On My Wishlist #1

On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by Book Chick City and runs every Saturday. It's where you can list all the books that you desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming.

This is my first time participating in this meme.....I have so many wish list books! I'd love to share some of them with you.

The Visibles by Sara Shepard

published: May 5th 2009 by Free Press

Hardcover, 304 pages

isbn: 1416597360 (isbn13: 9781416597360)

From Goodreads:
In her tightly constructed and captivating first adult novel, bestselling YA author Shepard (the Pretty Little Liars series) explores a family’s biological and emotional interconnectedness—for better or for worse. When 15-year-old Summer Davis is told by a substitute biology teacher that “DNA makes up everything inside you,” and that “nothing else matters... you can’t escape your parents and they can’t escape you,” the silken threads that she imagines link her to her vanished mother become something more like shackles and chains as her mentally ill father’s slow decay continues and eventually lands him in an institution. Summer clings to the hope that her father will get better while simultaneously experimenting with ways to escape the gloomy life she’s inherited; her path eventually leads to the genetics lab at NYU, but the opportunity to pursue her own dreams is undermined by her father, whose deeply hidden secrets begin to trickle out and eat away at the family’s foundation. It’s complicated, rewarding and full of heart, and Shepard creates a rich reading experience in shying from simple answers and happy endings.

Chasing Demons by Christy Tillery French

published: August 25th 2003 by Mystery and Suspense Press

Paperback, 194 pages

isbn: 0595291236 (isbn13: 9780595291236)

For 12 years, Kendra Salvatori has lived under the dominion of her abusive husband, Tony, head of a small but powerful criminal organization in the Southeast. When she loses her unborn baby at the hands of her husband, Kendra flees to Black Mountain, NC, where she collapses in the barn of retired hostage negotiator, Garth Fisher. Garth, who has been living in seclusion while trying to deal with a tragic past mistake, seeks redemption by vowing to protect Kendra from her ultimate fate when her raging husband finds her. Together, the two unite to face their demons through their love for one another and their fierce passion to remain together.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Dial; 1 edition (March 9, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0803734956
ISBN-13: 978-0803734951

Seventeen-year-old Lennie Walker, bookworm and band geek, plays second clarinet and spends her time tucked safely and happily in the shadow of her fiery older sister, Bailey. But when Bailey
dies abruptly, Lennie is catapulted to center stage of her own life—and, despite her nonexistent history with boys, suddenly finds herself struggling to balance two. Toby was Bailey’s boyfriend; his grief mirrors Lennie’s own. Joe is the new boy in
town, a transplant from Paris whose nearly magical grin is matched only by his musical talent. For Lennie, they’re the sun and the moon; one boy takes her out of her sorrow, the other comforts her in it. But just like their celestial counterparts, they can’t collide without the whole wide world exploding.

This remarkable debut is perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, Deb Caletti, and Francesca Lia Block. Just as much a celebration of love as it is a portrait of loss, Lennie’s struggle to sort her own melody out of the noise around her is always honest, often hilarious, and ultimately unforgettable.

Book Review - The Book of Kehls

When Bridget Moore left Ireland in 1865, she never suspected that along with her trunk and rosary beads, she was bringing Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy to New York City. It wasn't until Bridget was a grandmother, one who had buried four of her grandsons, that she realized she'd brought MD to the States, a disease that would haunt her family for generations. Years later, her great-grandchildren grew up under the elevated trains of Jackson Heights, Queens—and one of them was Christine Kehl O'Hagan, the author of this moving and insightful memoir.

Christine, her sister Pam, and their brother Richie played in the streets and attended mass every Sunday. But Richie had trouble walking. By the time he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, Christine learned that two of her mother's brothers—uncles she'd never known about—had died of MD. Christine eventually married and had a healthy son. But one day she saw her second boy, Jamie, struggle to climb onto the school bus—and she knew knew then and there that this disease would be with her the rest of her life.

Extraordinarily written, with much honesty and humor, The Book of Kehls is the engaging story of a family that has known love, courage, and heartbreak in equal measure—and survived.

