30The Lady of the Rivers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkCyW_QrBi0SI89GwcVYNoIWofxlp5uWBveIEW8NkCv9nVcIV71rzv79RlDtHuIUYTMiNwFBrmXnOniqHIVSKuf2mKGMHmP4SacmmRFs1PCTaMk2yA0wS2Yf2VTIf2tFU_6NFOXrkv5Kn/s1600/the+lady+of+the+rivers.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkCyW_QrBi0SI89GwcVYNoIWofxlp5uWBveIEW8NkCv9nVcIV71rzv79RlDtHuIUYTMiNwFBrmXnOniqHIVSKuf2mKGMHmP4SacmmRFs1PCTaMk2yA0wS2Yf2VTIf2tFU_6NFOXrkv5Kn/s400/the+lady+of+the+rivers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643655344754163362" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibpUnXTF1Vq36Rc6coUhphzact2A6I4DvV0VBTL2pCQa8zyKq1clek6JA-nwUULApfg__lmvSeuiLo2JViDYJqxyV5qHVe6uamWxTk4jpU288j3D1Ow4iLZe6f-s2QBhq1PM2oe2UpTPY/s1600/the+lady+of+the+rivers.jpg"><br /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Philippa Gregory</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Touchstone</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Available 11 October 2011</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This novel begins in France with a young Jacquetta of Luxembourg befriending an </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"odd trophy of war"</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">, Joan of Arc. Joan is being imprisoned at the castle of Jacquetta's great-uncle, Lord John of Luxembourg. We learn of Jacquetta's talents when she reads Joan's cards and realises she can see into the future.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This ability leads the widowed Duke of Bedford to wed a seventeen-year-old Jacquetta. The duke believes he can find a way to turn iron into gold and he wants Jacquetta to work with his alchemists and astrologers, to scry, and to look into the future. Their marriage is loveless and childless.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">When the duke dies, Jacquetta marries Richard Woodville, the duke's squire. They are madly in love, marry without the king's blessing and, according to some historians, go on to produce sixteen children. Their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, eventually becomes queen consort of Edward IV of England.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The novel centres around Jacquetta's presence in the court of King Henry VI and Queen Margaret. Jacquetta and Queen Margaret have a very close relationship and Jacquetta and her husband are faithful to the House of Lancaster. Although Jacquetta has vowed not to read cards or perform any sort of witchcraft, she is naturally born to it and cannot help the visions she sees. While she tries to help the queen and guide her during the War of the Roses, Margaret usually pays little attention and reads into the visions what she herself wants to see.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This fictitious account of Jacquetta of Luxembourg and her presence in the court of England is compelling reading. As always, Gregory hits all the right notes with her combination of history and story-telling, bringing another little known female historical figure to light.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">If you would like to hear Philippa Gregory talk about this book, click </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywZHwvPK9VQ">here</a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-66910241474617820132011-08-08T19:01:00.006-02:302011-08-08T19:54:22.623-02:30Triangles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpFmXlFnPz7U7iECuj7L-eu1KVZsWpPlXe88w8Zl3QuZc-Ll1806sjZAALWoC-2GxnfM7ZCYsk8wo2ykR1SSirS3enSZyxtHb5AvtT8KJnH11wxzQ6H7zOAj12nFF1aRDWwDqPgRfugml/s1600/triangles.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 292px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzpFmXlFnPz7U7iECuj7L-eu1KVZsWpPlXe88w8Zl3QuZc-Ll1806sjZAALWoC-2GxnfM7ZCYsk8wo2ykR1SSirS3enSZyxtHb5AvtT8KJnH11wxzQ6H7zOAj12nFF1aRDWwDqPgRfugml/s400/triangles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638603641608737970" border="0" /></a>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Ellen Hopkins</span>
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Atria Books</span>
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.</span>
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">October 2011</span>
<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ARC courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada</span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><blockquote>"If I'm in the middle of my life, is this really all I've got to show for it?"</blockquote></span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Triangles is a novel of three women facing mid-life and wondering if they've made the right choices. Holly has just lost 60 pounds and taken up running and extramarital sex after years of being at home and raising her three kids. Andrea is a single mom who can't seem to keep a love interest. Marissa is still married, barely, and has fallen into emotional despair.</span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ellen Hopkins explores the lives of each of these women in an unusual way - through poetic verse. I have to admit I was not looking forward to reading this book once I discovered it was all poetry. However, poetic verse turned out to be a brilliant device to delve into the complexities of middle age. In many ways, one poem told more than several regular chapters would have been able to tell.</span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Childhood, parenthood, adoption, drugs, terminal illness, extramarital affairs, weight loss, friendship, teen pregnancy, and ordinary day-to-day activities are all covered in this novel (and covered well). The book is well written and a flick through the pages shows the different poetic styles Hopkins incorporated throughout.</span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The poetry is thoughtful, insightful, and heartbreaking, as well as funny, beautiful, and sexy. I raced through this book hoping each story would end the way I wanted (didn't happen) and I just wanted more, more, more when it was over. </span>
