Update from the heart | a confession

S

o this post has nothing to do with a book review but to just spread the word and keep myself true to the blogging world. I have been consumed with WORK. 

Yup the real deal, offline face to face work that is paying the bills. I really can't complain business has been great at AAPA Concepts. And my confession gets better - I have been planning and brainstorming a new deign for A Reading Journal. 

All the fun stuff has been working on my new web design in wordpress thesis with the help of the fabulous GirlsGuide toWeb Design class and using the knowledge of the Mama of Google Luv Vanita Cyril that will help to increase my audience hopefully more than a smidgen or two finger (reference for all the bar chicas) 

So bear with me ...I hope you are enjoying the quotes posting on the facebook page. That has been pure therapy for me in the mornings. You can also find them on my boards in Pinterest. 

So again here is to YOU - my virtual world.

New website coming | 2013

I can't wait for your feedback.

Wishes for you all | Happy Holidays

Take the time... kick back with family and friends - not just the facebook updates but reach out and speak to your family and friends I am sure they would love the notion.

Goals shmoals (my own word) | set up and break them

Yeah we all do it set them make a list, get all anxious, forget them just enjoy the new year things will get done and days will always get better.


Sound like a good plan for end of year? What is on your holiday schedule? Please share.

Keep Turning those pages!
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

p.s.| While you are reading this PS, I am reading STILL the RAVEN BOYS I'll post a full review in a future post. Be sure to subscribe at the top right so you don't miss it!

Book Review | Drowned By Therese Bohman

Struggling to finish this review. I am not sure why??? But I do have to say Oprah - what happened? I love your recommendations but this was not the page turner I expected . I am not saying it wasn't a good read but I did find it boring yeah a couple of peeks of tension and then the main thought going through my head was "this is it??? Read below will have details about the story so here is your warning ** SPOILER ALERT **

Book Review | Theme, Characters & Setting 

This book is written in the first person from Marina's perspective. Marina, an art history student in Stockholm, takes a train to the country to visit her sister Stella, who is living with an older man, a novelist named Gabriel. As I read the book I did feel like I was brought into the life in the little village and the loneliness of the house from the kitchen to the bedrooms. Feelings I did get from the setting were chilling, the loneliness of the walks and the property.

Book Review | A little Research

Therese Bohman is an editor of the magazine Axess and a columnist for Expressen and Tidningen Vi, writing about literature, art, culture, and fashion. She lives in Sweden. (from goodreads.com profile)

From Amazon Drowned Product Description

Drowned, set in the idyllic countryside during a short-lived Swedish summer, gets under one’s skin from the first page, creating an atmosphere of foreboding in which even the perfume of freshly picked vegetables roasting in the kitchen becomes ominous.

On the surface, the story couldn’t be simpler. A single young woman visits her older sister, who is married to a writer as charismatic as he is violent. As the young woman falls under her brother-in-law’s spell, the plot unfolds in a series of precisely rendered turns. Meanwhile the reader, anticipating the worst, hopes against hope that disaster can be averted.

More than a mere thriller, this debut novel delves deep into the feminine soul and at the same time exposes the continuing oppression of women in Sweden’s supposedly enlightened society. Mixing hothouse sensuality with ice-cold fear on every page, Drowned heralds the emergence of a major new talent on the international scene.

Book Review | What I have to say

So basically, Oprah over hyped it on her list of must read page turners for me the author descriptive details of the dinners and outdoor settings were excellent and she doesn't go overboard. There is some drama but not what I really expected from the first part of the story I was getting prepared for this thriller and then nothing. The amazing part was all of a sudden after Marina has a quickie affair with Gabriel and then second part of the book starts the sister is dead. What? I swear I had to turn back and do a double check. I don’t like the unresolved way of ending the story. I guess it is poetic but as I began to feel the fear of Gabriel I felt more of a pathetic sadness for Marina.
Did you read the book? Please share.