My Thoughts: This is a sad but courageous story of one family that has been cursed by Muscular Dystrophy for years and years. Christine Kehl O'Hagan's family carried the gene for the disease, which strikes boys only. She had two uncles who died from the disease that she never even knew about, until she found their pictures hidden deep in the back of her Grandmother's closet. Christine's brother, Richie, was struck with the disease when he was very young. Almost as soon as he started walking, they noticed a problem. Richie lived to be 22 years old, when most DMD patients are only given until they are in their teens.
When Christine and her husband Patrick had children, they were blessed with two boys. The eldest, Patrick Jr, and Jamie....Jamie, who had unfortunately been passed the DMD gene. Christine stayed in denial as long as she possibly could, but poor Jamie could not even climb the steps to the school bus. Once they had a confirmed diagnosis, their lives took a dramatic turn.
This gritty, honest memoir was tough to read, but at the same time, very uplifting. Jamie knew that his life would not be long and accomplished so much in the short time that he was here. He passed away at the age of 24.


~"I don't know what I'll do if anything happens to you," I told Jamie some months before he died, a couple of pneumonias into the year. When he'd ask me how long I thought he would live, the same question that my brother had asked all of those years before, I'd simply told him that he wouldn't live to be old, that he shouldn't worry about long but instead, how deep.

"You'll be alright,", he said, staring into my eyes until I looked away, a conversation I remembered about a year later, on a Sunday afternoon, when Patrick called me into the living room to see a football play, and I came out of the bedroom to read him a poem. I hate football. He hates poetry. I don't know why it is that miracles come into our lives wearing toe shoes, yet the disasters show up in construction boots - but Jamie was right. We're alright.


GOOD!

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (February 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312329563
• ISBN-13: 978-0312329563

Book Blogger Hop!

Check out the Book Blogger Hop, hosted by Jenn at Crazy-for-Books! This is a great way to meet new & old bloggers, visit their links and make some new friends! Head on over to Crazy-for-Books and sign up! Happy Friday!!

Friday Finds

I saw this book on someone's blog...I am sorry to say I don't remember whose blog it was. The title caught my eye because it is the name of a song that was popular back in the 80's....and sure enough, the story is about someone going to their high school reunion, Class of 1988. This sounds like a cute read!

From Amazon.com:

After earning rave reviews with her rock-and-roll memoir But Enough About Me, Jancee Dunn takes on fiction in this comically poignant debut, a perfect read for anyone who has ever looked back nostalgically and wondered what might have been.

At thirty-eight, Lillian Curtis is content with her life. She enjoys her routine as a producer for a talk show in New York City starring showbiz veteran Vi (“short for vibrant”) Barbour, a spirited senior. Lillian’s relationship with her husband is pleasant if no longer exciting. Most nights she is more than happy to come home to her apartment and crawl into her pajamas. Then she’s hit with a piece of shocking news: Her husband wants a divorce.

Blindsided, Lillian takes a leave of absence and moves back to her parents’ home in suburban New Jersey. Nestled in her childhood bedroom, where Duran Duran and Squeeze posters still cover the walls, she finds high school memories a healing salve to her troubles. She hurtles backward into her teen years, driving too fast, digging up mix tapes, and tentatively reconciling with Dawn, a childhood friend she once betrayed. Punctuating her stroll down memory lane is an invitation to the Bethel Memorial High School class of 1988 twenty-year reunion. It just might be Lillian’s chance to reconnect with her long-lost boyfriend, Christian Somers, who is expected to attend. Will it be just like heaven?

Lillian discovers, as we all must, the pitfalls of glorifying the glory days, the mortification of failing as a thirtysomething adult, and the impossibility of fully recapturing the past. Don’t You Forget About Me is for anyone who looks back and wonders: What if?

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Villard (July 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 034550190X
• ISBN-13: 978-0345501905

What did YOU find today?

Waiting on Wednesday

My pick today is Neverland by Douglas Clegg!


From Douglas Clegg, New York Times bestselling author of Isis, comes a southern gothic tale of family secrets and games of innocence turned to darkness.

