Redeux: The guernsey literary and potato peel pie society

I know that I've already done a review for this book here, but I'm in an online book club with Tasha from Heidenkind's Hideaway, and our book to read this month was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society and we decided to do our reviews together in letter form: (To see the rest of the letter please go to her site.) I know-nothing from me in a week, now two posts in one day!)

Letters from Heidenkind (Tasha) to me:
Chere Colette,

I think even with the explanation for the name of the society, it's still pretty strange. But I do have a hankering to try to make a potato peel pie now, even though it'll probably be incredibly gross.

Smutty books? You??? Actually, my grandfather reads trashy romances all the time and he's one of those quiet and sensitive types, so you never know. Women read "smutty" books and they're not creepy, so why would a man be? In fact, now that you've got me thinking about it, this doesn't sound like a half bad idea. Except we would have to make sure to only put our addresses in the romance novels we liked so that the imaginary men who might pick them up don't get the wrong idea about us. Dating via old books! How romantic. :)

Clooney is way too huggable to be Mark. Plus, I could imagine him understanding why someone would like to read. Whereas Captain Jack... haha, kidding. Mainly I just pictured him as Harkness because of the 1940's-style clothing he always wears. Mark did start to get really annoying near the end of the book--actually, I take that back, he was annoying from the very start with masses of flowers he kept sending Juliet even though they didn't know each other at all. I would have sent him a note that said, "Thank you for the flowers, but please stop. Stalker." And it was always about him, wasn't it. HE wants to go to a fancy restaurant, so that's what they do; HE wants to get married so how dare she need time to think about it. What a jerk! I thought it was interesting when Juliet compared him to her ideal romantic hero--Ransom from Master of Blackheath--but said that she was no romantic heroine, so it would never work out. That got me to thinking if I would be able to marry some of the characters I fell in love with when I was a teenager, like Mr. Darcy or Sir John Smythe. But I don't really know since I've never met (let alone dated) anyone like that. Did you ever date someone who was like a character out of a book? And do you think that "Men are more interesting in books than they are in real life," as Isola put it?

As for Dawsey, it's not that I dislike him--it's just that he's there. Like a lump. I didn't really get much sense of his personality through his letters, certainly not enough to like or dislike him. And he doesn't really do much, does he? I guess if he looked like Lawrence Fox it would be another story... wait, not really. Because I still would be waiting for the guy to say something.

Haha, the one good German--poor Christian. He's an anathema to his countrymen. I hadn't heard of the Toldt slaves before this book--I didn't even know there were islands in the English Channel or that they were occupied during WWII before this book. I also want to visit Guernsey now, though! I think one of the things I loved about the novel is that there are some really dark and terrible things that happen to the people on the island during the occupation--the Toldt slaves, which was simply horrible; and both Elizabeth and John Booker going to concentration camps on the Continent--but those events don't make the book itself, or the characters, sad or depressing at all. It's really all about how the human spirit and hope can endure even the worst of situations, don't you think? One of the annoying things, though, was when Juliet said the parents sending their children away to the English countryside was "the worst thing." Really? The WORST thing? Come on now. Personally I thought the mass execution of all the pets on the island was pretty terrible, but I think it just went to show how harsh things were at the time. The parents who sent their kids away should just be happy they weren't conscripted to build bombs, if you ask me. Not to mention that the kids had an adventure while they were away and maybe even stumbled across an old wardrobe.

I got my copy from the library, too, and I don't want to give it back! I wonder if I could trade them The Thirteenth Tale for it. I totally loved Juliet for trying to save her books from the fire. I don't know what I would do if I lost all my books. Probably cry and cry.

One of the book discussion questions that I thought would be fun is "Do you agree with Isola that 'reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones'?" I would say no, since I still enjoy my trashy romance novels--the trashier, the better! But on the other hand, if I've just read a book that I really enjoyed, I have a much lower tolerance for a book that isn't capturing my attention. What do you think?

A bientot,
Tasha

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From me to Tasha:

Dear Tasha,
Ok, The name of the book is pretty weird, but I still love it. You're not going to forget a book with a name like that! I'm glad I'm not the only one who hadn't heard of the Toldt slaves, or that the British Channel Islands were occupied by Germany during WWII. Like you, I'm glad that certain aspects of the book like Elizabeth going to the concentration camp didn't encompass the entire story line. I liked how Juliet gradually wrote letters to everyone on the island and what their experiences were like during the war. It made me feel like I was there with them.

You asked what made me love Dawsey Adams so much, and to be honest I'm not really sure. I think maybe it was his quietness, and the ability to be there when it mattered for different people without having to be the center of attention. He just grew on me and before I knew he was one of my favorite male leads in a book. To answer your question if I've ever had a boyfriend that was like one of the characters in one of my books the answer is no. I think that Isola is right and that men are more interesting in books-I think that's why we read romances sometimes, because the men in the romances are how we'd like the guys we date to be, but aren't. However, I wouldn't be like some of the characters I've read in books (like the girl in Jane Austen Ruined My Life) and not date someone because they weren't enough like Mr. Darcy, Captain Wentworth or Edward Cullen. That's just ignoring the real reason you don't want to date someone-but that is a whole other letter. I love the idea of putting our address only in the romances that we really love! I would have to definetly put my address in The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, (Jamie Fraser still holds a place in my heart. Talk about your heros. Oh la la!)

Now you that you have me Mark picturing as Jack Harkness from Torchwood I can't get that image out of my head, and I can't remember why I thought that George Clooney could ever pass as Mark. I can understand why Juliet fell for him in the beginning though-after so many years of doing without and being on her own, it must have been nice to have some one give you gifts and want to take care of you. I have to admit though, red flags went off on him right from the start. I mean who sends that many flowers to someone?? You mentioned that one of the things that Juliet said about the parents sending their children away to the English countryside was "the worst thing." and how that annoyed you. What annoyed me more then that was how the islanders just let Elizabeth's little girl stay with Juliet after a short period of time. Who does that? There were aspects of the storyline that I wished there were more of-like her editor who was gay and the guy he went to find who was hurt from the war. I loved how the editor and Isola Side note: (Do I have the right character?) became friends. I wish he had been in the book more.