Keep Turning those pages!
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

a little idea | share a book for FREE

Everyone know I am crazy about books. And I just want everyone to experience that FUN of reading. So I came up with a silly idea called SHARE A BOOK. I was thinking just to get everyone interested in reading why not share my books. Yes, I donate them to the library, or preschools etc. But its always nice to really know someone that has read the book you are about to read. I am also happy to say my first SHARE A BOOK was with a new friend from Valdivia, Chile, South America, she received my copy of Unbearable Lightness and a friend from Australia author Helen McKenna sent a copy of The Beach House to be part of the SHARE a BOOK program.

Share a Book| Book of the Month

This month I have a copy of the Paris Wife By Paula McLain ready to be shipped as part of the SHARE A BOOK program on my site.

Share a Book | My Review

Hemingway one of my favorites but WOW I loved him and hated him in this book. It was a nice read and a wonderful insight to how the first wife of Hemingway fell in love with a writer. Yes, I know it is fiction but the story brought me right into their small apartment, the cafes with friends and enemies, the beaches of Spain and the mountains in Europe.... read more!

Share a Book | Join Us

Click here and enter your name and email. We will have a monthly drawing WHO doesn't like FREE gifts and especially a book.

If you are part of this community its simply three steps:

1. Receive a book, 
2. Read it, enjoy it and then 
3. Share it!

Fill out the Share a Book - library card - let the next reader know your comments then share with the next owner of the book.

  I look forward to sharing more stories with you.

Keep Turning those pages!
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

Social issues | children reading and higher success!

Sometimes we have to pay attention, sit back and think how can you help a social issues. Of course one that is dear to me involves children reading. It is amazing that according to NEA facts about children literacy "Children who are read to at home have a higher success rate in school." 

• count to 20, or higher than those who were not (60% vs. 44%) 
• write their own names (54% vs. 40%) 
• read or pretend to read (77% vs. 57%)

Then why don't more parents take a minute and spend 30minutes of quiet time and open a book. BUT I get it - time goes by, the days fall into evenings, the weekdays get gobbled up into weekends and life gets busy. So here are just some tips I searched for and crammed into one post up for you!

I love these tips from NEA Below are a few to share and I hope you can share with a friend, new parents anyone. 

• Carry books to read to your child wherever you go - at the doctor's office, in line at the store, or on a long car ride. (You can also listen to stories on tape.) 
• Visit your local library often. Get your children their own library cards. Try a story hour or other free event at the library. 
• Let your child see you reading, whether it's the newspaper, a magazine, or the latest bestseller.

Children Reading | Comprehension Concerns

"Detecting problems early, in order to avoid other problems later on, is the most practical course." And the detailed information supplied at  Reading Rockets is a great source of information for a parent and educator. http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/

Reading Rockets provides more information http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/ on the difficulties listed below:

• Phonological and phonemic awareness
• Word decoding and phonics
• Vocabulary
• Fluency
• Comprehension
• Other sources of reading difficulty

Children Reading | Levels & Tips

It seems the standard testing in most schools is the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)
a  useful tool because it provides the teachers with a wealth of information about how each of the students is developing as a reader. And  Fountas & Pinnell, Lexile and Reading Recovery are part of many reading level charts. 

Reading tips from Healthy Children.org

The following are a few tips to keep in mind as your child learns to read:

• Set aside time every day to read together. Many children like to have stories read to them at bedtime. This is a great way to wind down after a busy day and get ready for sleep.
• Leave books in your child's room for her to enjoy on her own. Make sure her room is reading-friendly with a comfortable bed or chair, bookshelf, and reading lamp.
• Read books that your child enjoys. After a while, your child may learn the words to her favorite book. When this happens, let your child complete the sentences or take turns reciting the words.
• Do not drill your child on letters, numbers, colors, shapes, or words. Instead, make a game out of it and find ways to encourage your child's curiosity and interests.

Children Reading | Books & Links 

• http://www.readingrockets.org/helping/
• http://www2.ed.gov/parents/read/resources/edpicks.jhtml
• http://www.healthychildren.org
• http://www.nea.org/grants/13754.htm (raising a reader)

Books

• http://www.oprah.com Kids-Reading-List
• http://www.barefootbooks.com/
• So many others I am sure you have your favorites. 

I hope you found this information useful. I know it definitely made me more aware about the importance of reading to our children. And I am glad to share with you all my little research on reading to children.