For years, the Jackson family has vacationed at Rowena Wandigaux Lee's old Victorian house on Gull Island, a place of superstition and legend off the southern coast of the U.S. One particular summer, young Beau follows his cousin Sumter into a hidden shack in the woods—and christens this new clubhouse "Neverland."

Neverland has a secret history, unknown to the children...

The rundown shack in the woods is the key to an age-old mystery, a place forbidden to all. But Sumter and his cousins gather in its dusty shadows to escape the tensions at their grandmother's house. Neverland becomes the place where children begin to worship a creature of shadows, which Sumter calls "Lucy."

All gods demand sacrifice...

It begins with small sacrifices, little games, strange imaginings. While Sumter's games spiral out of control, twisting from the mysterious to the macabre, a nightmarish presence rises among the straggly trees beyond the bluffs overlooking the sea.

And when Neverland itself is threatened with destruction, the children's games take on a horrifying reality—and Gull Island becomes a place of unrelenting terror.

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Vanguard Press (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593155417
• ISBN-13: 978-1593155414

What are YOU waiting for today?

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
* Grab 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! ;)

My teaser today comes from The Book of Kehls by Christine Kehl O'Hagan.

~At the hospital, I spent most of my time at the nursery window. Patrick was the only baby strong enough to hold his head up, and look around the place, as if he were having second thoughts about going home with us, and was looking for the door.~ pg. 108

What's YOUR teaser today?

~Book Review - Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien

From Amazon.com:

On Valentine's Day 1985, biologist Stacey O'Brien first met a four-day-old baby barn owl -- a fateful encounter that would turn into an astonishing 19-year saga. With nerve damage in one wing, the owlet's ability to fly was forever compromised, and he had no hope of surviving on his own in the wild. O'Brien, a young assistant in the owl laboratory at Caltech, was immediately smitten, promising to care for the helpless owlet and give him a permanent home. Wesley the Owl is the funny, poignant story of their dramatic two decades together.

With both a tender heart and a scientist's eye, O'Brien studied Wesley's strange habits intensively and first-hand -- and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl's lifetime). As Wesley grew, she snapped photos of him at every stage like any proud parent, recording his life from a helpless ball of fuzz to a playful, clumsy adolescent to a gorgeous, gold-and-white, macho adult owl with a heart-shaped face and an outsize personality that belied his 18-inch stature. Stacey and Wesley's bond deepened as she discovered Wesley's individual personality, subtle emotions, and playful nature that could also turn fiercely loyal and protective -- though she could have done without Wesley's driving away her would-be human suitors!

O'Brien also brings us inside the prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animal they loved. As O'Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes important discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term "The Way of the Owl" to describe his inclinations: he did not tolerate lies, held her to her promises, and provided unconditional love, though he was not beyond an occasional sulk. When O'Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.

Enhanced by wonderful photos, Wesley the Owl is a thoroughly engaging, heartwarming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. It is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.

My Thoughts: I have owned this book for quite awhile. I let it sit on my shelves, every once in awhile picking it up, then putting it back, knowing that I would cry when I read it. Earlier this week I felt strong enough to give it a try, and I am so glad that I did. This is such a remarkable story! I learned so much about owls and their habitats. Over and over while reading, I kept thinking how lucky that Stacey was to have experienced what she did; having an owl as a pet, but not only a pet - a kindred spirit, a life-long friend. Stacey raised Wesley from the time he was five days old. She learned all there was to know about barn owls from him. He also did things that were totally uncharacteristic for owls, like playing in the water. Wesley loved to take baths in the bathtub! With each passing chapter, my love for Wesley grew stronger, and my heart felt a little heavier, because I knew what was coming. The Dreaded End. However, Stacey hones right in on it and says:

~"The one thing I hate about animal stories is that after you've almost read the entire book and you really care about the animal, they go and tell you all about how the animal died. In fact, I often read the end of these books first so I can at least brace myself for the inevitable. So you should stop reading now if you don't want to hear about Wesley dying. But I need to tell you."~pg. 215