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<br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Don't let the thought of reading poetry put you off this book. Empty your head of all such thoughts and throw yourself into the emotions and stories of Triangles,</span></span>
<br />Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-28666575679833565462011-08-05T18:51:00.006-02:302011-08-05T19:34:35.116-02:30The Curse of the Holy Pail<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv0cqZo-42J0gOwWkabdyoZL_pvzabL5DtyLWrqjSSQUYMlcQgZ6ATFxdkd-NdG1O-xiUMOTUWFJOJh1Y1ypLkEvfWslTIA7OEPunAPbuPAmcQsHPWsV9DNmihDWxpPe1mWhM8PGNQtHP/s1600/the+curse+of+the+holy+pail.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 103px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv0cqZo-42J0gOwWkabdyoZL_pvzabL5DtyLWrqjSSQUYMlcQgZ6ATFxdkd-NdG1O-xiUMOTUWFJOJh1Y1ypLkEvfWslTIA7OEPunAPbuPAmcQsHPWsV9DNmihDWxpPe1mWhM8PGNQtHP/s400/the+curse+of+the+holy+pail.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637487321092987746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Sue Ann Jaffarian</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Midnight Ink</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2007</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Kindle Edition</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">In the second Odelia Grey mystery the plot revolves around a vintage lunchbox. The lunchbox is the only one in existence and was made for The Chappy Wheeler Show, a popular 1940s cowboy TV show. Chappy Wheeler was murdered and every owner of the lunchbox since has died. The lunchbox is now worth a hundred thousand dollars and collectors are on its trail (thus earning it the title The Holy Pail).</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Odelia, a paralegal for a successful law firm, becomes involved in the hunt for the pail when a client requires her services. Sterling Price has a vast collection of lunchboxes - Odelia is particularly drawn to the Zorro pail - and shows Odelia his prized possession: The Holy Pail. Sterling turns up dead, the pail goes missing, and Odelia finds herself trying to track it down.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Jaffarian has written quite a vibrant character; Odelia Grey is an overweight, forty-something woman who, like a lot of overweight, forty-something women, has food issues, work issues, love issues, and the various other stressors that come with being middle-aged. Odelia is smart, funny, and sexy, with a love for her off-the-wall cat, Seamus, and her boyfriend, Greg. Jaffarian makes sure to include Odelia's family, friends, and co-workers to round out her main character. <br /><br />There are six books in the Odelia Grey series - time for me to catch up!<br /></span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-74124906870320161362011-06-03T21:13:00.011-02:302011-06-03T22:26:59.100-02:30The Scent of Jade<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJD-V-Oq4nHgij05-XxLFm8aUU36gsWgfRslTavaj8rdAY6jbj1M0gJlavy344I4E3DDNtzmOcR0sISc2ESezYPm6lLix-POUMCYIMSffWL7K4s4UXOPfhMHotZJa7JYIr6WpwTyO1msnQ/s1600/the+scent+of+jade.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJD-V-Oq4nHgij05-XxLFm8aUU36gsWgfRslTavaj8rdAY6jbj1M0gJlavy344I4E3DDNtzmOcR0sISc2ESezYPm6lLix-POUMCYIMSffWL7K4s4UXOPfhMHotZJa7JYIr6WpwTyO1msnQ/s400/the+scent+of+jade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614143996693133522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Dee DeTarsio</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Just Publishing</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">05 October 2010</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Kindle edition courtesy of Dee DeTarsio</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">In a rut in San Diego, Julie Fraser decides to surprise her husband, Colin, by joining him in Costa Rica where he is on a business trip. Julie expects her vacation to be one of lounging by the pool and ordering room service. She couldn't be more wrong.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A string of mishaps is awaiting Julie on this vacation: she accidentally steals a jade idol believed to be directly related to global warming, finds herself lost in the rainforest, gets stoned, befriends a monkey, is rescued by a gorgeous local, discovers a love potion, and gets arrested, all the while trying to ensure the idol doesn't fall into the wrong hands.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Julie's time lost in the rainforest isn't just a series of escapades, however. The reader also gets to know Julie in non-humourous moments as she reflects on her marriage and her life in San Diego.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">DeTarsio has given us a bit of mystery, a bit of suspense, a bit of romance, and a lot of humour all rolled into one book. It's a quick read, due not only to DeTarsio's nicely paced writing but because you just can't leave at the end of a chapter. Wondering what was going to happen to Julie kept me going page after page after page.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This book is a step away from conventional chick-lit or women's fiction or however you want to phrase it. There is no shoe shopping, manicures, or pedicures; just a dirty stinky woman lost in the jungle (who would probably much rather be shoe shopping and having manicures and pedicures). <br /><br />This is a fun book. And even though Julie was dirty and smelly through most of the book, she was a breath of fresh air to me.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-89370450180673173272011-06-01T19:04:00.008-02:302011-06-01T19:42:44.771-02:30Royal Flush<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1V-1aY0SssnNDIebMpOhyphenhyphenhnmdMVA1rXhpuR439PYicGdzefZtPjjQwGt6elxnpsEYCdLcri19ZGMOSOyssd6R94621uo7NYt4upg__y-3BNHX8qKU_YzGRFGZGcxOQ0ANt0tvsWihI7d/s1600/royal+flush.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1V-1aY0SssnNDIebMpOhyphenhyphenhnmdMVA1rXhpuR439PYicGdzefZtPjjQwGt6elxnpsEYCdLcri19ZGMOSOyssd6R94621uo7NYt4upg__y-3BNHX8qKU_YzGRFGZGcxOQ0ANt0tvsWihI7d/s400/royal+flush.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613368362180511426" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Rhys Bowen</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by the Penguin Group</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Berkley Prime Crime mass market edition / September 2010<br /><br />In installment III of the Royal Spyness Mysteries, Lady Victoria Georgiana Charlotte Eugenie, daughter of the later Duke of Glen Garry and Rannoch, granddaughter of the least attractive of Queen Victoria's daughters, half-sister to Hamish (present Duke of Glen Garry and Rannoch), thirty-fourth in line to the throne, is forced to leave London for Scotland's Castle Rannoch after a failed attempt at a new business venture - escort services.<br /></span><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">In previous installments of this series, the Queen has asked Georgie to keep on eye on the Prince of Wales and Wallis Simpson. Georgie arrives at Castle Rannoch only to find Mrs. Simpson and a group of Americans have taken over her home which is in close proximity to Balmoral where the Prince of Wales is summering. With her brother, Binky, laid up in bed and her sister-in-law, Fig, going out of her mind with the unexpected guests, Georgie finds herself investigating a series of mishaps that have her wondering if one of the houseguests is trying to kill members of the royal family.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">As usual, Bowen does a delightful job with the dialogue in her books - the jibes at Mrs. Simpson and the Americans are an absolute hoot. Bowen portrays British society in the 1930s perfectly, particularly that of the royal set.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">There's plenty of historical fiction in this book, but mostly there's a mystery to solve and my "favourite penniless heiress" does her best to solve it.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-53950336457337179252011-05-30T16:47:00.010-02:302011-05-30T19:09:09.414-02:30Skipping a Beat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39okacGhgUmEDgBKeWBUAuOS7yY6_6FZQr7mOW1QSJcuqD_BHQWk6JSwCOz7gjZ6YJIpwyw4LY7ZoUIVsm1Casxh9i-yHYeW4GBQgjA64YAwfd7OJymYLxtmlzaRyq-70nysbR9zwcepB/s1600/skipping+a+beat.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 175px; height: 272px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39okacGhgUmEDgBKeWBUAuOS7yY6_6FZQr7mOW1QSJcuqD_BHQWk6JSwCOz7gjZ6YJIpwyw4LY7ZoUIVsm1Casxh9i-yHYeW4GBQgjA64YAwfd7OJymYLxtmlzaRyq-70nysbR9zwcepB/s400/skipping+a+beat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612590517379843442" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Sarah Pekkanen</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Washington Square Press</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster Canada</span><br /><br /></span><blockquote style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"What would you do if your husband suddenly wanted to rewrite the rules of your relationship?"</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Michael Dunhill lives an exceptionally wealthy life. He runs his own company, has a massive home, owns a basketball team, and shares every material thing he has with his high school sweetheart, his wife Julia. Julia also runs her own company, making sure she has some money of her own should her marriage to Michael ever fall apart. Not that she envisions her marriage ending but, given her family background, it's better to be safe than sorry.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Unfortunately for Julia, Michael dies...for four minutes and eight seconds, before a portable defibrillator jump-starts him back to life. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">But with a new chance at life comes a new Michael. The old Michael had little time to spend with Julia and a lot of time to spend with his business. Julia settled for this arrangement; after all, she had a lifestyle that would be the envy of any woman and a good single female friend to share her evenings with. The new Michael has decided to give away all his money and material possessions and spend his time loving his wife the way he did when they were young. Julia's not so sure she wants to give up her lifestyle for the promises made by this new Michael, but she goes along with his plan to give him three weeks before she makes her decision.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pekkanen takes the reader from the past (where Mike and Julie met and fell in love) to the present (where Michael and Julia find fame and fortune - and adjust their names to reflect their new social status). Mike and Julie are likeable characters, the kind of characters you root for - you want good things to happen to them. Michael and Julia are not as likeable. Both are caught up in the lifestyle wealth has afforded them and they have drifted apart as a couple.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Pekkanen is trying to make us think about what we would do if our spouse decided to give away everything we have worked for to live on love (or at least live a more modest lifestyle). As we see Julia struggle with her decision, there are moments the reader hates her but also moments where the reader can identify with her struggle. Michael's character doesn't get off lightly, either. There are moments when you despise him, as well. Kudos to Pekkanen for showing all sides of the emotional conflicts that come with this situation.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall, I found this to be quite an enjoyable book. I wanted to know what Julia's decision was and I wanted to know what influenced her decision. This is the first novel I have read by Pekkanen and she's won me over with her easy to read style. I look forward to reading more by this author.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-81488752571096334602011-03-18T16:58:00.003-02:302011-03-18T17:37:43.688-02:30Night of the Living Dandelion<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3d4OS4rz7srwAsE4l03-5bMU-TX3ls8cFD5FrM5n61v5ZYgSoX7ikTBCSFcm9p5o4rUODR165kL-BrkTcjpfc5bNLpbDkCCRw8xycX-AueQ3QbELsT56a-eudgAoO1mzvokRe44ZGSt62/s1600/night+of+the+living+dandelion.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3d4OS4rz7srwAsE4l03-5bMU-TX3ls8cFD5FrM5n61v5ZYgSoX7ikTBCSFcm9p5o4rUODR165kL-BrkTcjpfc5bNLpbDkCCRw8xycX-AueQ3QbELsT56a-eudgAoO1mzvokRe44ZGSt62/s400/night+of+the+living+dandelion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585504469512019778" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Kate Collins</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: 130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">First published by Obsidian, an imprint of New American Library,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">First printing, April 2011</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ARC courtesy of Kate Collins<br /><br />In book eleven of the Flower Shop Mysteries, we find Abby and Marco drawn into investigating a murder when the body of a local nursing director, Lori Willis, is found in the garbage bin behind Marco's bar. <br /><br />Townspeople have already been suspecting Marco's friend, Vlad, of being involved in Lori's disappearance because some of her belongings and her car were found behind his apartment building. There have been a lot of rumours concerning Vlad since he arrived in New Chapel; rumours that he is a vampire. He prefers to wear black, has pale skin and dark hair, is from Romania, and has prominent canines. When it is discovered that Lori has died from exsanguination, Vlad becomes the number one suspect.<br /><br />A hilarious sub-plot to the crime investigation is when Abby's cousin, Jillian, has concluded she has been bitten by a vampire. This compels her to roam the streets dressed in a dark cape and to consume raw meat. If you've read previous editions of the series, you know how funny it would be to see Jillian in such a state, and Collins writes it well and humourously. <br /><br />Another plotline - although not so funny - is the fact that Marco has been called back to the Special Ops division of the US military, which is devastating news to both him and Abby. They know they are living on borrowed time and must make the most of what they have at the moment. Marco wants to make sure Vlad's name is cleared, so he keeps giving Abby tips on how to become a better private investigator. While Abby appreciates the help, she would rather have Marco with her than off on a secret mission in an undisclosed part of the world.<br /><br />If you haven't read any Flower Shop Mysteries you can still enjoy this book on its own. If you're already a fan, you'll love this addition to the series. Kate Collins has written another clever, interesting mystery and has further developed Abby and Marco's love story which, let's face it, is one of the main reasons we keep coming back!<br /></span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-71175919142738205952011-02-06T17:42:00.008-03:302011-02-06T18:56:50.219-03:30Mr. Shakespeare's Bastard<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM_JScpD6YtkQVEyIATFapYxkdWqJtWyh9qD-34GNrlL7lByvHyjmLVopQi8rcaarLPyexc1L1WosTqnqwZ5EJ4YyJDyeb7ZC7YuU_E90oTsTOdVWqhjVamBp4I0PqOX72nuxd1F21Oc_/s1600/mr.+shakespeare%2527s+bastard.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEM_JScpD6YtkQVEyIATFapYxkdWqJtWyh9qD-34GNrlL7lByvHyjmLVopQi8rcaarLPyexc1L1WosTqnqwZ5EJ4YyJDyeb7ZC7YuU_E90oTsTOdVWqhjVamBp4I0PqOX72nuxd1F21Oc_/s400/mr.+shakespeare%2527s+bastard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570687820656735794" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><br />By Richard B. Wright<br />Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.<br />2010<br /><br />Is it possible for England's most famous playwright to have an illegitimate daughter? According to an elderly housekeeper at Easton House in Oxfordshire, it is. Aerlene </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Ward, now old and feeble, tells her story to</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" > Charlotte Easton who has promised to record every word. But will Charlotte believe Aerlene's tale - as told to Aerlene by her own mother, Elizabeth - or mock her for making up such a story? As Aerlene dictates the story of her life to Charlotte, Charlotte raises an interesting point when she asks if the stories being related really happened. <br /><br />Aerlene's reply:<br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"></span></span><blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"...In relating anything we only </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">approach</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> the truth; we are never exactly there. Moreover, does not another truth besides the factual lurk in any account of events? A truth far more important?...Is the reader not entitled to a little more, even if it is not </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">exactly</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> what happened? And is it not also possible that out of that imagined conversation, a truth beyond the factual might emerge?..."</span></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ></span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" >Excellent piece of writing by Wright, indicative not only of the truth of the matter at hand in this book, but of any book written.<br /><br />Mr. Shakespeare's Bastard is a little confusing as it is told by both Aerlene and Elizabeth, so some time-shifting is involved. To add to the confusion, Aerlene is nicknamed Linny and Elizabeth is nicknamed Lizzy, and their stories are quite similar. However, trying to figure out if Shakespeare really did have an affair with Elizabeth is more than enough to keep the reader interested.<br /><br />Wright interestingly inserts characters who give their opinion of Shakespeare's plays to Aerlene who, being a woman, cannot see the plays performed. Also of interest is the fact Aerlene can read (as most women of the day could not) and has managed to obtain copies of Shakespeare's plays, thus elevating him to hero status in her mind.