Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should Be Reading. Here's how you play:

* Grab your current read.
* Let the book fall open to a random page.
* Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
* You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
* Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

"Today we can be certain that the settlement of Qumran - allegedly the home where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written by dedicated Jewish scribes - was not the isolated monastic settlement envisaged by Roland de Vaux. One clinching piece of evidence is the rich array of 679 ancient coins the site has yielded, 94 dating to the period of the First Jewish Revolt." - taken from page 85, God's Gold: The Quest For The Lost Temple Treasure of Jerusalem by Sean Kingsley

Manic Monday

What is the most useful gift you’ve ever been given?

Last Christmas my husband gave me a pen. It's beautiful and very handy. It's always in my purse.

Name the most terrifying moment of your life so far.

My mother's breast cancer experience.

One hot summer afternoon, while walking through a parking lot at a large shopping center, you notice a dog suffering badly from the heat inside a locked car. What would you do?

Call the police and humane society, and break a window of the car.

Join the fun here.

The Tale of Hawthorn House

I’m not a huge fan of talking animals in mystery books, but when it comes to Susan Wittig Albert’s The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, I make an exception. It can be that I’m huge fan of Beatrix Potter. Or it just can be that I find the whole series charming, warm and cosy. Perfect books to be devoured on weekends.

And that’s what I did with the fourth book of the series, The Tale of Hawthorne House. I devoured it.

Here’s the blurb:

Beatrix Potter receives an unexpected -- and possibly-term -- visitor in the form of Baby Flora, left in a basket on her doorstep with a note, a sprig of hawthorn, a scarab ring. No one in Sawrey has recently become a parent, so Captain Miles Woodcock deduces that the child must belong to the band of gypsies camped just outside of town.

But the gypsies deny knowing anything about the child -- or the mysterious ring inscribed to R.K., Forever. Further investigation reveals that the ring was pawned and reclaimed in Sawrey by a resident of Hawthorn House. The legendary manor is supposed to be vacant -- and is rumoured to be haunted. Now, Beatrix and her animal friends are left pondering the possibility of fairy-folk involvement in these utterly puzzling happenings…

What’s not to love about this book? It has great characters (both human and animal), the setting is breathtaking (Lake District), and there isn’t any gore or blood. It's warm and cosy, and it made me smile and laugh. I can understand those who think the talking animals childish, but I find them charming. A different side of a genre that I absolutely love.

The author gives us a glimpse on the life of these characters, their interests, the gossip, their prejudices against a certain group of people and unwed mothers. Even their beliefs of what a female could or could not do. It's very interesting, but also a little maddening. But that's the beauty of reading historical fiction.

There’s a bonus in this story. They are a couple of budding romances going on. Finally!

The Tale of Hawthorn House by Susan Wittig Albert (4/5) Historical Mystery; Published: Berkley (2007); Series: # 4, The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter; Fall Into Reading 2008 (1); 100 + Reading Challenge (67); Library book;

Un-Bridaled

Here's the blurb for Un-Bridaled by Eileen Rendahl:

With half her immediate family having been committed -- mentally speaking -- why can't Chloe Sachs commit? After all, she's always been considered the sane one. But standing at the altar, moments away from becoming Mrs. Mark Hutchinson, Chloe hears a voice telling her in no uncertain terms, Run! So she hikes up her wedding whites, leaves behind her handsome fiancé and a few hundred guests, and tears down California's Interstate 505 in her red Ford Frontier.

Now Chloe has no Plan B, two kooky dogs, one angry ex, and a truckload of wedding gifts to return. Taking refuge at her grandmother's empty rental bungalow, Chloe unearths some surprising family secrets while renovating it -- and meets some very intriguing new people, like the hot veterinarian she can't get off her mind. And with her family and friends' help, Chloe realizes she doesn't have to run anymore -- because she's already home.

This was another quick read. It was one of those books that you don't quite remember that you have other things to do...you just want to read. This book had everything! Gorgeous setting, quirky and funny characters, two very interesting pets and one fixer-upper bungalow.

And this is where Chloe comes to sort through things. This is also where she finds a stack of letters. Love letters between her aunt and her lover. She discovers a big family secret, which makes a lot of sense and gives her a different perspective towards her relationship with her mother, which is stressed to say the least.

I found that the story was about Chloe growing into the person that she's always wanted to be. Without the approval of her mother or the manipulations of her ex-fiance.

Un-Bridaled by Eileen Rendahl (4.5/5) General Fiction: Chick Lit; Published: Downtown Press (2006); New Author; 100 + Reading Challenge (66); Library book;

R.I.P.

Paul Newman 1925 - 2008

Private Arrangements

I've been meaning to read this book for a while now, it's been in my TBR pit since May.

Here's the blurb for Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas:

To all of London society, Lord and Lady Tremaine had the ideal arrangement: a marriage based on civility, courteousness, freedom—and living on separate continents.

But once upon a time, things were quite different for the Tremaines…When Gigi Rowland first laid eyes on Camden Saybrook, Lord Tremaine, the attraction was immediate and overwhelming: she simply had to have him. But what began in a spark of passion ended in betrayal the morning after their wedding—and Gigi wants to be free to marry again. Now Camden has returned from America with an outrageous demand—an heir—in exchange for Gigi’s freedom.

