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2011 Challenges

Book Review: Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington

December 29, 2011 by Darlene

Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington – what can I say? Despite the tears I loved this book! It is a novel of love, loss, beginnings, and endings. It is a coming of age story – Alice’s story. A story that not only portrays the agonies of a teen growing up but a teen growing up without her dad as he’s gone off to war. This novel take us to the heart of a family trying to survive and be normal after one leaves for war. Alice idolizes her father so when he makes the decision to enlist she is very upset. She can’t imagine life without her dad there to share in every moment. Alice and her father have always shared a special bond and all Alice wants to do is hold onto her father as long as she can but alas he has to leave far too soon.

Alice is a fifteen-year-old teenager experiencing all those teenage emotions and now there is the added stress of missing her dad. Alice and her mom Angie are at that stage where they don’t see eye to eye on much and it doesn’t help that Alice’s mom is really not standing up to her responsibility of caring for Alice and her younger sister Ellie. Yet Alice does the best she can getting the laundry done and getting meals for her and Ellie. All of them anxiously await phone calls or letters from Matt and gather all together to read them. Alice refuses to give up her dad’s shirt and wears it constantly. She wants to hold onto that special smell that only a dad’s shirt can have and right now that’s all she has of him. That and she shares his love of gardening. She is going to get the garden planted and thriving – she’ll make her dad proud.

Everyone tries to handle Matt’s absence as best they can. Angie throws herself into her work at the expense of her girls, Ellie being only eight decides to change herself by getting an new haircut and glasses. Alice takes up running and for her it is a true escape. She also relies on Henry who she’s been friends with since they were young kids and especially close after Alice’s best friend moved on to more popular people. As the story progresses we see Alice growing more mature and having to learn what life is all about long before she should have to. We experience her first embarrassing kiss with her and listen in as she struggles with those troublesome teenage emotions. Henry, for his part, is hopelessly in love with Alice and always has been. Will Alice ever realize it though and will she return that love?

This is just a beautiful book. Yes it is sad but much of life is or can be. Alice, for a teenager, is such a likeable character. She’s a good girl just trying to deal with growing up at a difficult time. The author manages to make us feel the pain and sorrow that Alice feels and that is the mark of a great author. I felt really connected to Alice and maybe that’s because I’ve always been a daddy’s girl myself. I could only imagine being in her shoes and the realization that so many young kids in our countries are without their parents because of the war really strikes deep. This was a book I could not put down. I stayed up until 2 am making sure to finish it because I had see how everything would end. A truly beautiful written book that is heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time and it is one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.

Source:  Library copy.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge

Book Review: Silver Dew by Suzi Davis

December 28, 2011 by Darlene

Silver Dew by Suzi Davis is the continuation of the story of Grace and Sebastian, first started in Amber Frost (my review) which are both part of The Lost Magic series. It is a Young Adult paranormal novel but I’m definitely not young and both novels really appealed to me. I really loved Amber Frost and Silver Dew is just a fantastic sequel to it! Silver Dew moves at a faster pace than Amber Frost and had me turning the pages quickly while praying everything was going to turn out alright for Grace and Sebastian who I’ve come to really like.

At the end of Amber Frost Grace had learned that she, in fact, possesses great power, a power that comes from thousands of years ago. Sebastian is now remembering memories that have been locked away in the recesses of his mind for thousands of years. Grace is frightened by this magical power she seems to have and has a hard time figuring out just how it should be used. She knows that the answers lie in the tattoos that Sebastian has but her mind just won’t yet remember what these intricate patterns mean.

Sebastian and Grace have had to flee as they are being hunted down by The Others. The Others possess their own magical powers and they sure aren’t out to do any good with them especially towards Sebastian and Grace. As they run, they begin to discover more and more things about the past – their past lives- that threatens to undo all they have together today. This begins a harrowing journey to where it all began in Ireland and back to a time when ancient magic ruled the land and the people … back to a time when Grace was Caoillin and one of the most powerful priestesses in existence and Sebastian was Seamus, the normal boy she fell in love with.