I almost forgot to ask you-how do you feel about two people writing a book? I've found it hardly ever works, so when I saw that there two authors for this book, that was written in letter format I got worried. Then I read how Mary Ann Shaffer got really sick (and has since died) and her niece Annie Barrows finished editing it for her. That story just seems to fit with the entire book, and didn't affect the flow of the story at all. I thought it was one of the most heartwarming books I've read in a long time. Which brings me to this question you asked: Do you think that good books make it harder to read bad books? I've often wondered the opposite thing: Does reading several bad books in a row make a so-so book wonderful? I couldn't help but wonder if that's why I liked the book and Dawsey as much as I did. (the heros the books preceeding this one weren't very sigh-worthy.)

I'm glad you liked this book even if you weren't in love with Dawsey like I was. I hope that I like the book that you chose for the book club just as much-The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. I read it when it came out in 2005, but don't really remember much about it. I just remember the ending of the book. (How weird is that?)
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Dear Colette,

I liked the title of the book, too. Very unique, and you want to pick the book up to see what it's about.

So you wouldn't not date someone just because they weren't a sparkly vampire? I'm disappointed. Standards, Colette, standards! ;) Anyway, I do think Dawsey was kind of like Mr. Darcy--right? So in the end, Juliet did wind up with a romantic hero, just not the sort she thought she wanted. I would have definitely given Mark a chance, too, although I would have found the fact that his name is Markham instead of just Mark suspicious.

I also thought it was odd that the islanders just let Kit live with Juliet; but maybe they let her sleep wherever she wanted, and she decided she wanted to stay with Juliet. Who knows. I wish there had been more romance in the book (of course). Would a love letter or two have killed anyone??? Isola (yes, that's the right character) was cute, but if she'd been in the story any more, she might have become annoying. I did like Sydney, but here's one of the plot elements that confused me: his secretary, Billee Bee, apparently read all his correspondence, which he left sitting on his desk for anyone to look at, in an attempt to find something to defame him with. So wouldn't she have seen Isola's letter to him where she mentions he's a homosexual?

It's funny that the book having two authors giving you some concern, because I usually avoid books with multiple authors, too. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. But in this case the novel flowed really well.

I don't think reading meh books makes good books seem better than they are; I think it just makes you appreciate the fact that you're finally reading a good book more! (Wait, that sentence made no sense....)

I hope The Historian is good, too, although if you can't remember anything about it, that's not a very promising sign. Maybe we should read something else...?
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Dear Tasha,

I loved Guernsey so much and I could go on about it forever. I was thinking about my favorite characters in the society, and honestly I don't think I have a favorite. They were each special in their own way. What I loved most was how it introduced me to authors I knew nothing about. I know I've mentioned this but I loved how each member was so passionate about the books they read for the meeting. Do you think we should try that for the book club? Try to convince each other why we should read a favorite book of ours? When I was doing some online sleuthing for more information about this book I came upon this little sentence: "I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some sort of secret homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” I don't know about you, but I've often wondered about this question..don't you wonder sometimes how certain books you normally wouldn't read find a home on your bookshelf?

When I finished Guernsey I really, really wanted to go to the British Channel islands. I wonder if I'll want to go to Romania after I read the Historian again? I really think I'll like the Historian by Elizabeth Kostova better this time around because I believe my reading tastes have changed since I read it last. Do you find that your reading tastes change over the years? I think that a vampire story is a perfect choice to read for our October book. This description of the book from goodreads.com makes me anxious to read the book again:

From Goodreads

In this riveting debut of breathtaking scope, a young girl discovers her father's darkest secret and embarks on a harrowing journey across Europe to complete the quest he never could -- to find history's most legendary fiend: Dracula. When a motherless American girl living in Europe finds a medieval book and a package of letters, all addressed ominously to "My dear and unfortunate successor..." she begins to unravel a thread that leads back to her father's past, his mentor's career, and an evil hidden in the depths of history. In those few quiet moments, she unwittingly assumes a quest she will discover is her birthright: a hunt that nearly brought her father to ruin and may have claimed the life of his adviser and dear friend, history professor Bartholomew Rossi. What does the legend of Vlad the Impaler, the historical Dracula, have to do with the 20th century? Is it possible that Dracula has lived on in the modern world? And why have a select few historians risked reputation, sanity, and even their lives to learn the answer? So begins an epic journey to unlock the secrets of the strange medieval book, an adventure that will carry our heroine across Europe and into the past -- not only to the times of Vlad's heinous reign, but to the days when her mother was alive and her father was still a vibrant young scholar. In the end, she uncovers the startling fate of Rossi, and comes face to face with the definition of evil-- to find, ultimately, that good may not always triumph.

I hope we both enjoy The Historian as much as we loved the last book.

Until next time-

Colette

(To see the rest of the letter please go to her site.)

The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter

After finishing Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange last week I had trouble starting another book. I picked up four and lost interest in each of them about 90 pages in. I don't think it was because the books weren't good, I just wasn't in the right mood for them. I also had a weird stomach thing that made everything seem like a chore to do.

Last night when I was starting to feel better I grabbed a book that had been on my TBR pile for a good month or two-not that long, but long enough to almost be forgotten. The book was The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter.

I picked up the first Lords of The Underworld book (The Darkest Night) by chance and at the time was tired of seeing vampires featured in every single paranormal book, so it was a nice change of pace to have a story line that didn't include them. (I love vampires as much as the next girl, but the market is almost over-saturated with vampire books right now.) The Lords of The Underworld are immortal warriors who made the mistake of opening Pandora's box. Their punishment was that each of the had one of the demons that got loose when they opened the box live inside them.

The Darkest Kiss tells the story of Lucien, who is known as The Dark One, Shadow Walker, King of the Dead because the demon that lives inside is death. He was the one who actually opened Pandora's box and almost destroyed everything inside earth. He was given the task of taking souls to either heaven or hell. If he doesn't collect souls then the agony and pain that is brought upon him is beyond compare. (This is what happens when you read too many historical romances-you use words like compare!!)

Anya is the minor goddess of Anarchy and the daughter of lawlessness and dealer of disorder had upset the current ruler of the Gods, Cronus so much that the punishment he told her he would give her would be to hand her over to the Lords of the Underworld. Never one to back down from a challenge, she decided to check out the Lords herself to prepare herself for what would happen. She didn't except to fall for one. She appeared at a going away dance for the Lords and shocked everyone by choosing Lucien to dance with. Out of all the Lords, Lucien isn't considered all that hot because of some nasty scars on face and the scars tend to scare most women away. They don't scare Anarchy though...