Gigi’s decision will have consequences she never imagined, as secrets are exposed, desire is rekindled—and one of London’s most admired couples must either fall in love all over again…or let each other go forever.

I found this book a quick read. It was fast paced and the characters were great. I loved the way that the author went through the past and present (of the story), although I admit it took a little to get used to. It was different, "their" story wasn't given right at the beginning you had to read more to get it. The characters felt so real, they made mistakes and are willing to correct them. They grow. Even if it took ten years to do so. Trust me you have to read this book!

For a debut book this was an amazing start for Sherry Thomas. I cannot wait to get my hands on the author's next book.

Private Arrangements by Sherry Thomas (4.5/5) Historical Romance; Published: Bantam (3/08); New Author; Debut book; 100 + Reading Challenge (65); Keeper shelf;

Sweet Trouble

Jesse Keyes has done some serious growing up. With a steady job and a vibrant four-year-old son, Gabe, she's in a far better place than when she left Seattle five years ago…pregnant and misunderstood by almost everyone in her life.

Now it's time to go home and face her demons. But her sisters, Claire and Nicole, aren't exactly impressed with the new and improved Jesse. And then there's Matt, Gabe's father, who makes it clear that he never wants to see her again despite the lust that still smolders between them.

Jesse doesn't know if she can make up for all the mistakes of her past. But the promise of sweet nights with Matt might just give her the extra incentive she needs to make it worth the trouble.…

Throughout the series, Jesse was made to be the “bad” sister, and everything lead on to that thoughts. But she never had her chance to explain, in my opinion she had plenty of chances she was just hurt. It was all a misunderstanding, one that took almost five years to resolve. In the process the people that were involved moved on, some better than others. Matt didn’t deal very well with “Jesse’s infidelity”, and he’s been taking his anger to the next level.

Of the Bakery Sisters’ series this one is my least favorite. In all honestly I really didn’t care for it. Matt and Jesse got on my nerves, the only good character in this book was Gabe.

I never thought I would say this about a Susan Mallery book, but it was a waste of my time. I should have been reading something else

Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallery (2.5/5) Romance; Published: HQN (08/08); Series: # 3, Bakery Sisters; 100 + Reading Challenge (64); Waste of Time;

Wordless Wednesday: Webkinz World

S and K's addiction to Webkinz is getting a little out of control.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should Be Reading. Here's how you play:

* Grab your current read.
* Let the book fall open to a random page.
* Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
* You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
* Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

"I regained my couch, but never thought of sleep. Till morning dawned I was tossed on a buoyant but unquiet sea, where billows of trouble rolled under surges of joy." - taken from page 133, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

What's On Your Nightstand?

It's the fourth Tuesday of the month, so it's time for What's On Your Nightstand? This month, I think I've bitten more than I can chew...



I'm hoping to read all these books. I may not, but I definitely will try.

8 Sandpiper Way

Debbie Macomber has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. When I read her books I feel comforted and relaxed. And I know I will enjoy what I read.

Here’s the blurb for the latest instalment of the Cedar Cover series, 8 Sandpiper Way:

Dear Reader,

I have something to confide in you. I think my husband, Dave, might be having an affair. I found an earring in his pocket, and it's not mine. I'm also worried because some jewellery was recently stolen from an old woman—and Dave used to visit her a lot.

You see, he's a pastor. And a good man. I can't believe he's guilty of anything, but why won't he tell me where he's been when he comes home so late?

Reader, I'd love to hear what you think. I also want to tell you what's going on with your other friends in Cedar Cove. Like Sheriff Troy Davis, to mention one. His long-ago love, Faith Beckwith, just moved here!

So come on in and join me for a cup of tea.

Emily Flemming

My first reaction when I finished this book was “That’s it?!”. Not necessarily because I wanted more, I just felt that nothing much happened in this book in comparison to the others. I got a chance to visit with some of my favorite characters, and there were new characters introduced to the mix. I just felt that overall the book was filler space, then I found out that there’s another one coming out soon, Cedar Cove Christmas. And guess what….It’s a hardcover. Lovely.

Well, I’m hoping that the next one will be more entertaining.

8 Sandpiper Way by Debbie Macomber (3.5/5) Romance; Published: Mira (2008); Series: # 8, Cedar Cove; 100 + Reading Challenge (63);

Fall Into Reading 2008

It's that time of year again!

Once again Katrina over at Callapidder Days is hosting the Fall Into Reading Challenge. You can get info on the challenge or join here. I participated last year, but didn't complete the challenge. So I'm hoping that this year will be better.

Here are my choices:

Non-fiction:

1. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
2. God's Gold: The Quest For The Lost Temple Treasure of Jerusalem by Sean Kingsley ** Completed on October 5th 2008
3. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman

Fiction:

4. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
5. The Tale of Hawthorn House by Susan Wittig Albert ** Completed September 29th 2008
6. Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain
7. The Way the Crow Flies by Ann-Marie MacDonald
8. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
9. The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
10. Rockbound by Frank Parker Day
11. The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas
12. Blindness by Jose Saramago
13. The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews
14. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Houseini
15. The Flower Net by Lisa See
16. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens