Poppy Done to Death (Aurora Teagarden Series)
By Charlaine Harris
Fiction-Mystery
$7.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Released May 20, 2009
"Poppy" is the last novel in the "Aurora Teagarden" series and by far the most underwhelming. Which is saying a lot considering these books are pretty simple to begin with. Harris stuck to her tried and true formula for this book so there are no fresh surprises.
"Poppy" follows Aurora Teagarden as she tries to solve the murder mystery of her sister-in-law, Poppy. Was she murdered by her husband, one of her numerous lovers or one of their scorned wives?
Teagarden is continuing her relationship with writer Robin Crusoe that was renewed in the last book. Her step-brother Philip makes an appearance and Roe has once again found herself dealing closely with ex and police chief Arthur Smith.
I do not want to go into too much detail as far as the plot so as not to give any spoilers but the mysteries in this book reminded me of a "Maury" episode. Who my baby daddy?
This story goes "pfftttt" and loses steam and Harris throws in too many plot twists and turns that never develop. This is the end of the series and I was left with several unanswered questions!
Researching time lines for the publishing date of this book, I realized Harris was probably writing the first book in what is now known as the "True Blood' series. Those books rock! So I will forgive her if she dropped the ball on this- she was distracted with "fangtasticness".
Recommend it: I wouldn't, unless, like me, you read it because you have read all of the other books in the series or because you are a die-hard Charlaine Harris fan.
But: No Butts.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Rising Tides by Nora Roberts
Rising Tides
By Nora Roberts
Published August 1, 1998
Fiction/Romance
$7.99 Kindle www.amazon.com
Book 2 of 5 in "The Chesapeake Bay" Series
"Rising Tides" begins where the first book, "Sea Swept" left off. Anna and Cam are newlyweds on honeymoon and the other brothers are looking after the newest brother, Seth, and the building of their first sail boat from their fledgling boat company. This book focuses particularly on Ethan Quinn and his relationship with Grace Monroe. Each book in the saga covers a Brother Quinn and they are written in the order that each Quinn was adopted by Ray and Stella Quinn.
Ethan Quinn, the oldest of the brothers, shares his adopted fathers love for fishing and the Bay.
He operates his own commercial fishing boat. He has the toughest childhood of any of the brothers and Nora Roberts goes into great detail about the child abuse that Seth suffered at the hands of his birth mother. This topic is not new for Roberts; she writes often of adults who have been abused; physically, emotionally, and sexually, as children. She also writes quite often about adoption. Most notably writing as J.D. Robb in the Eve Dallas "In Death" series.
Grace Monroe, a single mother to Aubrey, was introduced to us in the first book. As a reader; it was obvious that there was chemistry between Ethan and Grace. In this book, the storyline just builds on that blossoming romance.
The storyline of Seth and the Quinn families struggle to adopt him continues in this story too. The battle with Seth's birth mother isn't mentioned much though, and there is no conclusion to this storyline. Three more books to see this resolved seems to be a a little much.I think this could be wrapped as a whole in the next book. I can't imagine what book 4 and 5 cover.
On positive note, the novels do a really good job about showing the impact that child abuse has on it's grown victims and the effect it has on their family and relationships.
Over all, "Rising Tides" is a sweet, simple romance. I enjoyed the first book more though. I feel like Ethan and Grace's story was neatly tied up but it didn't give me enough details. Did they get married? Where did they decide to live? His house or her house? Does Grace continue working three jobs?
I personally like my characters a little more rough and rebellious. I found Ethan and Grace too sweet and meek. Even their love scenes were tame!
Recommend it: If you have read the first and want to see it through to book 5, then yes. If you want a super sweet romance, then yes!
But: If you are looking for spice, adventure, or mystery- don't bother.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Quotes from "The Help"
The quotes are copied the way they were written in the book-true to the dialect and grammar that Kathryn Stockett used.
"Change begins with a whisper."
"We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."
"And I swear I see, down inside, the woman she gone grow up to be. A flash from the future. She is tall and straight. She is proud. She got a better haircut. And she is remembering the words I put in her head. Remembering as a full grown woman."