Anya and Lucien share a kiss like none other. It leads to an attraction that the other lords are immediately suspicious of: Why is Anarchy helping them? She must be up to something...then as Lucien realizes that he can't get enough of Anya he is delivered this task by Cronus: Kill her or your friends will suffer. Anya also has a curse of her own that she's dealing with and it doesn't make her attraction to Lucien easy to deal with. Lucien is distracted from killing her because he and his friends must find Pandora's box in order to be free of their demons and they must get to it before the hunters, humans who are out to get the lords find it first. However, his time runs short and both of them must come to a decision what is more important: themselves or the love they have for each other?

So much more goes on in this story, but I don't want to ruin it so I'll stop here. All I know is that I can't wait for Paris's story and Torin's story! (Their demons are promiscuity and disease) I find it ironic that the Lord I'm least interested in Reyes (Pain) has his story in book #3.

Sigh meter: High!!!
Hotness meter: Wowzer.
Number of hours of sleep: 4 (I stayed up almost all night reading this!)

The last of my Everything Austen Challenge Reviews

"A girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then. It is something to think of." -Jane Austen
This seems to be a fitting quote to Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange-the last book I read for the Everything Austen Challenge hosted by the awesome Stephanie at Stephanie's Written Word.

The cover of the US edition of the book doesn't do the book justice. Out of all the Austen-themed books I've read for this challenge, this one has been my favorite. I've never read Amanda Grange before, and to be honest I was hesitant to read this after a few of the other themed books I read-namely Jane Austen Ruined My Life and Austenland-both of which I didn't really like. This book was different in the fact that it actually featured Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as the main characters instead of having modern day characters try to be like them. I've been trying to think of adjectives to describe this book-wonderful, alluring, compelling, dramatic, page-turner, but none of them seem to fit. It's just a flat out awesome read.

The book takes place after Darcy and Elizabeth's wedding, and the tale takes a mysterious turn right at the beginning when Elizabeth finds out that they won't be going to Lake District for their wedding tour as planned, but to Paris. On the journey Elizabeth begins to notice that something is wrong with her husband but she isn't sure what. Is it her? Or something else. Readers know why Darcy is acting all mysterious and haughty toward her, but Elizabeth doesn't. Their boat is saved from an attack from another ship when the sailors notice Darcy. While readers can guess the reason why they stayed away from the boat (who wouldn't be afraid of Darcy, the vampire?) the captain of the ship and Elizabeth brush the incident off with everyday explanations.

There are more incidents along the way that are also easily explained away. Phrases spoken that seem a little off, but as the two are traveling through France and Italy can be explained away with Darcys friends not really knowing English very well. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll end by saying I loved Mr. Darcy as a vampire!

Sigh Meter: Low (but I still loved the book despite the lack of sighs.)
You Idiot Meter: High (Sorry Elizabeth, but you had some dumb moments.)


Pride and Prejudice: 2005 movie version with Keira Knightley

I'm going to make this review short and sweet: I know that Austen purists hated this movie, but as I saw this one before the Colin Firth one, I loved it. Watching it again after re-reading the book, I can see why so many people turned their noses up at it, but it's still my favorite of all the versions that are out there. I just couldn't imagine a better way to end the Everything Austen Challenge then watching one of my favorite movies. (Confession time: I also didn't have it in me to read another Austen themed book. I wanted them to end on a good note, and not I tossed the book across the room note!)


I just wanted to thank Stephanie for hosting this challenge! It's been a lot of fun, and I was able to meet some amazing bloggers. :) I can't believe I finished it!!
Awards:

I've been honored in the last couple of weeks by getting a few awards, and I'm giving them to my fellow Everything Austen Challenge participants & those of you who have left such great comments on my Everything Austen posts-you know who you are-enjoy them, they are for you!!

The Who Loves You Baby! Award is given to those bloggers whom you love and who have awarded you in the past! Pass it on! Thank you Velvet for this award!


The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken – excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all. This was another award from Velvet-thanks again!

Do you reach for a cup of cocoa or tea when your relaxing, seeking comfort, sharing a plate of cookies with family and friends? You know the feeling you get when you drink a yummy cup of cocoa, tea, or a hot toddy? That is what the Hearthfelt Award is all about, feeling warm inside. Thanks again Velvet for this award! I wasn't able to upload the graphic for some reason, but you can find the award on velvet's page.


Thanks again Velvet! These bloggers leave awesome comments – they make you laugh, think, and offer encouragement and support. In other words, they’re freaking awesome.




from me to you bear from Deb from Book Magic Thank you so much!!

If you've made it to the end of this long report, you really do deserve one of these awards! :)

Another challenge!

I know I said I wouldn't enter another challenge, until I finished one of the ones I've entered-but I'm almost done with the Everything Austen Challenge and had to support a blogging friend hosting her own challenge. I decided to go outside my comfort zone a little and enter Heidenkind's Art History Challenge. Here is what the challenge is all about:

The Challenge in Ten Words or Less: Read six art history books in nine months.
When: September 1st, 2009-May 1st, 2010
The Details: Pick a subject related to art you want to read about. It can be as general or specific as you want. Film was included in one of the categories listed so here is my list for the challenge:

1. Digging for the Truth-Who know that my favorite archeologist, Josh Bernstein had his own book, or that his series was out on DVD? I think that his book would be an interesting read.
2. The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland- From Amazon: Vreeland's subject is the courageous Canadian painter Emily Carr, who traveled through native villages and wilderness of British Columbia in the early 1900s, often alone, on a quest to paint totem poles and other artifacts before the indigenous traditions died out and the poles were destroyed or sold.
3. The Louvre-It's a documentary I found on netflix. Apparently this was the first time the museum let anyone film inside the museum. I've never been to this museum, so this should be interesting!
4. The Thomas Crown Affair- I'm not really sure if this counts, but it is a movie about art..and I love Pierce Bronson in this movie!
5. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown- Ok, not exactly an art book, but..it is about the Last Supper by DaVinci. I've been meaning to re-read this forever.
6. Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Veerland- From Amazon: Imagining the banks of the Seine in the thick of la vie moderne, Vreeland (Girl in Hyacinth Blue) tracks Auguste Renoir as he conceives, plans and paints the 1880 masterpiece that gives her vivid fourth novel its title. Renoir, then 39, pays the rent on his Montmartre garret by painting "overbred society women in their fussy parlors," but, goaded by negative criticism from Émile Zola, he dreams of doing a breakout work. On July 20, the daughter of a resort i

Publish Post

nnkeeper close to Paris suggests that Auguste paint from the restaurant's terrace.

