Tag: Books

Up & Down Quiz – ANSWERS

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Maybe Level 2 was 2 hard 🙂

I love the Up & Down word game.  Try it if you haven’t already.  Since this is the first time I’m making it myself I’m going to keep it simple.  The answer for line 1 goes down to the first blank in line 2, and so on.  These are all 2 word book titles.

Quiet ______________

____________Tragedy

What’s the word that goes in both blanks?  American

Now on to level 1

Mystic ___River___

___River___ King   (Kathy was first 🙂 )

Too easy?  How ’bout level 2

Indian ___Killer____  (Hilarie)

____Killer___   ___Angels____

___Angel’s___Game

Let’s see who figures them out first.  Leave a comment with your answers.

Sense & Sensibility, by Jane Austen

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Product DetailsFinished audio 7-23-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 1813

This audio version was read by Wanda McCaddon

This is my first Jane Austen book, so I thought I would start with listening an audio first.  I am glad that I did.  I saw the 1995  movie soon after it came out and once I started listening the characters came to life in my mind, as the cast of the movie.  The combination was Cliff’s Notes for the Austen virgin and I thought a great way to start my Austen reading.  Now that I’ve finished the book and watched the movie again in my imagination I plan on watching the actual movie this week.

The Dashwoods have just lost the head of the family and his second family is mistreated by the heir and left with little money and few prospects.  Thanks to the generosity of a cousin they are welcomed to a small house in Devonshire and the four women make a new life with new friends. 

Elinor and Marianne are sisters that share a close relationship, but different temperaments.  Marianne is full of fancy and passion and Elinor is full of good judgement and common sense.  They both fall for two very different men, but suffer the same fate in their attraction. 

As you can see, I took the quiz to find out which Austen character I am and Elinor was the winner.  After reading the book I can see where the result came from, but think perhaps I am a bit more direct than Elinor.  I liked both sisters, but there were times when both of them drove me a little crazy.

I like the book, but I can’t give it more than 4 stars because there are so many people to dislike.  Some got their comeuppance, but some didn’t and I wanted some karma for a few of the characters.

I look forward to reading an actual Austen book soon.

Sky Burial : An Epic Love Story of Tibet, by Xinran

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Sky Burial by Xinran: Book CoverFinished 7-20-09, rating 4.5/5, fiction, pub. 2004

“Zhuoma,” she shouted. “come over here!  What’s Ge’er doing?”

Saierbao, who was standing nearby, couldn’t understand Wen’s reaction.  What was so surprising about the men in the family doing the sewing?  Zhuoma told her that Chinese men hardly ever touched a needle, that sewing and mending were invariably women’s work.  Ni fell about laughing after she heard this.  “Women, sewing?”  she said to her mother.  “Surely not.”

Saierbao shook her head, sharing in her daughter’s disbelief at this absurd idea.

Chapter 4

What would you do if your husband of less than 100 days was sent off to war and never returned?  Would you join the army to gain access and answers?  Would you travel to a harsh, conflict heavy country in search of him?  Would you give up country, family, career, and life as you know to search for a husband presumed dead? 

Xinran is a Chinese-born reporter who was able to spend a few days with Wen, to hear her story of love, loss, and peace.  She wrote Wen’s story as a love letter to a husband and to Tibet.

Wen and Kejun lived a charmed life as Chinese doctors in the 1950’s.  Kejun joined the army and went to Tibet in hopes of unifying the two countries.  He was told they would be greeted as liberators (sorry for stealing the apt line), but found violence instead.  He was declared dead shortly after arriving and Wen in her grief joins his unit and heads to Tibet.

Almost immediately Wen is separated from her unit and she was cared for by a Tibetan woman, Zhouma.  The two women are both searching for love lost and lead a nomadic life for many, many years.

The book was riveting.  I was unsure if I would warm up to Wen, but I did.  Xinran was so outspoken in her admiration for this woman but it took the whole story to be told for me to really understand it.  And even then I think it could have been that Wen was mysterious and  left the author wanting more.

This is Wen’s love story and also a description of her life as an outsider.  It was easy to be drawn into an unfamiliar, yet stirring country and its people.  The book is a fast read at only 200 pages, but a worthwhile one.  I highly recommend it.