<br /><br />Wright has written a beautiful novel that provided fodder for much discussion at my book club meeting. While we all enjoyed the book, we had different views on whether we thought Shakespeare was actually Aerlene's father. I wasn't convinced, but most others were. We thought Wright wrote in a convincing female voice; however, many thought the language wasn't "period" enough. We agreed that the male characters in Wright's book were more sympathetic than the female characters, with much discussion centering around Aerlene's Uncle Jack and Aunt Sarah.<br /><br />Richard B. Wright has written a wonderful piece of historical fiction. It's an interesting, well-written piece about a topic many have discussed before and many will again: Did Will Shakespeare leave behind a bastard?</span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-12431132586835007322011-01-21T18:09:00.011-03:302011-01-21T19:10:21.504-03:30A Question of Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPLLO2rSx5Gr8p_wySpuMLN-eNNoEGclwFoX1NaC2Ms3BleEEzQtFlImBShOJ9S-0PI00U9PQR2Vc8aAJOZ5BtxhZ-kVqJMl962rQILtLj90-T53igimNLMubzEYoSt75_vngrNcN5RDu/s1600/a+question+of+love.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPLLO2rSx5Gr8p_wySpuMLN-eNNoEGclwFoX1NaC2Ms3BleEEzQtFlImBShOJ9S-0PI00U9PQR2Vc8aAJOZ5BtxhZ-kVqJMl962rQILtLj90-T53igimNLMubzEYoSt75_vngrNcN5RDu/s400/a+question+of+love.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5564757402885769906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Isabel Wolff</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by HarperCollins</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Publishers</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2005</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Laura Quick is host of Britain's popular new quiz show, <span style="font-style: italic;">Whadda Ya Know?!!</span> She has spent several years trying to get her life back on track after losing her husband, Nick, and the show is a welcome distraction. Laura's intelligence and hosting skills are a hit with the fans and the critics love her. Apparently, so does an old flame who sees her hosting the show and becomes a contestant with the sole purpose of rekindling the romance. Of course, old flames have new lives and this one comes complete with a six-year-old daughter and a mental ex-wife.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">While the romance portion of the book is interesting and well constructed, it's the general knowledge game show parts that kept me tearing through the pages. Some interesting facts I discovered while reading this book: the traditional Muslim colour for mourning is white; gnu is the alternative word for wildebeest; there are seventy-eight Tarot cards to a deck; hippopotamus milk is pink. It's not too often one comes away so knowledgeable after reading "female literature"!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Overall, A Question of Love is an enjoyable novel with some plot surprises along the way. Although it isn't a new release, if you can get your hands on it, buy it, read it, and fill your head with a good story and some general knowledge.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-91775440592908103902010-12-05T08:35:00.006-03:302010-12-05T09:32:25.579-03:30Stand By Me<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_NTApEsJ7x1z9HEYZ1v93VfB5QALfUNhFxwJyAeHrWRC7MCLCFO0q7mFsXVEAKoCoI-fIbEeixHXGRyUyFazpc5SmHInteWy6h-xjN_ayvvdTXgafxZZKRhAgH_H3UeOBNcKZd75L-p0/s1600/stand+by+me.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 372px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_NTApEsJ7x1z9HEYZ1v93VfB5QALfUNhFxwJyAeHrWRC7MCLCFO0q7mFsXVEAKoCoI-fIbEeixHXGRyUyFazpc5SmHInteWy6h-xjN_ayvvdTXgafxZZKRhAgH_H3UeOBNcKZd75L-p0/s400/stand+by+me.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5547168688695846914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Sheila O'Flanagan</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Headline Review</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">an imprint of Headline Publishing Group</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">First published in 2010</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Dominique Brady, named after St. Dominic and pronounced the same way, was brought up in an ultra-religious Catholic home in Ireland. Her brother, Gabriel, is being groomed for the priesthood and his parents couldn't be prouder. Dominique, however, has no time to waste on religion and gets on with being a teenager in the 1980s, eventually getting a job in a diner where she meets her future husband.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Dominique's life changes over the years and she becomes a wealthy socialite, raising money for charities, and throwing the best parties. But life is never an easy path and Domino, as she is now known, has serious choices to make along the way. Of course, that's where the title of the book comes into play: if you're married, do you always stand by each other? If you're a family, do you always stick up for each other? When is it necessary to stand by your friends?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">O'Flanagan always writes an interesting story, often with complex layers and digging deep into marital and family life. As well, O'Flanagan's supporting characters are well written and some become as important as the main characters in how the reader feels about them and how their lives will turn out.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Stand By Me is a bit of a saga, covering Domino's life from her late teen years into her forties. It dissects love, depression, betrayal, and religion, yet doesn't become boring or preachy. O'Flanagan has turned out yet another book that provides the reader with a good storyline, some thought-provoking moments, and an overall enjoyable read. </span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-8881878499006059092010-11-26T18:26:00.006-03:302010-11-26T18:56:16.184-03:30Mini Shopaholic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfdU4eEtbJmW7VuwaMhM3CLmU9NfBxCyAQAR15WAGw_FRKqhYrzHTSjvTzDKvqxZhUrxGqakTA0rNbk33VQ_JDLe9BpR2-FDipuIwRtnXRE054dfYSwDOLvN_yeig00YMqiI3VwiJb1oU/s1600/mini+shopaholic.