Teaser Tuesdays {12-30-08}

I missed Musing Mondays yesterday. When my fiance/husband (we've been engaged for 4 years and often refer to each other as husband and mrs) is on second shift or off (like yesterday) my routine gets thrown off.

• Grab your current read
• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid SPOILERS.

She sailed to Europe in January, the solace of travel abroad meant to clear her mind of the tragic farce she'd been part of at home. But innovations in communications meant that distance no longer protected the rich: she had barely debarked when she heard that a colleague of her father's, the architect Stanford White had been killed in a lover's triangle.

These teasers come from Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners. They are from the Uncorrected Proof and may vary from the final, published version.

For more teasing fun, visit MizB @ Should Be Reading.


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Friday Finds {12-26-08}

Here are the books that have made their way on to my Wish List since last weeks installment.

• One Red Paperclip by Kyle MacDonald - found @ she is too fond of books - it was on her FF last week - I heard about Kyle while he was on his adventure
• The Ghost Orchid by Carol Goodman - found @ GoodReads - Lisa at the Tattered Cover recommends it

Friday Finds {12-19-08}

Here are the books that have made their way on to my Wish List since last weeks installment.

• The House of Mondavi by Julia Flynn Siler - found @ Beth Fish Reads [her review]
• Never Tell a Lie by Hallie Ephron - found @ GoodReads through a GR pal who works for Tattered Cover
• The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty - found @ BermudaOnion [her review]

For more Friday Finds, don't forget to visit MizB.

I've Been Tagged: Some Christmas Fun

Wendi @ Wendi's Book Corner tagged me for "Some Christmas Fun".

Some Christmas Fun

Answer these questions and then tag a person or two. Post these questions on your blog and link back to me.

This is a short quiz since we are all so busy this time of year.

1. What is your very first Christmas memory? My first vivid memory that I know for sure is from Christmas is when I was 7 and I got a snow globe from my paternal grandparents. I remember thinking I was SO cool. The globe part of it was glass and I thought I was so grown up to be given something so breakable. I still have it. I passed it my oldest (she'll be 15 in... 10 days!) when she was 10.

2. Do you have a favorite Christmas gift? Probably that same snow globe.

3. Have you ever celebrated Christmas outside of your country? no

4. What is your favorite Christmas decoration? We're not big with the decorations at our home. (read: we don't even have a tree.) But my mom keeps several ornaments and other decorations that, when we (Matt, Sarah-Ellen, Reaghan & myself) have a house, she'll give to me for our house. I think the stocking are my favorite.

5. What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Making cookies, setting them out for "Santa".

6. Have you ever had a white Christmas? We live in Connecticut, I'm sure we have, but all I can recall at the moment are dustings at most.

7. Have you ever gone Christmas caroling? not that I can remember. Mom?

8. What is your favorite Christmas movie or story? Movie: It's a Wonderful Life and those CBS movies - Story: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

9. Do you have a Christmas link you would like to share? nope, sorry

If you would like to participate, consider yourself tagged! Follow the instructions and leave me a comment here. I'll add your link and come read your answers.

Oh, yeah! That picture is of Matt and I. I was pregnant with Reaghan at the time. Christmas 2005. She came along about 6 1/2 weeks later. 5 weeks early, exactly 1 week before my baby shower! Just thought I'd share.

Review of: The Family Bones

Author: Kimberly Raiser
ISBN: 9780615246253
Pages: 192
Genre(s): Paranormal, Thriller, Fiction
Grade: B-
Challenge(s): none

You can purchase this book from: Amazon OR an Indie Book Store



From the back of the book:

Will they stay? Will they survive? The Weavers have inherited family property in Astral, Pennsylvania, a town so small that Mrs. Weaver can find no mention of it on the Internet, save for a tiny spot on Google Earth. Hoping for a simpler, small-town existence for their young family, Steven and Tara eagerly head to Astral to see what they hope will be their dream house. As they explore their potential new home, the Weavers begin to discover secret passageways, secret rooms, and long buried family truths; some difficult truths are revealed and no longer kept in the far reaches of the closet. There are reasons for everything, and sometimes the explanations are so simple. But sometimes, simple can also be horrifying.

I think the best way to describe this book is 'spooky'. I'm not a squeamish reader, but I had to read this book during the day. I started it early this month, during the afternoon. I'm the type of person who HAS to read in bed before going to sleep. I could not read The Family Bones before going to sleep.