Keep Turning those pages!
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

A quick recap | Top 5 summer reads

W
ith the summer over I figured I could share with you my top stories we cherished during our summer holiday. I had a couple and my son picked some fun stories from our local library. Some took us on a far away adventure and a few made me think about how wonderful it is to have family and friends though out our lives supporting and loving throughout the years.

Below is my book collage for a few of the summer books that we loved to read.

Summer Books 2012 by jmclozano on Polyvore

Now the school year has started we are off to a new set of books. Although I loved to keep reading a few books at a time this month I am aiming for two books and plenty of bedtime stories.

Keep Turning those pages
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

Author Notes :: Tom Franklin

W
e read this book in the begininng of the year. This is a brilliant story between two men, a town and a murderer. The best part was the secret at the end. Here is my review of the book. You remember that relationship when you were younger; you and your friend next door were friends for life, two peas in a pod and then one day something changed, no more tea parties or hot wheel derbies, the outside world entered in to your circle. (Read more) 

About the Author :: (from Goodreads.com)

Tom Franklin was born and raised in Dickinson, Alabama. He held various jobs as a struggling writer living in South Alabama, including working as a heavy-equipment operator in a grit factory, a construction inspector in a chemical plant and a clerk in a hospital morgue. In 1997 he received his MFA from the University of Arkansas. His first book, Poachers was named as a Best First Book of Fiction by Esquire and Franklin received a 1999 Edgar Award for the title story. Franklin has published two novels: Hell at the Breech, published in 2003 and Smonk published in 2006. The recipient of the 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship, Franklin now teaches in the University of Mississippi's MFA program and lives in Oxford, Mississippi with his wife, the poet Beth Ann Fennelly, and their children.

I found this site that give a nice interview MISSISSIPPI WRITERS: Tom Franklin nice to find out some details like (See Below)

Who is your favorite author/authors? What is your favorite book?
I loved Stephen King and Edgar Rice Burroughs as a kid.  Now it's Barry Hannah, Rick Bass, Cormac McCarthy.  Favorite book?  Rick Bass's The Watch.  Barry Hannah's Airships. McCarthy's Suttree.

Read ::  Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: A Novel (P.S.) By Tom Franklin
Share a Book Rating ::  2 - Finally finished, your turn!!

I hope you enjoyed learning about Tom Franklin. Pick up the book or join Share A Book and you could receive a free copy.

Keep Turning those pages
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

Book Review Dedication - Happy Birthday :: Mom

I
n honor of Mom's Birthday. I wanted to document her wonderful 64th birthday. She is an earth shaker in education - shaping and inspiring high school and college students. She is a poet by her own talents and shares with her local community.

She is a mom that created a lifetime of learning and thrill of reading for her children.

Happy Birthday Mom by jmclozano 

So I did some searching online I added this book to my list and dedicate the review to my Mom once finished.

READ :: She Walks in Beauty: A Woman's Journey Through Poems Caroline Kennedy (Author)


Share a Book Rating ::  Stay Tuned!!

If you read this book send me a note. DO you think Mom would like?





Keep Turning those pages
Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

JULY BOOKS:: Laughter, Biographies & Vampires

I t looks like there are some interesting reads this month. I hope you enjoy the selection. I know we will all be enjoying our beach chairs (well I hope too!) So hit the beach with some good books. My first pick is the Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. I don't know but something about Vampires just gets me so intrigued. I am not a die hard fan like those other books. I did enjoy them but I like more of the classic writings of Anne Rice witches. And don't forget the classic that is our SUMMER reading list, TO KILL A MOCKING BIRD.

Enjoy the books. And let me know your SHARE A BOOK rating.

 Keep turning those pages....

 Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

• Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America ForeverBy Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard
• Let's Pretend This Never Happened: (A Mostly True Memoir)By Jenny Lawson
• And One Last Thing ...By Molly Harper
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter By Seth Grahame-Smith

Product Description (From Amazon)

Children Book Review :: Because Your Daddy Loves You

This adorable story was fun to read with my son. The story setting was just like one of our weekend days we just had with DAD. I would have to say most all the adventures they shared we mostly had, too. Although, our "drippy ice-cream cone" was an ice pop. Noted by my little guy :)

READ:: Because Your Daddy Loves You By Andrew Clements

Share a Book Rating ::  5 - Loved it! Can't wait to share with you!!