"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."
"I know something about you and don't you forget that.....and from what I hear, they's a lot of time to write a lot a letters in jail...time to write to ever person in Jackson the truth about you. Plenty a time and the paper is free....."
I must say my favorite line is the one above ".....Plenty of time and the paper is free..." Such a bad-ass threat. Love it. Spoken in the book by Aibileen to Hilly.
"Change begins with a whisper."
"We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."
"And I swear I see, down inside, the woman she gone grow up to be. A flash from the future. She is tall and straight. She is proud. She got a better haircut. And she is remembering the words I put in her head. Remembering as a full grown woman."
"You is kind. You is smart. You is important."
"I know something about you and don't you forget that.....and from what I hear, they's a lot of time to write a lot a letters in jail...time to write to ever person in Jackson the truth about you. Plenty a time and the paper is free....."
I must say my favorite line is the one above ".....Plenty of time and the paper is free..." Such a bad-ass threat. Love it. Spoken in the book by Aibileen to Hilly.
Sex and the City...ugh
I'm on page 28 of "Sex and the City" by Candace Bushnell. It's horrible so far. It's not the SATC from t.v. that I know and love. We will see how much further I read.....
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
WOW! WOW! WOW! Loved this book! You have to be living in a cave if you haven't heard of this book. Thanks to a recent big motion picture release based on the novel-it's everywhere. I first heard of this book after it was recommended to me by a fellow book clubber. I put it on my wish list and then the movie came out and everyone was talking about it. I had procrastinated long enough-it was time to read "The Help".
Let me say I haven't been this excited after reading a book since "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. I know-I love a lot of books but not all of them make me want to call someone up and make them listen to me wax poetic about a novel!
"The Help" is Stockett's first novel. Really? Wow-what next? Excellent writing-great plot and pace. I really don't have any complaints about this book except that the dialect was distracting in the beginning. The more absorbed you become in the story though, the less you notice. Also there were two minor story lines that I felt really just kind of distracted you from the main plot. Miss Celia, an alcoholic loner who married a local and is physically unable to have kids and Stuart Wentworth, Miss Skeeter's one time love. He is a governor's son and disappears and reappears quite often throughout the book. Sometimes I tolerate the loose end story lines if everything is tied up nice and neat in the end. Not really the case here, but I think Stockett could take those two fading story lines and write two more novels- they really had that much promise.
"The Help" is set in the rural south of the 1960's. A tumultuous time in history to say the least. Jackson, Mississippi- one of the last holds of racial segregation, is the home of maids Abileen, Minny and the white women they work for. Enter in Miss Skeeter, a young college grad hoping to become a great writer. A crazy idea is concocted to write a story of the maids in town and their experiences working for the white families; dictated by the maids to Miss Skeeter.
The books covers a time in our history where MLK Jr. and Kennedy were trying to lead a country in the fight against racial discrimination and women everywhere were about to march for equality. Stockett really creates a historically accurate novel that makes you genuinely feel you're sitting on a porch in Mississippi in "100 degree heat with 99 percent humidity".
The heart of this book though is the coming together of women despite their differences; the color of their skin, the amount of money in their bank account and their social status in the community. The women who are so ordinary and yet create a heroic effort to erase the lines of racism and equality.
When Kathryn Stockett was asked what this book is about, she stated the point of the book (which is also a line in the novel) is this : "We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought." Well said. The question that arises from this book- "Are we born to be racist or is it learned?" made me think of a recent sight I witnessed. After reading this book I was at work (daycare) watching over sleeping little two and three year old kids. They cuddle unknowingly close to each other. Limbs tangled, shoes and socks piled together. Little blond heads against little brown heads.In the time that this book took place; this would have been forbidden. I had to smile at those sleeping little kids. Stockett wrote a joyful, painful book that is meant to make you a little uncomfortable and have you cheering out loud.
Recommend: Yes! Read this book. And if you enjoy it- take the time to read "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker.
But: None!!
