IMM - In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a meme courtesy of The Story Siren which if you haven't seen her vlog of this yet, go visit her blog.





Checked out from the Digital Library
The Scent of Rain and Lightening by Nancy Pickard
The Lies We Told by Diane Chamberlain
Before the Storm by Diane Chamberlain

Won from Two Readers Reviews
(THANKS! So excited bc Dessen has been on my list to read FOREVER)
The Truth about Forever by Sarah Dessen
This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen

Won from GoodReads
(you can never be good enough or comfortable enough with public speaking when it is in fact higher in fear among the general population than dying)
Purpose Centered Public Speaking by Gary Rodiguez

My Wish List

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in with too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.


Self-published in 2003, Hilary Thayer Hamann’s Anthropology of an American Girl touched a nerve among readers, who identified with the sexual and intellectual awakening of its heroine, a young woman on the brink of adulthood. A moving depiction of the transformative power of first love, Hamann’s first novel follows Eveline Auerbach from her high school years in East Hampton, New York, in the 1970s through her early adulthood in the moneyed, high-pressured Manhattan of the 1980s.

Centering on Evie’s fragile relationship with her family and her thwarted love affair with Harrison Rourke, a professional boxer, the novel is both a love story and an exploration of the difficulty of finding one’s place in the world. As Evie surrenders to the dazzling emotional highs of love and the crippling loneliness of heartbreak, she strives to reconcile her identity with the constraints that all relationships—whether those familial or romantic, uplifting to the spirit or quietly detrimental—inherently place on us. Though she stumbles and strains against social conventions, Evie remains a strong yet sensitive observer of the world around her, often finding beauty and meaning in unexpected places.

Newly edited and revised since its original publication, Anthropology of an American Girl is an extraordinary piece of writing, original in its vision and thrilling in its execution.



After three long years of separation Corinne Temple is heading West to see her father again. She marries Andrew Temple the day she leaves for the Oregon Trail. He is a family friend but far from friendly. Her third generation knowledge of healing herbs makes her an asset to the wagon train but her husband’s iron grip leaves Corinne confused and angry. In 1848 can a woman find any kind of freedom? The lines between the classes blur and Corinne struggles as hardship and loss find her on the trail. The mountain peaks and turbulent waters are not the only obstacles. Corinne must search her heart and test her resilience in… Seeing the Elephant

DEMONS ARE FOREVER...so Azarial thought.
It was a cold day in Hell when Azarial – demon, sculptor and daughter to the Fallen angel Sariel - got the first inkling she wasn’t quite the person she‘d thought she was.
Then when two old friends arrive bringing with them an outlawed rogue, she welcomes them. When they ask her to hide them from bounty hunters how could she refuse?
But when magic-users summon her to Earth and force her to find the rogue, then things begin to get nasty –

Azarial tries to hold her life together and help her friends.
Despite the angel who keeps following her around, a sultry young Nightlord who wants her to be his mentor, and the temptation of old lovers...
And you just know it’s going to be a bad day when you wake up with a stolen baby dragon in your kitchen.


Review - Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris (#11 in Sookie Stackhouse Series)

Title: Dead Reckoning
Sookie Stackhouse Series #11
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publish Date: may 3, 2011
Publisher: Ace Hardcover
Hardcover, 325 Pages

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Saint gave me the first couple of books in this series for my birthday a couple years back. It was the first birthday gift he ever gave me. He not only was aware it was my birthday, he gave me a present that was meaningful, thoughtful and totally me. I have no idea how he did it because I am not sure even I would have picked out these books. I didn't even know about them at the time.

After reading the first one, I couldn't put the rest down. I exchanged the first ones for the next in the series at the used bookstore. (I am such a horrible girlfriend) Sadly, I wish I still had those, not only for sentimental purposes, but because I believe I have finally found the first set of books I will reread over and over again. I have never understood people who reread books, I always remember them so clearly that they bore me, but these have so much going on and so many wonderfully evolving characters. I feel so at ease with this series.

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I heard Charlaine Harris was releasing another book. It had been so long since I read them, I wasn't sure I even still liked them. Could she really come out with one I liked as much as I remember liking the first ones (all ten of them)? Is that really possible?

OH YEAH!

I figured out these books remind me of reading growing up. They are like good friends I want to spend every afternoon with. They are playful, strong, surprising and I want to hug them til their eyes pop out.

Sookie is such a true character and I have been so surprised that she has stayed that way through the entire series. I keep expecting her to fall from grace, but she only gets more human and more likable as it continues. Also, I find myself searching to see if all the commotion that Sookie gets into becoming tiring and mundane, but NO it doesn't. Somehow Harris has figured out how to keep it fresh and new and exciting. Eric is so sexy and wonderfully mysterious and yet he too, is continuing to surprise me. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Bill again in this book. His appearances might be foreshadowing another love triangle. I loved how Pam's character really came into the human emotions this time. Hunter, Sookie's nephew who is also telepathic, is a nice presence. I cannot wait to see where Harris takes it.