A nice reminder also to parents to not be in such a RUSH take it easy and be patient and affectionate. Familiar scenes and illustrations are well crafted. 

This is a terrific book for Father's Day. When we finished I have to be honest my little one did ask "Where is Mommy?" so I politely said "She was resting and reading her book" from the mouths of babes.

This book is a nice tribute to all of those DAD's that take the FULL responsibility and run with it. You are our hero's!

 Keep turning those pages....
 Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

Product Description (From Amazon)

A day spent with a young child at the beach is filled with many minor dramas—a lost shoe, a ball that floats too far out into the water, a drippy ice-cream cone. These can be frustrating events for both child and parent, but the daddy in this book finds a way to fix each problem, lovingly and patiently. Why? Because he loves his little girl, of course! This spot-on pairing of words and images is a warm, reassuring, and humorous tribute to dads everywhere.

Friday Reads :: Firefly Lane By Kristin Hannah

T his book has been on my night stand for some time. Teasing me every night before I lay my head to rest, well not so much a tease but a clear reminder that the days are getting to short and the night approaches to soon.

Too bad my eyes kept closing before I was able to pick up the book last month so it will roll over to my June books. Cheers to all you weekend readers. Hip Hip Hooray! It's Friday ~ here is to a weekend of reading.

What book are you reading this weekend? Go a head you can let me know. Enjoy!!

 Keep turning those pages....
 Happy Reading,
 Jennifer

Product Description (from Amazon)

From the New York Times bestselling author of On Mystic Lake comes a powerful novel of love, loss, and the magic of friendship. . . .

In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all---beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent new novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, Firefly Lane is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

From the beginning, Tully is desperate to prove her worth to the world. Abandoned by her mother at an early age, she longs to be loved unconditionally. In the glittering, big-hair era of the eighties, she looks to men to fill the void in her soul. But in the buttoned-down nineties, it is television news that captivates her. She will follow her own blind ambition to New York and around the globe, finding fame and success . . . and loneliness.

Kate knows early on that her life will be nothing special. Throughout college, she pretends to be driven by a need for success, but all she really wants is to fall in love and have children and live an ordinary life. In her own quiet way, Kate is as driven as Tully. What she doesn’t know is how being a wife and mother will change her . . . how she’ll lose sight of who she once was, and what she once wanted. And how much she’ll envy her famous best friend. . . .

For thirty years, Tully and Kate buoy each other through life, weathering the storms of friendship---jealousy, anger, hurt, resentment. They think they’ve survived it all until a single act of betrayal tears them apart . . . and puts their courage and friendship to the ultimate test.

Firefly Lane is for anyone who ever drank Boone’s Farm apple wine while listening to Abba or Fleetwood Mac. More than a coming-of-age novel, it’s the story of a generation of women who were both blessed and cursed by choices. It’s about promises and secrets and betrayals. And ultimately, about the one person who really, truly knows you---and knows what has the power to hurt you . . . and heal you. Firefly Lane is a story you’ll never forget . . . one you’ll want to pass on to your best friend.

June Books :: One on everyone's secret list and more...

It seems I am about to read some books that EVERYONE has been talking about and I have to say I hope the hype wins hahah

This month we are reading a favorite author of mine Ms. Judy Blume and one that has made me laugh on the Chelsea Lately show, Ms. Sarah Colonna but the one everyone is talking about and hiding on their kindles is Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty... by E L James. And finally, magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure in A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)By George R.R. Martin.

I hope you are able to join me and pick up one or all four of these books at the local library, book store, online at our store or join our Share A Book program and receive a FREE copy.

Keep turning those pages....
Happy Reading,
Jennifer

Life As I Blow It: Tales of Love, Life &... by Sarah Colonna $10.20	A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, ... by George R.R. Martin $10.36	Fifty Shades of Grey: Book One of the Fifty... by E L James $9.57
Summer Sisters: A Novel by Judy Blume $10.24

Book Review :: The Hunger Games - Do you love District 12?