There are some really great elements to The Family Bones: children in danger, disappearing/reappearing tunnels, a well. Not to mention all of the mystery and suspense. It didn't take me long to get swept up in this book. From page 1 Kimberly Raiser had me with:

The well on the back of the property always scared me as a child. It was so deep, and so completely absent of any light. The neighborhood kids used to tell me horrible stories about the old man who used to live there before my grandparents did. How he used to drown cats deep in the well and how their bones would rise during the full moon to look for the old man that drowned them.

And that's just the first 4 sentences of The Family Bones! It only gets better, scarier, spookier from there. If you would also like to read this. I'll send my copy (only read once, by yours truly) to the first person (with a legit e-mail address) to comment below.

(Full disclosure: Kimberly Raiser sent me this book as a free review copy. If you have any questions/concerns about how this may have affected how I feel about the book, please go here and read the PLEASE NOTE part.)

Teaser Tuesdays {12-16-08}

• Grab your current read
• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid SPOILERS.

"I knew about Julia's reluctance to get psychological help, but the rest was news to me, and I felt dreadful. All Margaret had shared with me was her frustration with the police."

My teaser for this week comes from Debbie Macomber's Back on Blossom Street, which has been hanging out on my shelves for much too long. You can read more about the book on the authors' site, including an excerpt.

Don't forget to visit MizB for more teasing goodness.

Musing Mondays {12-15-08}

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading on the go…

I always like to have a book with me at all times – call it a nerdy grown-up security blanket – and rarely do I leave the house without slipping one into my bag (even if I KNOW I’m not going to have a chance to read it). Do you take a book with you? Do you take whatever book you’re currently reading, or do you have a special on-the-go book? And do you have a preference for a these types of book (paperback, hardback; short stories; poetry etc)?

I'm pretty much the same way. I almost always (95% of the time) bring a book with me. Even if I'm sure I won't get a chance to do any reading, I bring a book; just on the extreme off chance I get 2 minutes to crack it open. Unless my current book is a large hardcover, I bring my current read. I prefer to bring Mass Market Paperbacks, but I've been known to carry around a printed out e-book.

Review of: A Different Kind of Christmas

Author: Alex Haley
ISBN: 9780385260435
Pages: 101
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Grade: A+
Start date: 12-6-08
End date: 12-10-08
Challenge(s): Winter Holiday Reading Challenge

Alex Haley's Roots is one of the world's most beloved and important books. In A Different Kind of Christmas, the intense drama of a white Southerner and a black slave who work toward a mutual goal, Haley once again gives us a moving story of physical and moral courage, and an unforgettable tale of spiritual regeneration. Rendered with a matchless sense of time and place, a poetic humanness, and a rich, robust humor; A Different Kind of Christmas will delight and inspire reader of all ages and faith for generations to come.

So says the inside of the dust jacket. Here I am reading this for the first time, 20 years after it's first printing, a white, non-Christian. I cried when it was over. Not a lot, but it definitely affected me.

Fletcher Randall, son of the owner of "North Carolina's 4th largest plantation", is a sophomore at Princeton when we meet him. After meeting and spending some time with 3 Quaker brothers, Fletcher becomes disillusioned with what he was brought up considering 'normal'; that people can be your property. Fletcher eventually becomes involved with the Underground Railroad (UGRR). Fletcher spends part of one of his Christmas breaks helping the UGRR in a surprising way. I'm trying not to give away too much. It's a 101 pages, pick it up, read it and I think you'll find that it picks you up in return.

As you might expect, this book is receiving my Hyacinth Award.

Shared Reviews: If you've reviewed this book too, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment with the link to your review, and I will add a link to it at the bottom of my review. Please, for convenience, if you leave a comment, leave it in the review-post.

Friday Finds {12-12-08}

Here are the books that have made their way onto my Wish List this week.

• Chaplin: A Life in Film by Stephen Weissman - found @ Book Critiques
• A Song in Stone by Walter H Hunt - found @ MizB's Should be Reading's Teaser Tuesdays post
• Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosney - found @ gautami tripathy's Reading Room
• Shades of Gray: A Novel of the Civil War in Virginia by Jessica James - found @ Shana of Literarily
• The Yoga Teacher by Alexandra Gray - found @ S. Krishna's Books - review

Visit MizB's blog Should be Reading for more Friday Finds.