Bridget Jones's Diary

I read and watched Bridget Jones's Diary for The Everything Austen Challenge at Stephanie's Written Word. I've had this book forever, but always had trouble getting past the fact that 130 pounds is considered fat in the book. Having not been that weight for quite some time, I've had a hard time relating to Bridget in thinking that was overweight.

When I went to read the book this time, the main problem I had with the book was that I had seen the movie too many times and realized that it didn't really follow the book at all. There were plenty of lol moments in the book, and I liked the format of the book being in the form of a diary. In the book, her friends are mentioned much more, and so are her parents. I think if I had read this book before seeing the movie so many times I probably would have liked it more. This book also had one of my major pet peeves in a chick lit/romance book: not having the main female character falling in love or noticing the main male character until the last 100 pages of the book.

While watching the movie after reading the book I started counting the number of differences between the two. (Bridget gets her job in tv b/c of her mom, and Mark Darcys human rights case is completely different then the one mentioned in the movie.) I eventually stopped because I realized that the two were really completely different creatures and started enjoying the movie for what it was. I also think it's interesting that Hugh Grant was cast as Daniel Cleaver b/c in the book his prostitute scandal was mentioned and he was dissed for it. I can see now why everyone thought that it was cool that Colin Firth played Mark Darcy as he is also mentioned in the book for his role as Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. I have to say that Renee Zellweger did a wonderful job playing Bridget. She captured her perfectly!

My advice to those who read the book after only having seen the movie is to forget that you've seen the movie, and enjoy the book on it's own.

Austen themes: On the surface the book isn't at all like Pride/Prejudice, but if you look a bit deeper you can see the comparisons. I'm sure I missed a lot because I didn't really delve into that much, but here is what I found:

Bridget Jones's Mother-She is a lot like Mrs. Bennet in P/P-she just wants her daughter married.
Daniel Cleaver-I saw him as Wickham. Someone pretending to be wronged but really did the wronging to someone else.
Mark Darcy-Obviously Mr. Darcy :) Proud and arrogant, and misunderstood until the end.
Bridget-I think she was based on Elizabeth Bennet, but I could see all of the Bennet sisters in her.

BBAW: Book Discovery

Todays BBAWs writing prompt is to write about a book you discovered through another blogger. There have been quite a few of these lately, but two of my more recent reads: Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke and Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran have come from Tasha at Heidenkinds Hideaway.

Our reading tastes are really very different except for when it comes to one genre: historical romance. Awhile back most of my historical romance authors defected to contemporary mystery thrillers (Julie Garwood, Iris Johansen, Catherine Coulter, Andrea Kane) and it took me a long time to find some "go-to" authors for historical romance again. Plus, it seemed like for awhile there every time I found a half way decent author, they'd jump ship over to fiction. It was infuriating. I actually stopped reading historical romance because of this and didn't start reading it again until about 3 years ago.

I'm rambling on here, but my point is I'm always on the look out for new historical romance authors, and its nice to know there is someone out there who has similiar taste in romance then I do.

Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Plot from goodreads.com: Silver-tongued Viscount Sanburne is London's favorite scapegrace. Alas, Lydia Boyce has no interest in being charmed. When his latest escapade exposes a plot to ruin her family, she vows to handle it herself, as she always has done. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous. But Sanburne's golden charisma masks a sharper mind and darker history than she realizes. He shocks Lydia by breaking past her prim facade to the woman beneath...and the hidden fire no man has ever recognized. But as she follows him into a world of intrigue, she will learn that the greatest danger lies within -- in the shadowy, secret motives of his heart. My thoughts: I wanted to smack her father upside the head for most of this book. Her loyalty to him got to be annoying about halfway through the book. Aside from that though, I really loved this book. It has a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, and sigh moments. (Sigh moments are important when reading historical romance!) I can not wait to read the second book in this series! The only thing that bothered me about this book was that I figured out the ending about halfway through and found myself shouting at Lydia to use her book smarts and get a clue already! Sigh Meter: Medium-High Both of these books are delightful, quick reads. Edited to add: Oh, how I wish there was a way to edit Mr. Linky. I always forget to erase something from a previous use of him.
Guilty Pleasures

Plot: Daphne Wade works for Anthony the Duke of Tremore as he digs up roman artifacts on his estate. She has a guilty pleasure: watching him. That is until one day she eavesdrops on a conversation bewteen him and his sister about herself that isn't too flattering. I believe he compared her to an insect on a stick and a machine who never stops. Daphnes feelings are hurt and she stops being so in love with him that she can't talk around him. In fact, she tells him that she is quitting, he begins to realize that he didn't know her at all and tries to win her back.

My thoughts: When I finished this book I sighed and said outloud: "oh..I want my own Duke now." It had its cheesy line moments, but they were kept to a minimum. :) What I liked about this book was that Daphne was independent and stayed true to herself for the entire book. This was a super quick read and is a perfect way to spend a Saturday. Sigh meter: High!

Reading Meme (BBAW Week)

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack? Yes, I do snack while I read. My favorite reading snack is Popcorn.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you? The idea of writing in books horrifies me.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? While writing horrifies me, dog-earing a book doesn't bother me at all. I'm always losing my bookmarks, so dog-earring works best for me.

Laying the book flat open? Is how I keep my place when I don't dog ear the pages.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Mainly fiction. Every once in awhile I'll read a non-fiction book.
Hard copy or audiobooks? Hard Copy. I'm not a fan of audio books.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point? I always try to read to the end of the chapter, but I always go past the chapter I intend to stop at...

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? No

What are you currently reading? Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran

What is the last book you bought? Dead Until Dark-Sookie Stackhouse #1

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time? I like to read one book at a time. If I'm reading two, it's because one of them has bored me and I've moved on to something else.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read? I love reading after dinner. I normally read on the couch or on my papasan chair. The picture below isn't my chair, but it could be:



Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? Either

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over? Yes. :) Lynn Kurland andDiana Gabaldon for time travel, Left To Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza for non fiction, The Posionwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver and the Red Tent by Anita Diamont for fiction, Johanna Lindsey, Judith McNaught and Julie Garwood for historical romance and last but not least Clive Cussler for action adventure fiction books. (The movie Sahara was based on one of his books.)