Yup, I fell into, over and under the band wagon. I must say the movie trailers had me intrigued. I am a lover of the fame HP series, could this keep me wanting more like those books all 4100 pages. To be honest I fell in love with my HP family of characters. And I fell in love with Disctrict 12, hard working, self reliant, family oriented, strong willed, Katniss Everdeen.

I enjoyed the hunt of the games, the struggles, the love and triumph of all the characters. Once I stepped into this District and read on about the nation and the reaping, I was so intrigued to learn more about the other districts and the Capitol. I especially love the ending Ms. Collins definitely has me wanting to read BOOK TWO.

Turn the pages and let me know what you think - Bow & Arrow or Poison Berries?

Keep turning those pages....
Happy Reading,
Jennifer


Product Description (from Amazon)

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

Video (from YouTube) 

Click Link for Video

The official trailer for the film 'The Hunger Games'. Look forward to our The Hunger Games review when the movie is released.

Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.

Director: Gary Ross
Writers: Suzanne Collins (novel and screenplay), Gary Ross (screenplay), and Billy Ray (screenplay)
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth

Studio: Color Force
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: March 23, 2012

April Titles :: Teen Idol, Loss, Southern Charm and a Paris Cafe

I have a few of these titles already on my TO READ list and I am so glad they are coming in this months reading list. I must be honest I finished one already and LOVED it! I hope you enjoy the selection.
Send me a note which is your favorite.

Much love,
Jennifer

Product Description (from Amazon)

Steel Magnolias meets The Help in this Southern debut novel sparkling with humor, heart, and feminine wisdom. Twelve-year-old CeeCee Honeycutt is in trouble. For years, she has been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille-the tiara-toting, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town-a woman trapped in her long-ago moment of glory as the 1951 Vidalia Onion Queen. But when Camille is hit by a truck and killed, CeeCee is left to fend for herself. To the rescue comes her previously unknown great-aunt, Tootie Caldwell.

In her vintage Packard convertible, Tootie whisks CeeCee away to Savannah's perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricity, a world that seems to be run entirely by women. From the exotic Miz Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in her backyard bathtub and uses garden slugs as her secret weapons, to Tootie's all- knowing housekeeper, Oletta Jones, to Violene Hobbs, who entertains a local police officer in her canary-yellow peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.

Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching, Beth Hoffman's sparkling debut is, as Kristin Hannah says, "packed full of Southern charm, strong women, wacky humor, and good old-fashioned heart." It is a novel that explores the indomitable strengths of female friendship and gives us the story of a young girl who loses one mother and finds many others.

Product Description
A teen idol at fifteen, an international icon and founder of the Brat Pack at twenty, and one of Hollywood's top stars to this day, Rob Lowe chronicles his experiences as a painfully misunderstood child actor in Ohio uprooted to the wild counterculture of mid-seventies Malibu, where he embarked on his unrelenting pursuit of a career in Hollywood.

The Outsiders placed Lowe at the birth of the modern youth movement in the entertainment industry. During his time on The West Wing, he witnessed the surreal nexus of show business and politics both on the set and in the actual White House. And in between are deft and humorous stories of the wild excesses that marked the eighties, leading to his quest for family and sobriety.

Never mean-spirited or salacious, Lowe delivers unexpected glimpses into his successes, disappointments, relationships, and one-of-a-kind encounters with people who shaped our world over the last twenty-five years. These stories are as entertaining as they are unforgettable.


Product Description

A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.

Chicago, 1920: Hadley Richardson is a quiet twenty-eight-year-old who has all but given up on love and happiness—until she meets Ernest Hemingway and her life changes forever. Following a whirlwind courtship and wedding, the pair set sail for Paris, where they become the golden couple in a lively and volatile group—the fabled “Lost Generation”—that includes Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

Though deeply in love, the Hemingways are ill prepared for the hard-drinking and fast-living life of Jazz Age Paris, which hardly values traditional notions of family and monogamy. Surrounded by beautiful women and competing egos, Ernest struggles to find the voice that will earn him a place in history, pouring all the richness and intensity of his life with Hadley and their circle of friends into the novel that will become The Sun Also Rises. Hadley, meanwhile, strives to hold on to her sense of self as the demands of life with Ernest grow costly and her roles as wife, friend, and muse become more challenging. Despite their extraordinary bond, they eventually find themselves facing the ultimate crisis of their marriage—a deception that will lead to the unraveling of everything they’ve fought so hard for.