A Circle of Souls, by Preetham Grandhi

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A Circle of Souls by Grandhi Grandhi: Book CoverFinished 7-17-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub. 2009

“I found Naya standing on the second-floor balcony,”  Mrs. Hastings said shakily, “and I think she thought she could fly away.  She was looking at the sky, trying to climb over the balcony wall, and mumbling to herself.”

“What was she saying?”

“It sounded like she was saying, ‘I do want to come!’ “

Chapter 3

Dr. Peter Gram is a child psychiatrist at a Connecticut hospital and is on duty when seven year old Naya is brought in by her parents after she almost kills herself while dreaming.  Peter has never seen anything like it and is concerned enough to keep her in the hospital over the weekend.  To further trouble Peter she begins drawing unsettling photos of a recent murder.  As Peter begins to investigate he crosses paths with FBI agent, Leia Bines.

Leia is tops in her job of tracking down missing children, but the brutal murder of Janet has left her stumped.  She is willing to listen to Peter and his strange suggestions only because the investigation is at a complete standstill.  Why is Naya dreaming of the dead and can her drawings lead them to the killer?

I loved Peter and Naya.  Peter is the doctor you want if you have a kid in trouble.  He was willing to go the extra mile and just seemed so darned nice.  And I loved his warm relationship with Naya.  It was also impossible not to fall in love with Naya.  Her Indian heritage provided an additional layer of interest to the mystery as did her uncle still living nearby. 

This is a great psychological thriller.  It was fast-paced with a compelling story.  There was enough information to tell you who did it and enough doubt to make it interesting.  This was really a fun read and I am very impressed that this is Preetham’s first book.

I want to thank Preetham for sending me a copy of his book.  If you are interested in winning a copy go HERE and enter on his website.  He draws a new winner each month.  Also, come back on Friday for my 9 in ’09 with Preetham.

Teaser Tuesday – Quilter’s Apprentice

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teasertuesdays31Grab your current read.  Open to a random page.  Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!).  Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

“You could apologize before she asks you to,” Matt said as he parked the truck.  “Old people like apologies and polite stuff like that.”

“Yeah.  I hear they also love being referred to as ‘old people.’ ” Sarah muttered.

The Quilter’s Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini, Chapter 3

I haven’t started this book yet, but after flipping through to find a teaser I’m looking forward to it.  I’m a failed quilter, so this should be fun 🙂

Visit MizB for more teasers.

 

 

Southern Reading Challenge Completed

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I finished my first reading challenge!  Woo hoo!  I joined the Southern Reading Challenge hosted by Maggie after I realized that I didn’t read many books set in the south.   We had three months to read 3 books and I did it in 2.  (I’m only bragging about this because I have 3 other challenges that have patiently been waiting for some attention ) 

My favorite of the 3 was the non-fiction Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil by John Berendt.  It was set in Savannah, Georgia and it was absolutely fabulous!  This went on my all-time favorite list and I envision a trip to Savannah soon!  4 1/2 stars

I also really loved When Venus Fell by Deborah Smith, a romantic family drama set in the Tennessee valley.  I loved the spunky heroine and the loving, inclusive family that was willing to take in two sisters as their own.  4 stars

I read Sights Unseen by Kaye Gibbons and thought it was good.  It takes place in North Carolina and chronicles a young girl childhood as her mother is treated for mental illness. 3 1/2 stars

I want to thank Maggie for hosting this great challenge.  I had fun and look forward to next year 🙂

When Venus Fell, by Deborah Smith

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When Venus Fell by Smith Smith: Book CoverFinished 7-14-09, rating 4/5, fiction, pub.1998

And those clippings might have been all that was worth telling about Venus Arinelli.  Or about any Arinelli, I guess.  We were culturally jumbled but southern clear through by the grace of a god who obviously knows where odd people will best fit it.  Yet everyone is made up of parts and pieces of their family’s music.  The saddest thing is to forget where our songs end and our parents’ begin, because each of us plays the next note for them.

Before Gib found me, I was sinking into silence.

Prologue

Venus and Ella Arinelli have been on their own for the ten years since their father died in prison where he was being held for crimes against America.  The government took everything and followed them, city to city, harassing them.  The two sisters work nightclubs as a musical duet, Venus on the piano and Ella on her violin.  Then one day an old family friend finds them and tells them about $100,000 that belongs to them, but there is a catch.