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)My bookshelfves are currently organized by authors last name, but it's bothering me because I have trade cloth and hardback books mixed in with my paperbacks.

Fizzy Thoughts on a Tuesday -BBAW Interview Questions

This week is Book Blogger Appreciation week, and I was fortunate enough to interview Jill from Fizzythoughts. She was super nice and answered all of the (newbie) questions I had about the week as well as our interview questions. I hope you enjoy her answers as much as I did. :) Thank you so much Jill-I had fun getting to know you!

1. What do you like best about blogging?

Even though I started my blog as a way to help me remember and track what I’ve read, I’ve found the sense of community invaluable. I love reading about what others are reading, and finding new-to-me authors. I’ve been fortunate to meet some fellow bloggers in person, and it’s so much fun to sit down and find an instant connection with people who love books (and blogging). I’m not surrounded by bookish people in my life, so blogging has allowed to me to find friends who love books. Also…I still get a little thrill every time someone leaves a comment on my blog.

2. How long have you been blogging?

I started on LiveJournal at the beginning of 2004 (and wow, I didn’t realize that was 5 years ago). I joined LiveJournal with a bunch of fellow BookCrossers, and mostly we just talked to each other via our blogs. In 2006, I moved over to Blogger, because I had some friends in real life that had Blogger blogs, and it was easier than LiveJournal. But it wasn’t until late 2007 when I discovered the book blogging community that my blog took off and I posted regularly, and primarily, about books. I just made my third (and final…I hope!) move to WordPress last month. Luckily, I was able to import my posts from Blogger, so you really can’t tell I’ve started over again.

3. What’s a book or author you found through another blogger that you normally wouldn’t have read?

Oh, there are so many! My TBR pile is no longer just a pile thanks to my fellow bloggers. But one book that immediately comes to mind is Geek Love. I had never even heard of this one until Chartroose mentioned it. And then sent it to me. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a favorite of mine. Also, John Green is a favorite of many bloggers. I never would have picked up his books had I not seen his name mentioned over and over and over again (for very good reason) around the blogosphere.

4. Do you prefer new or used books, or both?

I have nothing against used books (really, I don’t!). I just don’t have the patience to wait for a book I really want to read, so I almost always buy new. Also, most of our local used book shops have gone out of business. When I shop online at Powell’s I do try to get a used copy, if there’s one available. I love Powell’s for many reasons, one of which is that they shelve new and used books together. Unfortunately, they’re way too far away for in-person browsing.

5. Who are your favorite authors?

That’s a toughie! I used to say Christopher Moore, but that was before I read Fool. And I do like Neil Gaiman, but in general I gravitate towards women authors. I can’t pinpoint any particular favorites, though. My reading is pretty all over the place, when it comes to authors.

6. If you could only buy books by one author, which author would you choose?

Oh, that would be a bad, bad day in the world of softdrink (see above answer). Can I just say someone who writes very long books? Maybe that would keep my mind off of all the variety I was missing?

7. Do have a favorite reading spot?

My cushy, over-sized chair and ottoman. This is where I read and blog.

8. Do you read while listening to music or watching tv or does it have to be completely silent?

The tv is usually on, but only because my boyfriend can’t be in the room without turning it on. I’ve learned to tune it out. I used to read with music playing, but I got out of the habit, and now it seems to be a distraction if I’m home alone. Otherwise, I can read anywhere, anytime, regardless of noise.

9. Is a spine broken a sign of love or torture?

Love, with a dash of practicality. I don’t mind broken spines, and I’ve been known to break a few myself. Shhh, don’t tell the book police. Sometimes, it’s just gotta be done…especially with paperbacks that are bound so tight you can’t even see all the words on the page.

10. Dog Eared or book marks?

Both, actually. I love to collect bookmarks as souvenirs of places I’ve visited…but then I forget to use them. I usually end up using scraps of paper as bookmarks. If there’s nothing around, I’ve been known to dog ear.

11. How do you feel about themed typed books? (i.e. What would Jane Austen Do? By Laurie Brown) Are they fun or folly? Or a bit of both?

I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I kinda feel like the authors are capitalizing on a proven thing, and it irks me that they co-opt another author’s ideas for their own use. On the other hand, I usually end up liking most of the books, and then I feel like a total hypocrite. I just wrote a post about The Magicians, which felt a lot like Hogwarts meets Narnia…and I still can’t decide how I feel about the book. I think I want to be able to say I liked a book because it was original, and I just can’t say that for these books.

12.If you had to choose a fictional boyfriend would it be: Mr. Darcy, (from Pride and Prejudice) Edward Cullen, (fromTwilight) or Dawsey? (from The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society)

It’s going to have to be Dawsey, since I’ve never read Pride and Prejudice and Edward is a bit (okay, a lot) too controlling for me. We’d have issues. But Dawsey…he reads, he writes letters. He has a normal body temp. Since I have Reynaud’s, that last bit is key.

13. Do you have a favorite genre, if so what it is and why?

Literary fiction, because I like a good story with strong characters. Followed by travel memoirs, because I love to travel, but I can’t always do it. Travel memoirs help me feed my curiosity about other places.

14. Random question: Coke or Pepsi?

It used to be Diet Pepsi. Nowadays, it’s water only.

15. FizzyThoughts is such a cool name. How did you get it?

Thanks! It's kinda a long story. My nickname in real life is actually Softdrink. When I first started dating my boyfriend (17 years ago), he was living with a bunch of friends who called him Hamburger. They decided I needed a nickname too. After several false starts (orange soda, root beer) they settled on Softdrink. And it stuck. That's what I used when I first joined a few online communities. But occasionally, the name would be taken (the nerve!). So I started using fizzybeverage as a backup (because soda pop was taken, too). So Fizzy Thoughts is actually a play on my nicknames. And because it’s true…my thoughts can be a little random at times, like bubbles.

Be sure to stop by her site and say hello to Jill! You'll love her blog. :)

A few of my favorite blogs

You might have heard that this week is book blogger appreciation week. Todays writing prompt is to spotlight those blogs which didn't get nominated on the short list. The following blogs have made my TBR pile and want to read list grow out of control:

Challenge Buddies:
Kals, Ceclia, Velvet, Heather, Deb and Andrea all found me through the Everything Austen challenge and were some of the first to stumble upon my blog. Their support in the challenge and with their comments has been awesome.