It's odd to love a series of books so much that I continue to speculate where each character will go and what will happen next. I have to say, though I love a good romantic ending, I pray Harris keeps coming out with these books. I don't want them to end. Ever.

Review - 2nd Chance by James Patterson

Title: 2nd Chance
Author: James Patterson
Publish Date: May 5, 2005 (first pub in 2002)
Publisher: Warner Books
Paperback, 400 Pages
Women's Murder Club #2

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I am really glad to have the entire collection of James Patterson's Women Murder Club series sitting in my nightstand (when it isn't falling out bc of too many books stuffed in there) because thought I loved the first one, the second one wasn't as good. Don't get me wrong. I still really enjoyed it, but these will be filler books from here on out. I don't HAVE to read them. I don't have to read them consecutively like most series books. They are good and they are fun, but not a necessity. (that sounds way sadder than I mean it)

I really still enjoy Lindsay Boxer's character. She didn't lose any of her toughness and she is still showing vulnerability. I love that aspect. She is still willing to jump feet first into the pool of craziness and then second guess herself. Don't we all do that?? I love that her friends, Cindy, the journalist, Claire, the ME and Jill, the assistant DA won't let her handle things without support.

This was fun and about three quarters of the way through they have a great car/running chase that had me sitting up in bed with my heart just pounding.

I tried guessing who the killer was, I had two guesses and I was kind of right on one of them, but really I was off. I enjoyed the way they set this story up. I like that they reveal one step at a time and I feel as if I am figuring things out right along with Lieutenant Boxer. (albeit one, or two, steps behind her, lol) I am just not destined to be any kind of a cop, spy, etc. Course I suppose not being clumsy and loud are a big key to that one!

These give me such a nice break from feeling a need to read. They are like watching a tv show. It is relaxing and like a friend I have lunch with once a week.

Looking forward to the next in the series.

Wordless Wednesday - Flying

I am lucky enough to have a beau who got me an awesome lens for my canon camera as well as living right on a lake so I get to see things like this constantly.






Can you believe the wingspan on some of these beauties???

Wordless Wednesday

Can a girl get a haircut?

OMG I am so over this whole small town thing . . . sometimes . . . okay not really. . . but today I NEEDED a haircut. Okay, drama aside, I'd like a haircut. I am going to meet Saint's parents for the first time and I would like to look a bit more refined. (lol, I know, right?)

I waited til the last minute, of course. Sigh

I asked a local friend for her hairstylist and she hasn't been able to get an answer from her all week. So I finally give in and go driving around on a Saturday evening and guess what? The salons all close at 5pm on Saturday AND are not open Sunday or Monday. CRAP! I am meeting them Wednesday and I work all day Tuesday. I am so SOL.

Oh the bright side, I do have the most fabulously nice outfits to wear that will compliment my beau as he usually dresses nicer than me. I am a huge fan of jeans and a tee or my favorite sweatshirt. So I thought I'd show a little style. I even bought a cute little hat in case it rains or is real windy. I also got a little pedicure so my toes are up to par, though Saint swears they will not be looking at my toes. (lol)

Wish me luck!

Review - The Story of Beautiful Girl

Title: The Story of Beautiful Girl
Author: Rachel Simon
Publish Date: May 4, 2011
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Fiction

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The Story of Beautiful Girl is not normally a book I would typically read for many reasons. I was just taken by the cover, the title and then once I started reading a few chapters I was completely and utterly amazed. From the moment I realized Lynnie and Homer were in a mental institution and living under horrible conditions all the way up the method Rachel Simon used to describe the way Homer communicated in his head. It was all beautiful and sad.

Lynnie is a miracle of a character in that she has a disability during times when no one understands them. Her parents basically aren’t sure what to do and so they put her in this school which is coming alive with workers who make fun of the residents and use them to their amusement. It opens up with Lynnie arriving at Martha’s door, a widow who is a retired school teacher. Lynnie and Homer have escaped and for some reason know their time is coming to a close. They hide the baby that Lynnie has recently delivered within Martha’s care. Martha having no experience with a baby isn’t sure what to do, but knows deeply she must protect this baby.

The women in this book were so wonderfully strong even with all the bad things that are happening around and to them. Even when they cannot speak up they reach out to each other and find a connection.

I truly enjoyed each of the characters journeys in this book. I am afraid to reveal too much as most of the stories come from keeping things a secret. Even with all the details and limited conversation I still felt Rachel Simon did a spectacular job of communicating everything above and below the surface in a way that enthralled me.

A necessary and truly eye opening read!