Bonus: A movie based on the novel.
Let me say I haven't been this excited after reading a book since "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. I know-I love a lot of books but not all of them make me want to call someone up and make them listen to me wax poetic about a novel!
"The Help" is Stockett's first novel. Really? Wow-what next? Excellent writing-great plot and pace. I really don't have any complaints about this book except that the dialect was distracting in the beginning. The more absorbed you become in the story though, the less you notice. Also there were two minor story lines that I felt really just kind of distracted you from the main plot. Miss Celia, an alcoholic loner who married a local and is physically unable to have kids and Stuart Wentworth, Miss Skeeter's one time love. He is a governor's son and disappears and reappears quite often throughout the book. Sometimes I tolerate the loose end story lines if everything is tied up nice and neat in the end. Not really the case here, but I think Stockett could take those two fading story lines and write two more novels- they really had that much promise.
"The Help" is set in the rural south of the 1960's. A tumultuous time in history to say the least. Jackson, Mississippi- one of the last holds of racial segregation, is the home of maids Abileen, Minny and the white women they work for. Enter in Miss Skeeter, a young college grad hoping to become a great writer. A crazy idea is concocted to write a story of the maids in town and their experiences working for the white families; dictated by the maids to Miss Skeeter.
The books covers a time in our history where MLK Jr. and Kennedy were trying to lead a country in the fight against racial discrimination and women everywhere were about to march for equality. Stockett really creates a historically accurate novel that makes you genuinely feel you're sitting on a porch in Mississippi in "100 degree heat with 99 percent humidity".
The heart of this book though is the coming together of women despite their differences; the color of their skin, the amount of money in their bank account and their social status in the community. The women who are so ordinary and yet create a heroic effort to erase the lines of racism and equality.
When Kathryn Stockett was asked what this book is about, she stated the point of the book (which is also a line in the novel) is this : "We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought." Well said. The question that arises from this book- "Are we born to be racist or is it learned?" made me think of a recent sight I witnessed. After reading this book I was at work (daycare) watching over sleeping little two and three year old kids. They cuddle unknowingly close to each other. Limbs tangled, shoes and socks piled together. Little blond heads against little brown heads.In the time that this book took place; this would have been forbidden. I had to smile at those sleeping little kids. Stockett wrote a joyful, painful book that is meant to make you a little uncomfortable and have you cheering out loud.
Recommend: Yes! Read this book. And if you enjoy it- take the time to read "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker.
But: None!!
Bonus: A movie based on the novel.
Pittsburgh Carnegie Library-Main Branch
My family and I went to Pittsburgh this past weekend and paid a visit to the Carnegie Museum of History and Art. AMAZING!
Attached to that collection of buildings is the main branch of the Carnegie Library-free to the people since 1895. Standing in the main room of the dinosaur display, I looked up at a wall of windows- four floors. In each of the windows were rows and rows of bookshelves.
Sigh.....The Carnegie Library is a fusion of old world meets modern. Imported marble floors meet a trendy cafe bookstore and teen area.Brass doorknobs are flanked by hightech key fob entries. You cannot enter the library from the museum (unless authorized personnel) but it is a public library and since it is affiliated with Carnegie University, it houses a world class collection on every subject you could imagine!
I think I found paradise:)E-books and instant gratification are terrific but give me the smell of old books and the sounds of a whispering library any day!
Attached to that collection of buildings is the main branch of the Carnegie Library-free to the people since 1895. Standing in the main room of the dinosaur display, I looked up at a wall of windows- four floors. In each of the windows were rows and rows of bookshelves.
Sigh.....The Carnegie Library is a fusion of old world meets modern. Imported marble floors meet a trendy cafe bookstore and teen area.Brass doorknobs are flanked by hightech key fob entries. You cannot enter the library from the museum (unless authorized personnel) but it is a public library and since it is affiliated with Carnegie University, it houses a world class collection on every subject you could imagine!
I think I found paradise:)E-books and instant gratification are terrific but give me the smell of old books and the sounds of a whispering library any day!
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