At Pemberly
Adventures of Ceclia Bedelia

VVB32Reads

Gofitas Pages

The Little Bookworm
BookMagic

This second group of bloggers also somehow managed to find my blog this summer when I was still trying to figure what in the heck I was doing. Thanks so much for sticking around:

SmexyBooks

Heidenkind's Hideaway
Fantasy Dreamer

Erotic Horizon
AC Reads

A few more blogs that I've fallen in love with are:
Books Love Jessica Marie
A Book Addict
A Book Lovers Diary
Book Obsessed
One Literature Nut
Leontines Book Realm

Saturday Tv Time Out :)

The fall tv season is almost here! I love this time of year. Here's what I'm looking forward to:
New Shows:

The Vampire Diaries -Yes, heidenkind this is your fault. You are such a bad influence on me! But really, who could resist a show about vampires? Not me! Synopsis: Elena falls for the new kid in school who happens to be a vampire. This is based on a series of books written by LJ Smith. Lost fans: Ian Somerhalder is in the cast. Yay!

Accidently, On Purpose-I'm not a Jenna Elfman fan, but I love sitcoms. I'll give this one a shot. Synopsis: Jenna Elfman is a film critic and she's pregnant from a one night stand that she had with a younger guy. Will this ruin a new romance with her boss?

Glee-I love cheesy high school drama shows. This one fits the bill! A band of outcasts join together to form a glee club. Everything about this show has been great so far, but I'm worried the storylines could get old fast.

Flash Forward- Why oh, why must all the good shows on at the same time and the same night? It's so not fair!! This is on at the same time as the Vampire Diaries and Survivor.
Synopsis from tvguide.com: The world's population sees into the future when everyone blacks out for two minutes and 17 seconds at the same time. The clairvoyant episode staggers the minds of all, as in many instances their futures are not what they expected---and some, it seems, have no future at all. While many recount their experiences on a worldwide Web site, others seek to circumvent their fates; and some, like FBI agent Mark Benford, seek to learn what caused the mass blackout.

Old Favorites:

The Big Bang Theory-This is one of my favorite shows. It's hard to believe that when it first started I thought it would be canceled right away and that the humor was forced. The cast has come a long way in a short time. Is it sad that I know what they are talking about when they go into sci fi talk?

Survivor Samoa: I'm such a sucker for still watching this show. Damn you Mark Burnett.
The Amazing Race: See above, except replace Damn you Mark Burnett with: Damn you Bertram van Munster. :)
Medium-I am so glad this got picked up by ABC. I've always felt like NBC never gave this show a shot.
Cold Case- I go back and forth on this show. I'll watch it half a season, then stop.
Ghost Hunters- Half of this show is probably faked, but I still love watching Jason, Grant and The Boys.
Destination Truth-I love Joshua Gates! His voice annoyed me at first, but then it grew on me. I love the different places they go to around the world, and investigate stuff I've never heard of.
Sanctuary- A poor American version of Torchwood. Once I got past Amanda Tapping having black hair and an English accent, I found it was pretty interesting, and will do as a replacement for Torchwood while it's in hiatus.
South Park-I just love how they make fun of everything!

Shows I won't watch because I've seen too many commericals for them:

Mercy
Trauma
Community
Modern Family

SPORTS: FOOTBALL! I lvoe it~ It's a consequence of growing up in Ohio-what else is there to do on the weekend during winter? Nothing, except for watching football! :)

What shows are you looking forward to watching?

The Becoming by Jeanne Stein & a few awards

I love vampires and I love mysteries so I honestly don't know what took me so long to discover the Anna Strong vampire series. When Donna from Fantasy Dreamer Ramblings held a contest for them I was clueless as to what the books were about. I went to my favorite book networking site-goodreads, to see what the books were about. I knew I had to read them, and was fortunate that my library had a few of the books. :) This was a super quick read, and I have a new series to catch up on!

The Plot: Anna Strong is a bounty hunter and is looking for a client who has skipped his bail. She and her partner find their client, but he isn't what he seems. After a brutal fight, Anna awakens in the hospital to find out that she has been turned into a vampire by her attacker. There to help her and answer her questions is the mysterious (and hot) Dr. Avery. Her partner goes missing and Anna will do anything to find him. However, she runs into some problems along the way-like humans who hunt vampires, and her boyfriend Max. Is he all that he seems? Is Dr. Avery? There are tough choices for Anna to make.
My thoughts: My mom is currently reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, and for that reason I noticed there were some similarities between the two books and it took me awhile to get over them. The similarities I noticed were: the bounty hunter storyline, the struggle between her boyfriend and the hot guy to help her out and the kicks butt and takes names later attitude. While there are a lot of cross overs between the books, the vampire storyline makes it a completely different book then the Stephanie Plum series. There is a lot of action, hot sex and enough drama to keep you guessing as to who the good guys really are. This is a quick, fast read. I can't wait to read the other books in the series.
Misc: thanks to all of you who helped me with my video issues. I have no idea how I screwed it up, because it's always shown up for me. :)

I'm sorry for the long post!
Awards:


This was given to me by Deb at Book Magic. Thank you so much! :)
Being a recipient of this award affirms that this blog invests and believes in the Proximity – nearness in space, time and relationships. This blog receives this great award as a further way to re iterate that it is exceedingly charming, and aims to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers!

I would like to pass this award to:
Jessica at a BookLovers Diary
Heather at Gofita's Pages

This was given me to by Leontine at Leontines Book Realm. Thank you so much! I am spreading the love to:
Deb at Bookmagic
Patti at Book Addict

This was given to me again by Tam at Bailey's and Books. Thank you!! I'm passing this award on to...
Stephanie at: What I'm reading
Alita.Reads

3 Everything Austen Reviews

I am proud to say that I have finally completed the original 6 books that I choose to read for the Everything Austen Challenge hosted by Stephanie at Stephanies Written Word. Now I just have 6 more to complete for the extended part of the challenge. :)

Review #1: Pride and Prejudice

After reading Jane Austen Ruined My Life, I took a break from all things Jane Austen. That book was just so bad that I needed a break from themed type books for awhile. I went back to the basics. I re-read Pride and Prejudice. This book is truly timeless, and is one that can be read over and over again. Each time I read it I discover something new or look at it from a different angle. Maybe it's because my sisters have both been married just under two years, but the part where Elizabeth Bennet is telling Darcy off for interfering in her sisters relationship when he proposes to her became one of my favorite parts all over again. It's just such a sisterly thing to do. I just love this book. :)

Review #2: What Would Jane Austen Do? By Laurie Brown This book has a little bit of everything: Time travel, ghosts, spies and of course romance.