A heartbreaking portrayal of love and torn loyalty, The Paris Wife is all the more poignant because we know that, in the end, Hemingway wrote that he would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley.


Product Description

In this deeply moving and wonderfully insightful novel, acclaimed author Cathy Lamb explores what can happen when one woman decides to reclaim her past--and her future--no matter where they lead. . .

Madeline O'Shea tells people what to do with their lives. A renowned life coach, she inspires thousands of women through her thriving practice--exuding enviable confidence along with her stylish suits and sleek hair. But her confidence, just like her fashionable demeanor, is all a front.

For decades, Madeline has lived in fear of her traumatic past becoming public. Now a reporter is reinvestigating the notorious crime that put Madeline's mother behind bars, threatening to destroy her elaborate facade. Only Madeline's sister, Annie, and their frail grandparents know about her childhood--but lately Madeline has reason to wonder if her grandparents also have a history they've been keeping from her.

As the demons of the past swirl around her, a childhood friend with a gentle heart is urging Madeline to have faith in him--and in herself. And as she allows her resistance to thaw, the pain she expects pales in comparison to the surprises headed straight to her door. With one bold, unprecedented move, Madeline O Shea may just wake up out of the sadness and guilt that have kept her sleepwalking through life for so long--and discover that the worst thing that can happen is sometimes the very thing we desperately need.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life is an eloquent and triumphant tale of a fierce act of love, a family's legacy, and one woman s awakening to her own power--with no secrets....

 

An Amazing Reminder from the 1800's

I had no idea what I was about to read. Yes, I wanted to read some classics this year. But not the usual, Hemingway, Shakespeare ect. So, I randomly selected authors in my handy dandy excel formula and the first to pick up from the Library was THE PRINCESS AND CURDIE by George MacDonald.

To be honest I wasn't that impressed by the cover (see image) Maybe it was the bright colors or not knowing anything about the story. And then on the way to work on the LIRR I started reading this book and let me tell you I didn't want to put it down.

It was a true great reminder DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER!

Some wonderful quotes from the book ::

"...whoever does not mean good is always in danger of harm."
"...it is better to perceive a hidden good then a hidden evil."
and a ALL time favorite "...Honesty is the best policy."

Parent's, Uncle's and Aunts, Grandparents get the book read this wonderful adventure and exciting journey young Curdie takes to the Kings Palace. The characters will amaze and could at times frighten you and the child. But overall the story will make you feel that you are a providing some simple life lessons we seem to forget.

I enjoyed the tale and was saddened by the ending. Is it true that true greed can destroy a entire community.
This is the sequel to THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN. But you can fall right into the story if you haven't read the other story.

Share your favorite parts of the story. Send me a note jmclozano@gmail.com.

Happy Reading,

Jennifer

If we all could shine as bright as the moon....

I have to admit it I am a MOON lover. Finding this book on the list for February, The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen, I was so hoping I would love it and it would make me giddy.
I love the moon.... Love love La Luna.
If you know me you know it! To the MOON and BACK!!

THEN.... I picked it up and I just wasn't in love with the moon but I was more in LOVE with the delicious items coming from the kitchen of the local barbecue joint.

It wasn't so much about just one girl chasing the moon but HOW one girl led the path for other to face their true feeling, dreams and demons.

Ms. Allen introduced this small town and leads us down the main street into the front door of each character. I enjoyed the story and the magical touches brought into the story. And who isn't a sucker for True Love winning!!

Go ahead pick it up and try some of the delicious recipes like the Milky Way Cake recipe provided in the back of the book. If you try the recipe PLEASE PLEASE let me know what magic comes your way :)

Much Love and keep turning the pages,

Jennifer

The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A NovelBy Sarah Addison Allen

 Product Description (from Amazon)

Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, not only wishing to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also dreaming of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.