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 372px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfdU4eEtbJmW7VuwaMhM3CLmU9NfBxCyAQAR15WAGw_FRKqhYrzHTSjvTzDKvqxZhUrxGqakTA0rNbk33VQ_JDLe9BpR2-FDipuIwRtnXRE054dfYSwDOLvN_yeig00YMqiI3VwiJb1oU/s400/mini+shopaholic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543981369726583522" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Sophie Kinsella</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Transworld Publishers,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">a Random House Group Company</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">First published in Great Britain in 2010</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) has a spoilt daughter. Everyone says so, including Becky's husband, Becky's mom, Becky's mom's best friend, and the new nanny. Minnie has been barred from various shops and she's only two. Grabbing the items she wants from store shelves and yelling <span style="font-style: italic;">"miiiiiiiiiine"</span> has become Minnie's catchphrase. What's a shopaholic mommy to do? How can Becky continue to buy baby Dior and baby Dolce & Gabbana and other designer toddler outfits if Minnie doesn't behave in the shops?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">When a banking crisis hits Britain, Becky, Luke, and Minnie - still living with Becky's parents - have to Cut Back (it amuses me that Kinsella writes it with the importance of capital letters). Luke has made Becky swear she will not buy any new clothes until she wears everything in her closet three times. But Becky is planning a surprise birthday party for Luke and shopping at the Pound Shop is just not going to cut it. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Sophie Kinsella has written another Shopaholic book (this is number six) that had me in fits of giggles from beginning to end. Between spoilt little Minnie, the problems Becky encounters whilst trying to buy a house, and the whole cast of characters trying to ensure Luke's surprise birthday party remains a surprise, this installment is one of the best in the series. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">For lighthearted fun and pages of giggles, this book is a must-read for all Shopaholic fans.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-46063398121446508892010-11-04T19:48:00.007-02:302010-11-04T20:48:04.345-02:30Minding Frankie<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIHlqRf5Srqd_w6iu1AO1Ug9-PH8MX5GJKKl1Zt6ojCQVrwZ1xLhLvBgwDCEH8xOlCRO46rctUclbv8aoxyXlgMsqFlqAJbuY-ADi7ky-bYXAEo9xDaAL6D0CplTyy7jcXuCnLOj7XtqC/s1600/minding+frankie.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPIHlqRf5Srqd_w6iu1AO1Ug9-PH8MX5GJKKl1Zt6ojCQVrwZ1xLhLvBgwDCEH8xOlCRO46rctUclbv8aoxyXlgMsqFlqAJbuY-ADi7ky-bYXAEo9xDaAL6D0CplTyy7jcXuCnLOj7XtqC/s400/minding+frankie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535822842507580386" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Maeve Binchy</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Orion Books</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group Ltd</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">2010</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">As soon as I heard Maeve Binchy had written a new novel I was excited. After all, who can tell a story like Maeve Binchy? Even the book's cover announces: </span></span><blockquote style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:130%;">"The new novel from the world's favourite storyteller"</span></blockquote><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Maeve (I feel I can be on a first-name basis with my long-time reading buddy) has thrown a few curveballs with this novel. I didn't particularly like all of these curveballs, but I went with it and ended up rethinking my position on a few topics.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Biggest curveball - She has managed to create a character I actually despised. Really, truly despised. Moira Tierney, the novel's social worker, is the biggest pain in the arse character Maeve has ever produced. Mind you, she's meant to be completely unlikeable. Moira's character was so well written, I hated every word out of her mouth and every idea in her head. At one point, I had my fill of her and walked away from the book for a while. It takes talent to create that character.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Minding Frankie is a story that proves that families come in all shapes and sizes and that the birth of a baby can change people's lives. Frankie is the baby. Before she is born, her mother seeks out Frankie's father, Noel, to tell him he is the father. The catch is that, even though Noel doesn't remember Stella or the one-night-stand he had with her, Stella is now dying of cancer and she wants Noel to raise Frankie.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The best part of this book was catching up with character's from Binchy's past novels; a technique of Binchy's that is useful in drawing you quite quickly into the story. There are new characters as well and, as usual, all the stories are nicely weaved together, which is amazing given the number of people in this book.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This is a novel that touches on extended families, adopted families, broken families, alcoholism, paternity, celebrity, and death. It spends a great deal of time with the hated Moira Tierney but, through that character, Binchy gives us an in depth look at the life of a social worker. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Written in that strong Maeve Binchy style, with an insight into community life and family living that only Maeve Binchy seems to have, this is another winner from </span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">"the world's favourite storyteller"</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-377807362948659782010-10-11T19:34:00.005-02:302010-10-11T20:12:51.700-02:30Dust City<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhVYvfpjI3oKJD-U0DugNRvYSe99cql3uNH1ryoRc5Epp4dBLxcl2x552LX0EUshFnoHrBc4l0D6UpH5Z_3wly0EMe12VjWkHKg7abkSAKYzXPIHmIESMyryxGV5GbjXEZe_4IztLZYGD/s1600/dust+city.