Review of: A Homespun Regency Christmas

Author: Carla Kelly, Emma Jensen, Sandra Heath & Amanda McCabe
ISBN: 9780451227096
Pages: 288 (327 if you include the four excerpts at the end)
Genre(s): Romance, Regency, Historical Fiction, Anthology
Grade: B
Start date: 11-24-08
End date: 12-3-08
Challenge(s): Winter Holiday Reading Challenge



A Homespun Regency Christmas is an anthology. I was hesitant to pick it up since I was burned* by the last anthology that I read. I really wanted to get in the Christmas spirit and hadn't been disappointed by a Signet Regency yet, so I bit the bullet. I STILL haven't been disappointed. =) Each story is around 70 pages. I'll review them in the order they appear in the book.

An Object of Charity by Carla Kelly - "A lonely naval hero assumes the responsibility if an orphaned brother and sister -- and discovers unexpected salvation in the young girl's giving heart." Captain Michael Lynch has lost this first mate, David Partlow, in a terrible accident at sea. Sally Partlow and her younger brother, Thomas (niece and nephew to David) have lost their father and have traveled from the Highlands of Scotland to Portsmouth, England to enter their Uncle David's care.

The Wexford Carol by Emma Jensen - "An enterprising woman throws a party to save her family home from being razed -- only to fall for the seemingly coldhearted man behind the demolition." Set in Ireland, this is the story of Elizabeth Fitzhollis, her family home and Captain Lord Rhys Edward-Jones. The premise is a bit convoluted, but it all comes together at the end. At the end there is a letter that was written before the actual story starts that explains the confusing bits.

Mistletoe and Folly by Sandra Heath - "A nobleman crosses paths with the young woman who years before broke his heart when she married a wealthier man." Another set in England. The story of Sir Richard Curzon and his past love Mrs Robert Beaumont (formerly Miss Diana Laverick). There is an element of intruige added to the mix in this story. This is the only one without a (current or former) captain of a ship. Still really interesting.

Upon a Midnight Clear by Amanda McCabe - "A moonlight encounter unexpectedly changes the lives of an emotionally scarred sea captain and the daughter of a freed slave." I'm not sure why, but this one was by far my favorite of the 4 (they are all good though). Maybe it's how much these people are so sad, so desperate for comfort. Both Antoinette Duvall and Mark Payne think they are settled and 'happy' in their lives, but really each needs something more. Something to, for lack of a better phrase, complete them.

*(see the book I read Jan6 - 9)

Booking Through Thursday {12-11-08}

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?
2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

There are days (few and far between) that I get to read more than expected, but on the whole I don't get to read as much as I want. I have a little girl who will be 3 in February and she is H-E-double hockey sticks on wheels. As evidenced by yesterday's antics. She slathered her hands in hand sanitizer and cut her bangs (All my fault though. I was wrapping presents Tuesday night and left the scissors low enough for her to reach). Then after her nap and covered herself in Balmex. Less than an hour later she got into some craft varnish (water soluble and not as thick as standard varnish) and covered her hands in it.

If I had more time to read I would want to read one book in particular (which has been hanging around for over a year) as well as some other 'educational' books. Mostly, if I had more time, I'd love to learn Spanish!

Don't forget to go HERE for more Booking Through Thursday posts.

Teaser Tuesdays {12-9-08}

• Grab your current read

• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid SPOILERS.

I'm reading 4 books at the moment. I'm picking my teaser from The Family Bones since it is closest to me. ;)

I looked up to see how high the actual opening was. It was very very high. I could see the top, the top of the well.

Can you get a sense of why I'm only reading this one during the day? **spoo-oo-ooky** Jump on over to MizB's blog, Should be Reading for more teasing.

Review of: A Wrinkle in Time (sort of)

Author: Madeleine L'Engle
ISBN: 9780440498056
Pages: 256
Genre(s): Children's Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy Fiction
Grade: A
Start date: 11-20-08
End date: 11-24-08
Challenge(s): (Genre Challenge) Fantasy



I don't feel like I need to review A Wrinkle in Time. So many have already read it, so many will read (and reread) it. I will say that I enjoyed it more now than when I was 9 or 10 when I first read it. I have the next 3 in the series and will read them at some point. =) I will also continue to look for An Acceptable Time, which is the 5th book.