The plot from amazon.com: Modern-day Regency fashion expert Eleanor Pottinger consorts with ghosts and travels in time in Brown's charming romance. Eleanor discovers her hotel room is haunted by sisters Mina and Deirdre Cracklebury, and she agrees to a deal: she will save their brother, Teddy, from a deadly duel by keeping the wicked Lord Shermont from seducing one of the sisters, in trade for meeting Jane Austen. Eleanor wakes up in 1814, meets smarmy Teddy and is instantly attracted to Lord Shermont, who is not all he seems. Soon she's forced into a terrible choice: Hot sex or the real Jane Austen? True Janeites will find scant evidence of Austen's acerbic wit in either character or tone, but the sprightly humor, handsome hero and twisty ending will please most Regency romance fans.

My thoughts:

Out of all the Jane Austen themed books I've read for this challenge, this one was by far the best. It's a cute, but predictable read. I loved Lord Shermont, and Teddy was such a slimeball that you felt sorry for both the sisters for having a brother like him. Even though this was a fun and enjoyable read, I did have a few pet peeves about the book:

1.)On the back of the book the blurb talked about Lord Shermont being convinced that Eleanor was a spy..and that she thought he was one as well. I might have missed it, but I didn't see anything that pointed to Eleanor thinking he was a spy. (For those of you who have read this, was it in there and I just missed it?)

2.) I was enjoying that the book didn't ask the title question every other paragraph until I got until the last half of the book. It was almost as if the editor said: "Your character hasn't said that line enough" because it was uttered a lot!!!

3.) Jane Austens appearance. I thought it was well, cheesy. I know it's titled What Would Jane Austen Do? but the appearance made in the book wasn't necessary. I thought the book would have been better without it.

4.) Clothing-This is just me being picky, but one of the reasons Eleanor is there is to start her own regency clothing business. When she travels back through time, her clothing magically goes with her-though nothing else does. I thought the whole seamstress thing was just overdone.

I enjoyed the book, but I think it would have been better without the whole Jane Austen thing thrown in.

LOST IN AUSTEN-The Movie

Plot: Amanda Price is your average 20 something women. She has a job, and a boyfriend. When things get bad, she escapes into her favorite book: Pride and Prejudice. Everyone thinks she's hung up on Darcy-but she insists its more then that. One night after reading Pride and Prejudice, she's shocked to see Elizabeth Bennet in her bathroom. She's told that there is a doorway from the Bennets house to her apartment. Somehow she finds herself transported to the world of Elizabeth Bennet. She tries to help the Bennet sisters out, and things start to go horribly wrong with the story.....

My thoughts:
Surprise: I loved this movie! Yes, you read that right. After totally dissing every single Jane Austen themed book I read, I wasn't expecting to fall in love with this movie. In fact, I almost gave up on it. I kept nodding off during the first half of the movie, and was literally 5 seconds away from turning it off when the story started to go awry, and I was like what the frig? (I've always wanted to use that line from Ghost Hunters!) and as soon as the story started going haywire I started loving it even more. I am so glad that I listened to those who said "give this movie time."

This is definitely a new favorite of mine, and it has lol moments like when Amanda goes & makes a whirling sound and says to Wickhams back: "Do you hear that? That's Jane Austen turning over in her grave." This is the perfect movie to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

What are you reading Monday ?

It's Monday! JKaye has created a weekly meme that asks: What are you reading this week? is a weekly event to celebrate what we are reading for the week as well as books completed the previous week. Feel free to pile on a little extra.

Books Completed:
I did much better this week then I did last week for completing books. It's strange how that happens, isn't it? The books I completed were:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: This was for the Everything Austen Challenge. One of my personal goals is to re-read all of her books. I don't think I'm going to make it. (Full Review later.)

What Would Jane Austen Do? By Laurie Brown: You know I never really found out What Jane Austen would do, but I still enjoyed the book. (full review later)

The Strange and Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber-This was a great read & I really recommend it. My review is here.

I didn't get to The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter because I ended up finishing What Would Jane Austen Do? Instead. After briefly skimming the book last night, I realize that I still remember a lot of it so may not have to re-read it after all.

Books to be read this week:
The Becoming: Book 1 in the Anna Strong Vampire Chronicles by Jeanne Stein. I checked it from the library and I'm about 60 pages in. Hopefully I'll get farther in this book then I did with Dead Until Dark-which I still haven't finished.

I have a few books coming from Amazon that I got with a birthday gift certificate. I have 3 Sherrilyn Kenyon books (it turns out I'm only 2 books behind Bad Moon Rising. I thought I was way further behind then just 2!) and Table Manners by Mia King. Something tells me though that I might need a break from romance, so I'll my second book choice open this week. :)

I have a favor to ask: About four posts down, I have a video for Megan Harts new book. Can you see it? It shows up fine for me, but someone said it didn't work for them so i was just wondering. Thank you! :)

My Abc's

I was tagged to do this by Deb at Bookmagic! :)

My ABC'S
Available or single? Much to my mothers dismay, single. :)
Best Friend? Michelle-we've been friends since high school-over 20 years now!
Cake or Pie? Pie! Especially my Grandma's homemade Peach pie.
Drink of choice? Coca Cola, Coffee, Pinot Grigio Wine
Essential item for every day use? Coffee :) I'm cranky with out it.
Favorite color? Purple
Google? All the time. I'd be lost with out it.
Hometown? Vandalia, Ohio
Indulgences? Coffee, wine and books!
January or February? January
Kids and their names? No kids :) Parents animals: Cleo (dog) and Bella (Cat-named before Twilight)
Life is incomplete without…? My parents dog Cleo and a good book
Marriage? Not yet-hopefully someday
Number of siblings? 2 younger sisters
Oranges or apples? Apples-esp. Jonathon's!
Phobias and fears? Fears: Becoming the bitter old cat lady
Quote for the day? My new favorite by Matthew Mcconaughey: "Life is a series of commas, not periods.
Reason to smile? Animals, sunny days, fall leaves, staying up all night reading a good book..oh yeah, my family :)
Season? Fall, hands down!
Tag 3 people? I couldn't choose three.. so if you'd like to do this, consider your self tagged. :)
Unknown fact about me? I'm a smoker (It's a bad habit-I'll quit one of these days!)
Vegetable you hate? Brussel Sprouts
Worst habit? My temper-which comes from lack of patience
X-rays you’ve had? too many to list here!
Your fave food? Middle Eastern
Zodiac sign? Virgo

The Strange and Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker Leanna Renee Hieber

One of the best things that comes from blogging about books is all the great books you find through other reviewers. This is one such book. Mandi at SmexyBooks wrote such a great review of it that I was immediately intrigued by the book.