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYhVYvfpjI3oKJD-U0DugNRvYSe99cql3uNH1ryoRc5Epp4dBLxcl2x552LX0EUshFnoHrBc4l0D6UpH5Z_3wly0EMe12VjWkHKg7abkSAKYzXPIHmIESMyryxGV5GbjXEZe_4IztLZYGD/s400/dust+city.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526913179015667074" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Robert Paul Weston</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by the Penguin Group</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">October 2010</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ARC courtesy of Penguin Group (Canada)</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Henry Whelp is a teen wolf doing time at St. Remus Home for Wayward Youth. Generally, he is a nice kid, liked by other kids and adults alike. But Henry believes he may possibly be bad like his father (the Big Bad Wolf), who is presently doing hard time for killing a little girl (Little Red Riding Hood) and her grandmother. His mother died when he was young - hit and killed by a truck transporting fairy dust - and his subsequent confusion about her death and his father's incarceration not only led to a wayward crime, but to a psychiatrist's office, as well. When Henry discovers the psychiatrist has kept secrets from him, he ponders the answers to long-asked questions: Are there still fairies? If not, what happened to them? Is his father really responsible for a double murder?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Weston leads the reader from there into Henry's trek into the dark, gritty, grimy world of dust, fairies, goblins, dwarves, and humans, known as Dust City. Dust is the drug of choice in Dust City; fairy dust, that is. But it's dust that has been tampered with by Nimbus Thaumaturgical, is inhaled and absorbed by the body, and brings some of the book's characters on some pretty wild head trips.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Characters in Dust City include, Snow White, Cinderella, Jack of Jack and the Beanstalk fame, Rumpelstiltskin, and more. I liked this touch; it made the story less grim, yet more Grimm, if you get my drift. The story itself was slow getting into but it picked up once there was less reform school and more details of life in the city. Weston has a talent for relating to YA readers without dumbing-down his vocabulary and his writing style is fast-paced - once the story got going, there was no holding back.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">While this book is marketed as a YA novel for twelve years and up, I wouldn't recommend it for anyone younger than fifteen. It tackles some pretty heady themes, including drug abuse, drug runners, murderers, racism, and genocide. It also contains graphic accounts of violence and drug-induced hallucinations. Overall, however, I certainly recommend this novel for fans of YA fantasy fiction.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-81781391496948515422010-09-30T18:34:00.008-02:302010-09-30T19:57:06.582-02:30Edith's War<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9hm-EBDc5beDh3c-BDvMbC35fJgytrlyPi8cfYU1H8MnKFHo4pCu3HvLeF5mJYm5pZQV_0qJI3Rg41akYgOn1YgcIroch5_D5SZXTOWOadS-JIBKQNsRzblZbk50BnZW4krQoSnjrpha/s1600/edith's+war.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9hm-EBDc5beDh3c-BDvMbC35fJgytrlyPi8cfYU1H8MnKFHo4pCu3HvLeF5mJYm5pZQV_0qJI3Rg41akYgOn1YgcIroch5_D5SZXTOWOadS-JIBKQNsRzblZbk50BnZW4krQoSnjrpha/s400/edith's+war.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522816376058984850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Andrew Smith</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Axiom Publishing Inc.<br />2010<br /></span><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Copy courtesy of Andrew Smith</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Edith Maquire got married because Joe Maguire was off to war and he wanted somebody to come home to. It all sounded terribly romantic to young Edith, so she agreed. Now, Joe is at war and pregnant Edith is living in Shrimpley with Joe's mother and younger brother.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">It's 1940. The Maquires' war is okay for them so far; they have chickens in the yard and food in the kitchen. Liam Maquire, full of youth and propaganda, starts trouble with his Italian neighbours. But the Maquires and Baccanellos will have none of it; long-time friends and neighbours - and far out of the reach of the cities - they believe they will remain friends and neighbours for some time to come.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">However, within hours of Mussolini's declaration of war against Britain, Winston Churchill issues an internment order against Italians living in Britain, and the Baccanello males are scooped up and taken away for the duration of the war.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">It's 2002. Will and Shamus Maquire, children of Edith Maguire, are strolling the streets of Venice awaiting the arrival of their eighty-three-year-old mother. It's to be a reunion of sorts, at Edith's behest.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The book goes back and forth between Edith's life during WW II and her sons wondering why their mother wants to see them. Smith does a credible job of putting the internment of Britain's Italians under the microscope covering everything from the torpedoing of the Arandora Star on its way to Canada to internment camps in Liverpool, helping to shed light on a little-discussed topic.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">The lives of those left to live out the war is also examined, and we discover that the definitions of proper and acceptable behaviour change the longer the war goes on. </span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Andrew Smith has written a totally believable novel, creating wonderful characters in a beautifully written narrative. Recommended for both those who like history and those who like good fiction.