Venus, who has been taking care of her weaker sister has an understanding resentment toward the government, so when Gib Cameron shows up she is mistrustful of the ex-secret service man, even if she has dreamt of him her whole life.  Now Gib wants the sisters to come to his family’s inn in a remote, mountainous Tennessee valley to reopen the family business.  Willing to show up for the money the women find the All-American family eagerly awaiting their arrival. 

The family property has many recognizable family members and a few kooky ones and the sisters revel in the feeling of family.  It is the 30 year anniversary of their parent’s wedding on this very land, with this family and they are drawn into the family with little resistance.

This book  is the meeting of southern charm in the Cameron family and modern spunk in Venus, with her corn rows and belly ring.  At first the link between these two families seemed tenuous to me, but the story drew me in and soon I was caught up in all the family drama and everything made more sense. 

I grew to really appreciate the spunky Venus and her prickly nature.  Over the course of several months she facedthe possibility of losing her sister and a growing love for Gib and still did not lose her strong edge. 

I liked this book very much.  The story draws you in and satisfies in the end.

Yellow, by Janni Visman

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Yellow by Visman Visman: Book CoverFinished 7-11-09, rating 3.5/5 , fiction, pub. 2004

I put my orange down and roll it around the plate.  “You must have loved her very much.”

Ivan nods his head slowly.  It reminds me of a child whom one asks, “Are you lost?” who is unable to answer, the admission too great to contemplate.  He takes a sip of his water and then takes my hand in his.  “No more than I love you.”

He should have said, “Ilove you more.” I understand that this is the deal in these situations.

Wednesday

Stella is an aromatherapist whose clients come to her London flat for treatment because Stella cannot step outside her building.  She’s tried and fainted from a panic attack before reaching sunshine.  When Ivan, the gas man, comes to work in her apartment she convinces him to stay and he moves in. 

Things are going well.  She has regular clients, she has her sister and nieces to visit her, George her cat to love her, and a good relationship with Ivan.  At least until he shows up at the breakfast table wearing a gold bracelet with an inscription from an old flame and a new neighbor becomes too  interested in George.  Stella becomes paranoid about the old flame and the new neighbor.  Is she just unhinged or is thre truth to her suspicions?

Stella’s jealousy leads her to ask her sister to follow Ivan and her insecurity leads her to extreme behaviour.  Over the course of the week Stella finds just as many questions as answers and she feels her old, safe life slipping away.

This book is only 173 pages amd covers the span of five days.  Stella is obviously a troubled woman, one that I wanted to shake a few times, but she was also a sympathetic character.  The language was sparse, but beautiful and the book was a joy to read.  I admit that I did not see the end coming.  Which is part of my small problem with the book.  The end seemed to come out of nowhere, with little warning.  It felt a little off from the rest of the novel.

It was haunting and strange and I enjoyed it very much until the very end, which was a little lacking for me.

I picked this up because of the review over at Fleur Fisher reads.  Sometimes I actually get around to reading books from my wishlist!

Teaser Tuesday- When Venus Fell

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teasertuesdays31Grab your current read.  Open to a random page.  Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.  BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!).  Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

This was no small thing, in the southern sense of that word.  If a person visited a home in the South for any length of time, whether for a mere one-night stay or weeks, months, even years of habitation, that visitor achieved the status of Company, meaning he or she received deluxe treatment.

When Venus Fell by Deborah Smith, page 4

Cover Image

This is my final book for the Southern Reading Challenge and I am really enjoying it!  So, what pages are you turning this week?

Visit MizB for more teasers.

 

What Book is That? Take Three

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Answers to last week’s quiz here.

Can you identify these books by their censored titles?  Leave a comment with the number, title and author.

censored titles july 09 1

1. Stitches by David Small – Beth

2. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe – Debbie

3. The Heretic’s Daughter by Kathleen Kent – Kathy

4. Eva Luna by Isabel Allende – Kathy

5. Duma Key by Stephen King – Heather

censored titles july 09 2

6. The Jane Austen Book CLub by Karen Joy Fowler – Violet

7. Testimony by Anita Shreve – Debbie

8. Life of Pi by Yann Martel – Kathy

9. Wrack & Ruin by Don Lee – Gwendolyn

10. A Million Little Pieces by James Frey – Kathy