Milky Way Cake
8 Milky Way candy bars (regular size)
2 sticks butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
½ teaspoon baking soda
2½ cups flour
1¼ cups buttermilk
1 cup pecans, chopped

Melt candy bars in one stick of butter or margarine. Cream sugar and the other stick of butter or margarine together. Add eggs, baking soda, and flour alternately with buttermilk. Add melted candy mixture and pecans. Bake in 3 (9-inch) pans, greased, at 325 degrees for 30–40 minutes or until done. Cool for 5 minutes, remove from the pans, and cool on racks.

CHOCOLATE ICING
2½ cups sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1 stick butter or margarine
1 6-ounce package chocolate chips
1 cup marshmallow creme

Mix over low heat. Combine sugar and milk. Cook until it reaches a soft ball stage. Add other ingredients. Stir until chocolate chips melt, then remove from heat. Beat until cool.

Struggles and Triumphs, Wisdom and Beauty, Real and Hilarious and NY Social Scene

We found the books for March. Check out our Reading Page for a complete listing. Check out the PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS from Amazon. I am so excited about these books and in my mind I think I know my favorite. But I am truly hoping for a surprise! Join me in our next Months books.

Much Love,

Jennifer

When We Were Strangers: A Novel
by Pamela Schoenewaldt

Product Description
"If you leave Opi, you'll die with strangers," Irma Vitale's mother always warned. Even after her beloved mother's passing, 20-year-old Irma longs to stay in her Abruzzo mountain village, plying her needle. But too poor and plain to marry and subject to growing danger in her own home, she risks rough passage to America and workhouse servitude to achieve her dream of making dresses for gentlewomen.
In the raw immigrant quarters and with the help of an entrepreneurial Irish serving girl, ribbon-decked Polish ragman and austere Alsatian dressmaker, Irma begins to stitch together a new life . . . until her peace and self are shattered in the charred remains of the Great Chicago Fire. Enduring a painful recovery, Irma reaches deep within to find that she has even more to offer the world than her remarkable ability with a needle and thread

The Tiger's Wife: A Novel
by Téa Obreht

Product Description
In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her beloved grandfather’s recent death. Searching for clues, she turns to his worn copy of The Jungle Book and the stories he told her of his encounters over the years with “the deathless man.” But most extraordinary of all is the story her grandfather never told her—the legend of the tiger’s wife.
Look for special features inside. Join the Circle for author chats and more.

Tales From the Pantry: Random Rants & M...
by Shari Owen Brown

Product DescriptionTales From the Pantry: Random Rants & Musings of a Stay-at-Home Mom is a collection of witty, funny, and sometimes gut-wrenching stories told by a 40-something mother of two small children. Based upon the popular blog 'Don't Make Me Count to Three!', Shari Owen Brown uses humor to navigate the daily slings and arrows of motherhood. Many parents can relate to the often unspoken challenges of child rearing. And for those who have yet to have children...consider yourself warned! Shari found herself the last of her friends to have children and was then SHOCKED to discover all of the lies she had been told! Why hadn't anybody mentioned these things before?!! It was like a secret club of parents who dared not tell the truth or else none of their friends would have children, leaving them all alone in their own private nightmare! Shari blows the lid off of these unspoken challenges & discusses daily life in a funny and entertaining way that still manages to speak the truth. It is a great outlet for parents to laugh at themselves through Shari, and realize that they are not alone or crazy (well, maybe just a little!) for feeling the way that they do.

Rules of Civility: A Novel
by Amor Towles

Product Description
WHAT THEY SAID about RULES OF CIVILITY: 'Everything about this novel, set in 1930s New York, is achingly stylish - from the author's name to the slinky jacket design. Katey Kontent, daughter of Russian immigrants, and Evie Ross, from the sleepy midwest, are an ambitious, wisecracking pair who, despite lack of money and connections, aim to set the city alight. A fortuitous meeting with the apparently wealthy Tinker Grey on New Year's Eve, 1937, will change the course of both their lives.' - Guardian 'If you want shopping at Bendel's, gin martinis at a debutante's mansion and jazz bands playing until 3am, RULES OF CIVILITY has it all and more ...While you're lost in the whirl of silk stockings, furs and hip flasks, all you care about is what Katey Kontent does next. Another one bartender, please.' - Observer 'Irresistible ...A cross between Dorothy Parker and Holly Golightly, Katey Kontent is a priceless narrator in her own right - the brains of a bluestocking with the legs of a flapper and the mores of Carrie Bradshaw.' - Telegraph 'Towles creates a narrative that sparkles with sentences so beautiful you'll stop and re-read them. A delicious and memorable novel that will leave you wistful ...and desperate for a martini.' - Stylist 'My book of the year. If the unthinkable happened and I could never read another new work of fiction in 2011, I'd simply re-read this sparkling, stylish book, with yet another round of martinis as dry as the author's wit.' - Herald