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-54945000800716625722010-09-19T21:28:00.006-02:302010-09-19T21:45:26.042-02:30The Mistress of Nothing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdjDvrbAuOX8llZ7KVOvx7GrIyumoqBNbSCbe-mH2JnuRsbEkmhEpV6xEph_OyZ3pXRQYxID436-pwmp4Cdch_X6snGkidgVoyNFyKJzvFhD_Ju3uKhm9Lwm8__-4VnCn3GxO5Faem52T/s1600/the+mistress+of+nothing.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdjDvrbAuOX8llZ7KVOvx7GrIyumoqBNbSCbe-mH2JnuRsbEkmhEpV6xEph_OyZ3pXRQYxID436-pwmp4Cdch_X6snGkidgVoyNFyKJzvFhD_Ju3uKhm9Lwm8__-4VnCn3GxO5Faem52T/s400/the+mistress+of+nothing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518778875407466434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Kate Pullinger</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">First published in 2009 by Serpent's Tail,</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">an imprint of Profile Books Ltd</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Winner of 2009 Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Who was Lady Duff Gordon? Was she the beautiful and intelligent woman who entertained politicians, writers, and great thinkers of the day? Was she a tragic figure who had to leave her family in England to move to the dry air of Egypt due to her tuberculosis? Was she a generous woman, willing to help anyone who asked? Or was she a mean-spirited woman who turned on her long-time maid in the most spiteful manner?</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">According to Kate Pullinger, Lady Duff Gordon was all of these.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">While this book has Lady Duff Gordon at its centre, Sally Naldrett is the core. Sally is Lady Duff Gordon's lady's maid and the narrator of the story. She moves to Egypt to care for her Lady and falls in love with the people and its customs. Being an English maid without any English customs to adhere to gives Sally and her Lady a set of freedoms they never before experienced; freedoms which can change your life's expectations.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">This was a selection for the Bool Club. Although we all liked the book well enough, three of us thought it took more than half the book before it became compelling reading. There was a divide in the discussion on whether or not Lady Duff Gordon had made Sally feel she was more a companion than a maid, thus leading Sally to believe they were on friendly terms, or whether Sally should have known there would always be a line drawn between a British Lady and her maid no matter where in the world they should live.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Although this book was terribly slow to get going, it turned out to be quite interesting and, eventually, I was unable to put it down. This is an easy read and a good book for anyone interested in historical fiction.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6368575290039958666.post-20125126967464598232010-09-06T09:53:00.002-02:302010-09-06T10:27:48.704-02:30Second Fiddle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0owInYow4Q1bHt4myD7jlr_wq1OeDB6NniuVJEOACPUKQwZjTG-GujF7uLsexGyLd6wk7WQ0A9K_lpIkkBgIoA2JwWbYpjbkb2lOpt-32QUligI2W3cYOV_gsyb3jtF948lwrm9BtrfD/s1600/second+fiddle.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 256px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0owInYow4Q1bHt4myD7jlr_wq1OeDB6NniuVJEOACPUKQwZjTG-GujF7uLsexGyLd6wk7WQ0A9K_lpIkkBgIoA2JwWbYpjbkb2lOpt-32QUligI2W3cYOV_gsyb3jtF948lwrm9BtrfD/s400/second+fiddle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513775230779732290" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">By Mary Wesley</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Published by Black Swan</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Originally published in Great Britain by</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Macmillan London Limited, 1988</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Claud Bannister, 23, meets Laura Thornby, 45, at a concert. Claud is there with his mother. Laura is there because the conductor is her current lover. Martin is there because the British government has him following Clug, the conductor, who is from Roumania and may or may not be a spy. Claud instantly falls for Laura, as does Martin, who finds that tailing Clug is not that much of a hardship as long as Laura is around.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Laura doesn't fall in love; she prefers to love 'em and lose 'em. But Laura is quite intrigued with Claud and guides him from boyhood to manhood, filling his head with ideas for his novel, and helping him open a market stall. She manipulates him to the point where he thinks her ideas are his own and he has fallen madly in love with her.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Laura's personal life is a deep pit of mystery. She prefers to be alone in her orderly, non-cluttered life, not getting attached to people or things. She is mostly cut off from her family, which consists of her mother and her uncle. Speculation is that her uncle is also her father - it's never quite made clear. Wesley has the habit of introducing darker themes in her novels and then leaving them to the reader to decide; after all, a good book doesn't have to spell everything out for you.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Second Fiddle is full of village life, where everyone knows everyone else's business and the Thornby family are accepted, although talked about as the oddities they are. Wesley covers incest, alcoholism, and suicide in her usual style - deal with it and move on. Don't let the darker themes of this novel put you off - this is an interesting novel full of simmering back-stories that will entertain and intrigue you to the very end.</span></span>Nancy Barneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01985015909113855618noreply@blogger.com0