Booking Through Thursday {12-4-08}

Here is today Booking Through Thursday! My answers are in bold after the question.

1. Do you have a favorite author? I have two. Stephen King and Agatha Christie.

2. Have you read everything he or she has written? I haven't read everything by either of them. I have read a lot by Stephen King and Agatha Christie, but both are/were (respectively) very prolific.

3. Did you LIKE everything? Stephen King - yes. Agatha Christie - no. I find her Poirot novels to be a little hard to read. Poirot is my favorite Christie detective to watch though...

4. How about a least favorite author? hmm None that spring to mind.

5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t? Milan Kundera

Delurking December

Shauna @ Shaunarumbling has declared this month "Delurking Decmeber".

Shauna says: "I'm designating this month as Delurking December! Consider giving the gift of your comments to bloggers whose blogs you read regularly or happen upon."

So keep this in mind while traveling the blogosphere and at least say hi. Let those bloggers that you read KNOW that you are reading. Even if you've just clicked through from somewhere else. =)

Funny side note: FireFox wants me to change "bloggers" to "floggers"....

Review of: The Safety of Secrets

Author: Delaune Michel
ISBN: 9780060817367
Pages: 320
Genre(s): Women's Fiction
Grade: C-
Start date: 11-14-08
End date: 11-19-08
Challenge(s): none









I really wanted to like this book. I've several reviews by others that liked it a lot. There was just something about Fiona and Patricia rubbed me the wrong way; self-centered maybe (?). I don't want to give any "for instances" and spoil the book for anyone who is going to read it. My biggest issue with the book was the lack of warning (page break or different font) when Fiona would flash to her past. It took me a few lines to whole paragraphs to realize that we had changed settings. I found this very annoying after the 3rd switch in setting.

But this is just MY opinion. As I said, there are those that really enjoyed the book. Some examples are below:

• She Is Too Fond Of Books
• A Novel Menagerie
• Shelfari member reviews

Shared Reviews: If you've reviewed this book too, please send me an e-mail or leave a comment with the link to your review, and I will add a link to it at the bottom of my review. Please, for convenience, if you leave a comment, leave it in the review-post.

Reading Wrap-Up for November

Books I finished in the month of November. Follow the links to my reviews.

Burning Water - Mercedes Lackey
Third Girl - Agatha Christie (a Poirot mystery)
Uglies - Scott Westerfeld
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
The Safety of Secrets - Delaune Michel
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle

I still have to write reviews for the last two. Hopefully I'll remember to update this post when I write them. Prompting is welcome. =) Also, please check out this previous post of mine.

UPDATE 12-11-08: I remembered to link the reviews... finally.

I need your help

Next year I will be having a little contest. On January 1, 2009 I will be installing a widget that will track the Top Commenters. I will be giving prizes to the top 5 commenters of 2009. I'm thinking a Gift Card for 1st place (amount to be determined, but at least $25.00 US.) I'm not sure what the prizes for second through fifth should be. I'm very open to suggestions. Please leave a comment below or send me an e-mail to kylee.challenge AT gmail.com with a subject of "2009TC" that way if your e-mail is misdirected into my spam folder it will be easier to spot. J. Kaye told me where to find the widget that she uses. Thank you, J. Kaye!

Teaser Tuesdays {12-2-08}

• Grab your current read

• Let the book fall open to a random page
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from ... that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid SPOILERS.

This week's teaser sentences are from A Homespun Regency Christmas. It is an anthology of 4 stories. This teaser comes from The Wexford Carol by Emma Jensen.

As his hand closed around the doorknob, his arm brushed warmly against hers. He could feel the soft friction of wool against wool, could smell the clean, honey scent of her hair.

Yummy, huh? Jump over to MizB's Should Be Reading for more Teaser Tuesdays posts.

Musing Mondays {12-1-08}

Rebecca @ Just One More Page hosts this weekly event.

With the holiday season now upon us, how does it affect your reading? Do you have more, or less, time to read at Christmas? Do you read Christmas themed/related books?

I tend to have less time for personal reading. I tend to read more to my little one. She's almost 3 and is still likes to snuggle. I don't think I'm more likely to read 'Christmas-y' books at Christmas time, but I do tend to go back to some old favorites.