This last week my seventeen year old high school senior finished the first six weeks of school. I can remember quite clearly when I found out I was pregnant with him, and now he’s preparing to graduate from high school at Christmas. Yes, he’s going to be an early graduate, and we couldn’t be prouder, but where did the time go? I can also remember being in second grade and the teacher reading Charlotte’s Web and Mr. Popper’s Penguins to us. I don’t recall the teacher’s name, but do recall having to hurry home to ask for my own personal copies of these books. As I’ve aged many things have changed, but I still have and will never willingly part with copies of Charlotte’s Web and Mr. Popper’s Penguins. To read more of Sandi’s blog please click here. Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.
In many parts of the country school has been back in session for almost six weeks. To me it’s amazing to think that the first six weeks of school is coming to a close. By now everyone should be adjusted to the new schedule and managing to fit everything together and leave time for yourself. Are you busier now that your child is back in school, or do you have more time to do things like read? One of my friends said that September was not a good month for her to be reading as she was trying to get everyone on a school schedule. I decided to check my own reading for September, and found it was my most successful month to date! I read 14 books in the month. That is a record for me for this year. Yes, I read some short books, but I did read some great stuff! Now, read the rest of Sandi’s blog… Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.
I’m sure we’ve all had weeks full of ups and downs, because after all isn’t that part of life? This week has been full of them for me, both in my family life, and in my reading life. I was fortunately enough to read The Perfect Couple and The Perfect Liar by Brenda Novak . I totally enjoyed both books in the series, and was truly satisfied when I had turned the last page. The new trilogy is an extension of last year’s trilogy featuring The Last Stand. Do not however despair if you have not read last year’s books. This year’s books are in my opinion totally independent not only of those, but of each other as well. Previous characters do have cameo appearances, but each story is written as to truly stand alone quite nicely. So as you see the books I was able to read were a definite up for me. So, you may ask what did you read or hear that caused a downturn in the reading side of your life. I discovered that two authors I have read and enjoyed will no longer be under contract. Want to know more… read the rest by clicking…
The other day I found myself thinking about people I’ve known in my life and haven’t seen for awhile. I got to wondering what they were doing now, and how their lives have changed, and whether or not we would still enjoy spending time together. Taking that thought and extending it to the books I’ve read over the years I’m wondering what might have happened to the Mackenzie family from Linda Howard, or the MacGregor Family from Nora Roberts. Both these families have older generations who if they were to be continued today would have to have died off. How would we as readers feel about losing a beloved character? Probably not very happy, which is why we don’t have updates, but like finding out a once dear friend has passed away wouldn’t we grieve and move on in order to find out what newer generations of these families are doing? I know I’ve mentioned two much loved families, but who are some characters that made an impression on you that you would like to see today and see if as your life has changed, and their lives have changed would you still love them? Until next week happy page…
Last week we talked about books that we had heard a lot of hype about and that disappointed us, so I thought this week we’d discuss the books that got a lot of hype and we loved! A few years back I was seeing a lot of stuff about Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard. Everyone was just raving about it, and it was in my TBR so I decided to go for it. Well, I absolutely loved it! If I were a keeper I would have kept Mr. Perfect. All these years later I can’t tell you anything specific about Mr. Perfect, but I do remember thinking it had the perfect combination of suspense, romance, and humor. There are of course other books I’ve read because of the hype and loved but Mr. Perfect is the one that sticks in my mind because it’s one of the rare books that the DFW Readers all agree on. So what book did you read and enjoy because of the hype? Until next week happy page turning! Sandi Shilhanek DFW Tea ReadersReaders ‘n ‘ritas… celebrating literary obsessions Click here to read more… Visit FreshFiction.com to learn more about books and authors.
Last week while I was in Chicago I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I’ll admit that I bought this book because of the hype and the fact it was written in letter format intrigued me. I will also admit to not fully being aware of the setting of the book. I feel fairly confident that you would have had to be something of an ostrich with your head buried in the sand in the last year if you’ve not at least heard of this book. I feel like I belong to a vast variety of yahoo groups, and freely admit to not being great at blog hopping. Therefore the comments I can recall hearing about this book were all fantastic and led me to believe this was a book to be read sooner rather than later. With that in mind my trusty Kindle provided me with the book, and I was set to lose myself in the correspondence. While I can’t say that The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society book was bad I also have to say that I didn’t get the hype that led up to this book. Read the rest … click…
I have decided that since the mountain won’t come to Mohammed then Mohammed must go to the mountain. Roughly translated this means that since my mom won’t come to Texas to see me I must head to Chicago to see her. Planning a trip requires a lot of thought and attention to details. First you have to decide a destination (easy for me because if I’m going out of Texas it’s usually to see mom), then you must decide the best time of the year to go, and whether or not your budget can really afford the trip. Let’s not forget about the wardrobe that might be required for your trip, and then packing said wardrobe without making your suitcase exceed the airline weight limits. Last but not least is the hardest decision of all…which books to take and how many of them. Before I owned an e-reader (I have a Kindle in case you care) I took a book per day of the trip. I didn’t really expect to read them all, but needed to have a variety to choose from because who knew what mood I would be in when I finished one. There was also that slight…
This week I again went to a book signing. This time the author was MaryJanice Davidson. I don’t personally read this author, but have many friends who do, so were anticipating a big crowd. When I arrived at the bookstore it was obvious that they too were expecting a large crowd as there were plenty of seats available, but not enough to hold hundreds of people should they show. I have to admit to being surprised by the low number of people who showed for the signing. Admittedly the weather was less than desirable, but when I headed out who knew that North Texas was going to be bombarded…certainly not I. I was inside and dry and warm. Yes, the lights flickered, and yes, I was worried about getting home but those things could wait to fret about until I had all my books signed. What you don’t read her but you were getting books signed? Yes, I got books signed for friends. I’m trying to be good and let various friends around the country know when an author is coming to Dallas and getting a book for them should they desire. After all if I was honest wouldn’t I…
With the schools in my area having graduated this weekend it got me reminiscing about my own high school years. There’s not a lot I remember about them, but I do remember in Freshman English having to read The Red Pony by John Steinbeck. I don’t want to dish any author, but have to honestly say I hated it. I didn’t care if I ever read another book by Steinbeck as long as I lived! Flash forward to Junior English, and having to again read Steinbeck. This time we were given “a choice” of the book Of Mice and Men or The Grapes of Wrath. What was never stated but understood was that the better students were to do The Grapes of Wrath and the students who were struggling a bit could do Of Mice and Men. Even though I had that love of reading I so wanted to Of Mice and Men just because it was so much thinner than The Grapes of Wrath, but I knew which I must read, and so I did. I will admit to really liking The Grapes of Wrath and deciding that maybe Steinbeck wasn’t as boring as all that. Whether or not…
As I contemplated this week’s blog I was really struggling for a good topic, and decided to read instead of worrying over the blog…either an idea would come to me or it wouldn’t! The book I chose to read is titled Believe by Sharon Sala, but what it is really an anthology collection of three of her earlier releases; Miracle Man, When You Call My Name, and Shades of a Desperado. Now this poses an interesting set of questions…when you read a book that has three complete stories in it, do you count that as one book or as three separate stories? Do you like when the book is stories by just one author, or do you prefer two or more authors to have a story in one volume? Do you want each book to be a full length story, or when you buy an anthology do you prefer short stories that you can read here, there, and everywhere? Here my indecision comes shining through. I like to have more than one author in the book because it’s a great way to experiment with new authors, but I will only buy the anthology if an author I either love already…