I really like Sebastian and Grace and I love how the author weaves a love story in her tale without it overwhelming the story. The love between Grace and Sebastian is a pure and enduring love yet Grace wonders if they would still love each other if they didn’t have this past connection. Would they have met? Would they have fallen in love? Well that unfolds in the pages of the book and it’s quite the journey. Suzi Davis writes in such a vivid and descriptive way that you, very often, find yourself feeling like you’re living in the pages of the book. You’re feeling the emotions of Grace and Sebastian and you’re seeing the landscapes and the ancient ruins and it’s all very fascinating and well worth reading!  My only complaint is I think this was the end of the line for this series and I still want more!

I loved both Silver Dew and the first book Amber Frost although I have to admit that Silver Dew kept me on the edge of my seat a lot more. Amber Frost was more of a build up to this novel but that doesn’t take away from it all – it was great too. Silver Dew could stand on it’s own but really I think that you would get so much more from the whole story by reading Amber Frost first. Both of these books come highly recommended if you enjoy a good paranormal novel and a sweet romantic love story.

You can find Suzi Davis on her website, blog, Facebook and Twitter.  Your own copy of Silver Dew by Suzi Davis can be purchased here in the US and here in Canada.

Source:  Review copy provided by the author via publicist.  No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are solely my own.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge

Book Review: Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson

December 26, 2011 by Darlene

Can you imagine waking up each morning having no clue where you are not to mention having no ability to remember anything from the previous day, weeks, or years? Well that is Christine’s life. During the day she can accumulate and remember things but as soon as she goes to sleep for the night, they are gone. This is all due to an accident she apparently had although she has no memory of it but it left her with a severe brain injury. Her husband Ben (who she doesn’t remember either) tells her each morning about their life together and what had happened to her.

Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson is a fantastic psychological thriller that completely held me in its grip from the first page. When Christine awakens in the morning she figures she’s still in her 20’s so imagine her surprise when she looks in the mirror and instead sees a 47 year old woman. One day after Ben leaves for work, Christine discovers another cell phone ringing in her purse. It turns out to be Dr. Nash who has apparently been helping her but this turns out to be something she has hidden from Ben because he’s never been too enthusiastic about her getting help. Dr. Nash reminds Christine to read the journal he has suggested she keep and then they meet afterwards. He repeats this process every day. One day when Christine pulls the journal out she sees some words that terrify her… ‘Don’t trust Ben’. What could this mean? Ben is her husband. He takes care of her. Why shouldn’t she trust him?

Yet as she reads her journal she notices all the inconsistencies with what Ben tells her and what Dr. Nash tells her. You see Christine keeps having flashbacks to times in her past before the accident. When this happens she sits down and tries to make sure she gets it down in her journal. As times goes by she begins to piece together her past and what ultimately happened to her that fateful day of her accident. What she uncovers terrifies her!

The author has done an incredible job of writing in this novel. He builds up our excitement as every day Christine discovers something new and yet we know the next morning it’ll all be gone. The mystery and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. I had some idea of what was going on but as the mystery and events of Christine’s past unfold; I was at times shocked and at others viciously angry at some of the characters in the novel. Towards the end of the story the plot thickens and culminates in an exciting conclusion that left me completely satisfied.

I really enjoyed Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson. It is his debut novel and it is a fantastic one. I certainly look forward to more of this author’s work in the future. For now I would certainly recommend this novel to my friends!

Source: My personal copy. Review first published on Book Trib as part of the Review Crew.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge

Book Review: Jane by Marielena Zuniga

December 22, 2011 by Darlene

It is present day and Jane Elliott is living and working at Lavendar Hall as a nanny to eight year old Rochelle. Jane had been living living in a convent for the past 10 years but, because of an unstable Mother Superior, she had been asked to leave. Thankfully she found a position where she had room and board. One of Jane’s great loves is the classic Jane Eyre; really because she’s always felt that she and Jane Eyre share so much in common in their lives. It really shouldn’t have come as any surprise to Jane, that after she’s hit by lightening while reading Jane Eyre, she awakens to find none other than Jane Eyre standing over her.

It seems that she and Jane Eyre have been brought into each others lives in order to help each other but wait, Jane Eyre is a fictional character, is she not? Jane is quite certain she must be losing her mind and yet, over the next while Jane Eyre appears to her many more times. They begin to form a friendship with each other sharing their troubles which strangely seem very similar. The thing is though that Jane knows what is going to happen to Jane Eyre – she’s read the book. Several times Jane Eyre tells Jane that she’s going to steer off the path and this sends Jane into a tizzy. She simply must follow the path set out for that Charlotte Bronte created in her beloved novel.

Nevertheless, Jane must live her own life as well. Despite trying hard to keep to herself, she finds her attraction to Mr. Bentley growing. However there are other things at Lavendar Hall that are seriously troubling her like those awful screams in the middle of the night that it seems nobody but her is hearing. Every time she mentions it to anyone they brush her off. Eventually Mr. Bentley wins her heart and being plain Jane as she is, she is overwhelmed with love for the man. They marry and everything seems fine for a while. However, it’s not long before everything falls apart for Jane and she must decide what is best for her future.

This novel follows closely with the original story of Jane Eyre although set in a more modern time. Modern day Jane is the same as Jane Eyre in that she’s lived her life without love or friends. Much of the same happens to both women although with a little different of a twist for modern day Jane. If you love the novel Jane Eyre as I do then it’s likely you’d enjoy this novel. I’m not sure it offers any major difference between the two novels as some spin-offs do, but it is a good read and I really enjoyed it. I really liked the idea of the parallel lives. How cool would it be to have your favorite fictional character pop into your life one day? As I said, if you’re a lover of Jane Eyre, then you should definitely check out Jane!

You can find Marielena on Facebook and you  can pick up your own e-copy of Jane for your Kindle or your Nook for only $2.99!

Source: Review copy provided by the author. No compensation was received for this review and all opinions are mine alone.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge

Book Review: The Language of the Sea by James MacManus

December 20, 2011 by Darlene

The Language of the Sea by James MacManus is a novel that takes you on a journey between what is real and what is not or is it? I began reading this book wondering if this was really something I would like because it started out slowly for me but within a short while I was captivated by Leo Kemp’s life and knew I had to find out more about this man’s thoughts on the sea and the life within it.

Leo Kemp is a marine biologist who teaches and lives with his wife and daughter on the beautiful Cape Cod. The big thing to understand about Leo is his absolute fascination with seals – how they communicate and how they live. Another thing about Leo is he is very outspoken on things he believes in and has more than once publicly questioned the policies at the Institute where he teaches. Finally, he is fired because of this. He had a field trip planned with his students though and he decides that there is no reason for them to miss it so he takes them out anyway.

While out on the tugboat with his students a storm blows in and Leo ends up being thrown overboard. The big question is does he want to be found? His career is in a shambles and his marriage certainly isn’t much better. As Leo struggles to get to shore or at least safe he begins to notice the seals around him. He watches them and listens and soon enough he begins to swim with them and live with them and they slowly begin to recognize him as one of their own. In Leo’s mind this is a dream come true and he struggles to understand whether he is alive or maybe he’s died. Either way he would like nothing better than to spend the rest of his days living as a seal. This seems to be turning out to be the perfect escape for a man who was none too happy with the way his life was going anyway and Leo really has no intention of giving up the freedom he has found.

I loved the writing in The Language of the Sea – the almost dreamlike and mystical quality to Leo’s life when he’s with the seals. I loved all the information that the author provided on sea life and seals in particular. There was definitely a lot I didn’t know and I found it really interesting in that respect. As for the characters I didn’t feel particularly drawn to any of them; it was more the story itself that drew me in with this one. This story is really one I may have considered outside of my comfort zone but I enjoyed it and once I got past the initial slowness in the beginning I had a hard time putting it down until I reached the end which I’ll just say surprised me just a little!

If you’re at all interested in sea life or seals in particular you would likely enjoy this book. Or if you simply like a novel that is thought provoking and a little different than usual, then you should consider giving The Language of the Sea a try. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ultimately ended up enjoying this novel!

Source: Received for review from Book Trib and was first published here on Book Trib. No compensation was received for this review. All opinions are mine alone.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, Book Trib Reviews

Book Review: Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log by Karen A. Chase & Giveaway (e-Copy-US only)

December 19, 2011 by Darlene

Who doesn’t dream of going to Paris? I know I sure do but the odds of me going aren’t the greatest but that doesn’t mean I can’t live vicariously through Karen A. Chase as she takes me on a trip through Paris in her novel Bonjour 40: A Paris Travel Log (40 years, 40 days, 40 seconds). This trip was Karen’s present to herself for her fortieth birthday. She was going to go to Paris for 40 days to experience the food, art, and atmosphere to it’s fullest and that’s just what she does! This book is based on the blog that she kept while on her travels so she could keep everyone at home informed plus it was a perfect way of recording her memories – that and pictures, of course. As Karen herself said, ‘My days were filled with creating, writing, cycling, photographing, walking, learning, loving, and experiencing’ (pg 46).  Really, could there be a better way to spend the big 4-0? I don’t think so.

This 40 day travel journey of Karen’s takes us through her days while she’s in Paris.  She describes the places she visits and the people but best of all is the food. Oh, the food. I think I died and went to heaven just reading about it, let alone eating it. Her talk of the fresh breads and cheeses had me drooling as these are two of my most favorite things in the world. Then there is the coffee and pastries – more heaven. Of course Karen mentions that the French never seem to gain weight eating like this but as she points out they take a meal seriously. It is meant to be savored and enjoyed, therefore a meal lasts hours not minutes as it does us here in our end of the world. That and of course they walk a whole lot out there and apparently very quickly.

One place that Karen visited that I would love to see is a bookstore called Shakespeare and Company. It sounds simply divine for a book lover like me and so many of you. This description alone – ‘I don’t think you can call this simply a bookstore. It is a delightfully wild land of literary abandonment and insanity —a page-filled palace overflowing with words, phrases, novel writers, readers, and inspiration’. (pg 61) I know that Paris has so much for a person to experience but I’m not entirely sure I’d want to leave this bookstore. Another thing that I loved about Karen’s travel memoir was the pictures scattered throughout. For the reader it really made you feel more like you were there experiencing Paris with her.

This is a great travel log for people planning a trip to Paris or for those like me who may never get to go and can experience it through Karen. After reading Karen’s book I feel as though I would know what to expect if I were to take a trip to Paris. It’s a relatively short book at just 134 pages and they fly by because, of course, you’re anxious to know what she’ll be experiencing next. For Karen, renting an apartment there and living for 40 days with the love of her life coming out for the last 10 of those days turned out to be one of the best experiences of her life. It will certainly give her memories forever and what could be better than that!

Be sure to check out Karen’s website, blog,  and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter as well.  Bonjour 40 is available for purchase for your Kindle and your Nook.  I’ll leave you now with the book trailer to enjoy…

 

 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

I just happen to have an e-copy of Bonjour 40 by Karen A. Chase plus 1 – 5×7 prints of Karen’s photos up for giveaway. To enter…

  • For 1 entry simply leave me a comment entering the giveaway.
  • For 2 entries, follow my blog.  If you already do, thank you, and please let me know so I can pass the extra entry on to you as well.
  • For 3 entries, blog or tweet this giveaway and spread the word.

This giveaway is to US residents only (no PO boxes) and I will draw for the winner on Saturday, January 7/12.  Good luck everyone!

Source: Review copy received from author via publicist.  No compensation was received for this review.

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Filed Under: 2011 Challenges, 2011•100 Books or More Challenge, 2011•ARC Tracking Challenge, 2011•eBook Tracking Challenge

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