It has everything I love in a book-it's set in the 1800s (always a plus!) had a paranormal theme (a bigger plus!) it was set in London (an even bigger plus!) and the name and the cover of the book were just cool...so I went to my library's website to see if they had it, and imagine my shock and surprise to discover that they did indeed have a copy of it. There was already a waiting list of 4 deep-but somehow I got my copy super fast, and the read was even faster.

This is one of those rare books that pulls you in from the beginning and you tend to forget about other things in life while you read about the tale of Miss Percy Parker.

The Plot:

In London a group of six children are gathered together. They are unsure of what awaits them or why they were gathered together. They are told that they will become apart of a group called The Guard, and it's their job to protect humans from the spirits. There will be a seventh member of the group that will join them later, and she will be a peer..there will be signs to her arrival, but there will be those who will send false signs as well, so they must decided who their seventh will be carefully.

Alexi is chosen to be the leader of the group, and has the power of fire..he is told that he will love the seventh member. The other members of the group are: Rebecca , Michael, Josephine, Elijah and Jane. Each has a different power to help them fight off evil.

As the group gets older, they go into society and all have different, normal everyday jobs. Rebecca is headmistress at Athens Academy, and Alexi is a professor of Science there. All have very complicated relationships with each other..all are friends, but yet hints of romance are never very far away from different pairings within the group.

We meet Percy Parker as she enters the Athens Academy as an older student. The convent which she has grown up in isn't sure what to do with her, so they ship her away to school. She has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. She also speaks many different languages-some of them are ancient and no longer used. Her skin and hair are pale white and makes her different from everyone else..she makes a friend for the first time at the school-Marianna. She excels in all of her classes but one: science. Alexi offers to tutor her, and a friendship is formed.

Dangers await Miss Percy, Alexi and the Guard. Will they be able to fight the spirits and save London? Adventures happen right and left as they work to figure out who the seventh member of the Guard is... I don't want to give anything away, so I'll stop here before I give any more of the plot away. :)

My thoughts: I think what I loved most about this book was it's original plot. There are books about ghosts, forbidden romance, fighting evil and self discovery- but this one was just different and I can't quite figure out why. There were some moments when I found my self shouting out to the characters: "No, you idiots!! You are wrong!" "Wake up already, you morons!" When the book ended I immediately wanted the stories of the members of the Guard. This book is perfect if you are looking for a quick, easy read.

Good Things by Mia King

Good Things is a book I found through word of mouth. So many people were saying such good things about its sequel, Table Manners when it came out that I thought I would see what was the fuss was all about. I was surprised to learn that Table Manners was a sequel and went to find its predecessor and found Good Things. One of the reviews that made me want to read Tables Manners was the review that Becky at One Literature Nut wrote. Thanks Becky for this find!

The plot from amazon.com:

In one fell swoop, Seattle's answer to Martha Stewart, Deidre McIntosh, is sent into a tailspin. Her popular show is cancelled and she loses her gay roommate and confidante, William. To top off her bad luck, she has to move because her name isn't on the lease. Amid this chaos appears the hunk of her dreams, Kevin Johnson. After a one-night stand, he offers Deidre the use of his country retreat, which she reluctantly decides to use. As she stays in Kevin's rustic cabin far from her life in the city, Deidre tries to figure out what really matters to her, and how to recapture the experience of helping people that she'd achieved on her show. She would also like to capture Kevin. The bucolic setting and King's interesting characters create a fresh and thoroughly enjoyable story as enticing as the delectable recipes at the end of the book.
Patty Engelmann Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

My thoughts: After reading Good Things, I can see why everyone wanted to read Table Manners. I can't say too many times how I loved this book. I picked it and told myself "I'll just read chapter one to see what it's about" I was reading another book at the time, and didn't want to start a new one. However, once I started this book, I couldn't put it down! I loved how this wasn't just a romance. It was a book about friendships, following your dream, not giving up and taking risks. I also liked how Deidre stayed independent throughout the book, and didn't give into every little thing that Kevin wanted once they got together. I also liked while there was drama in the relationship, there was actually a romance! I've read so many books where the couple doesn't get together until the last 100 pages, that this was a refreshing read. I can't wait to read Table Manners!

What I also liked about this book was that it's so much more then a romance. It's also about friendships, self discovery and believing in yourself. Maybe because I'm in my late 30s, but I found it refreshing that the heroine in the story wasn't 22 and right out of college. I loved the fact that Deidre was 40. I also loved the fact that there were recipes at the end of the book of everything Deidre cooked in the book. Some of them look rather complicated, but there are a few that I'm really going to have to try!

I also thought it was kinda of cool when I posted to twitter from goodreads that Mia King RT'd one of my tweets that I was reading her book. It's the first time something like that has has happened to me on twitter.
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Thanks for all of your helpful hints about how to keep track of where you found the book from. I think I'm going to try the goodreads method!

Arthurian Challenge

I've been interested in King Arthur ever since I saw the movie First Knight with Sean Connery. I've since watched every cheesy documentary about King Arthur that has been on the History or Discovery channel. So when I stumbled upon Heidenkinds post about Arthurian Challenge hosted by Becky at Becky's Book Reviews I thought..I do love this time period..then thought "wait! Do I really need another challenge?" Then I made the mistake of clicking on the link to the challenge (Curiosity gets the best of me every time!) and saw how flexible it was. You can pretty much read how ever many books you want that are Arhurian themed..and movies count as well!

I'm making a list so I can keep all of my challenges organized. :) The first two books I want to try to read for this challenge are: Sword of Darkness and Knight of Darkness by Kinley Macgregor. They've been on my tbr pile for much too long! I bought them when I was on a Sherrilyn Kenyon kick and got burned out after reading too many Dark Hunter books in a row...

After those two are read, I'll see about adding more books to this challenge!