Definitely not a tear jerker

This funny chic, Mindy Kaling, writer/actress on The Office, has you really thinking about how funny life’s experiences - romance, friendship and working in the great place of Hollywood can lead to a great book. These twists in experiences can be a tear jerker in the HILARIOUS kind of way. Mindy takes us on a personal journey into her discovery of comedy, friendship and that perfect job.


Title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? 
Author: MINDY KALING
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Theme: Humor, Entertainer, Biographies & Memoirs
ISBN-13: 978-0307886262

I want to laugh!

I swear at times I was like OMG that is hilarious! The reminder of those OLD family photos’ you hope nobody would post; she proudly inserts into her stories bringing the reader up front and personal to her experiences. Or remember that time in school when you wish you could have erased from everyone’s memory; she reminds us of a memory we can all recall making us wonder how we made it this far. Then she brings her current obsessions and habits to light make us all seem a little closer in this small world. Don’t we all memorize our credit card numbers, to get that quick sale on Gilt.com

I have to say not at all as raunchy as our hysterical Miss Chelsea H. and not as descriptive as miss Tina F. (Sorry, Tina I couldn’t even finish the book – love the shows and comedy but the book – next one :)

This book was a quick read as Mindy clearly states “if you are reading this book longer than two days something is up". I recommend this book for that quick read in between a long drawn out historical fiction or a train ride on the LIRR from Montauk to Penn, or stop at her old stomping grounds in Brooklyn.

Book Description (from Amazon)

Mindy Kaling has lived many lives: the obedient child of immigrant professionals, a timid chubster afraid of her own bike, a Ben Affleck–impersonating Off-Broadway performer and playwright, and, finally, a comedy writer and actress prone to starting fights with her friends and coworkers with the sentence “Can I just say one last thing about this, and then I swear I’ll shut up about it?”

Perhaps you want to know what Mindy thinks makes a great best friend (someone who will fill your prescription in the middle of the night), or what makes a great guy (one who is aware of all elderly people in any room at any time and acts accordingly), or what is the perfect amount of fame (so famous you can never get convicted of murder in a court of law), or how to maintain a trim figure (you will not find that information in these pages). If so, you’ve come to the right book, mostly!

In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles

Unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medicine and ordinary miracles--and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined

Title: Cutting for Stone

Author: Abraham Verghese
Genre: Literature & Fiction,
Theme: Medical, Domestic Life, Family Saga
ISBN-13: 978-0375714368

When I started this book I said to myself, hmmm am I going to like this? Most books are familiar surroundings, situations and customs I find familiar. This book brought me to another place, rich in culture, traditions, scenery, not just the unfamiliar African community but the medical community. Never have I felt like I was right in an operating room or feel the pressure of the doctor trying to turn a baby to the correct position to move down the birth canal. The description of scenes brought me right to the center of room. I almost wanted to wash my hands J to make sure no one was contaminated.

The story of these two brothers, Marion and Shiva take you on a young boy’s journey from childhood to manhood. The struggles, the loss, the joy, the education and self-education, determination and the dancing fever made it a page turner. And it is not only the girls that have heart ache, the excitement of young love and disappointment lead to many different paths in this story.

As I read this book I came across a passage that made me sit back and say YES! As a parent this is a perfect reminder to all, see if you agree as a father explained to his children “… the key to happiness is to own your own slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own your talents you have and own the ones you don’t….Not only our actions, but also our omissions become our destiny.”

What I found in this book was LOVE & FAMILY no matter what happens a FAMILY will always be together in one way or another, whether apart for days or years.

I share this book with my friend, Mary W. I hope she has time with her two little ones. If you pick up a copy join me in a SHARE A BOOK. Pass that book to a friend.

Much love,