After I read that excerpt it bolstered me up for what was to come. Wesley lived 19 years! An exceptionally long time for a barn owl. The longest known lifespan of a barn owl in the wild is eight years. What a long full life Wesley had! The love between Stacey and Wesley was real. Wesley thought of Stacey as his mother when he was young, and his mate when he grew older. He had different sounds that he made when he was excited, hungry, sleepy, scared; Stacey knew every one of those sounds. He even made sounds that had never been heard before. Wesley continued to amaze Stacey and her colleagues at Caltech with the things that he did. I was especially moved by this moment between Stacey and Wesley:

"One evening, however, as I was lying down and rubbing him under his wings, Wesley pushed with his feet so that he was lying on my chest with his head up under my chin, his beak sleepily nibbling my throat. Then he rustled a bit and slowly began to open both delicate golden wings, stretching them as far as they would go, and laying them across my shoulders. He slept that way for a long time and I stayed awake in awe. It was an owl hug. I hoped he would do it again. He did, and this vulnerable position became his new way of cuddling. I never got over the wonder of it and I often felt tears stinging my eyes. This complicated wild soul had stretched his golden wings over me in complete trust. I wouldn't trade those moments for anything in the world." page 205

If you love animal stories, you need to read Wesley the Owl. Even if you don't, it is a book worth reading, just to learn about this exceptional relationship between a woman and an owl. The photos of Stacey and Wesley are so special...it is a nice touch having the pictures along with the story. Wesley the Owl is informative, funny, thought-provoking and heartbreaking. I will never forget it.


OUTSTANDING!

About the author:

Stacey O'Brien is trained as a biologist specializing in wild-animal behavior. She graduated from Occidental College with a BS in biology and continued her education at Caltech. Stacey now works as a wildlife rescuer and rehabilitation expert with a variety of local animals, including the endangered brown pelican, owls, seabirds, possums, and songbirds. She lives in Southern California. For more information, visit http://wesleytheowl.com.

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Free Press; Reprint edition (June 2, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416551778
• ISBN-13: 978-1416551775

Book Review - Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman

Product Description from Amazon.com:

Twelve-year-old CeeCee Honeycutt is in trouble. For years, she has been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille-the tiara-toting, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town-a woman trapped in her long-ago moment of glory as the 1951 Vidalia Onion Queen. But when Camille is hit by a truck and killed, CeeCee is left to fend for herself. To the rescue comes her previously unknown great-aunt, Tootie Caldwell.

In her vintage Packard convertible, Tootie whisks CeeCee away to Savannah's perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricity, a world that seems to be run entirely by women. From the exotic Miz Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in her backyard bathtub and uses garden slugs as her secret weapons, to Tootie's all-knowing housekeeper, Oletta Jones, to Violene Hobbs, who entertains a local police officer in her canary-yellow peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.

Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching, Beth Hoffman's sparkling debut is, as Kristin Hannah says, "packed full of Southern charm, strong women, wacky humor, and good old-fashioned heart." It is a novel that explores the indomitable strengths of female friendship and gives us the story of a young girl who loses one mother and finds many others.

My Thoughts: I feel so fortunate to have read this story! I was a little hesitant because everyone has been raving about it, which usually means that I probably won't like it. Was I ever wrong. I found this to be a refreshing change from what I have been reading lately....a dose of Southern Hospitality, if you will. It's as if the characters from the story wrapped their arms around me, and held me close while I read about CeeCee, and the mother that she wanted, but didn't have. Aunt Tootie is so comforting, in her ways and her words....she can make the absolute best out of any situation. Oletta is someone that CeeCee can open her heart to...tell her things about her past that she wouldn't tell anyone else. Never judgemental, Oletta always gives CeeCee exactly what she needs....an ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on, and many valuable life lessons. Miz Goodpepper, with her mysterious midnight baths and exotic outfits opens CeeCee's eyes to many new things, including the meaning of Karma.

With a contented sigh I finished this book but also with a bit of sadness, as I didn't want the story to end. I am hoping that Ms. Hoffman writes many more books, because she is a truly gifted author who knows Southern Charm and has a big heart.

My favorite excerpt from the book:

~"People is wise 'cause they get out in the world and live. Wisdom comes from experience - from knowin' each day is a gift and accepting it with gladness. You read a whole lot of books, and readin' sure has made you smart, but ain't no book in the world gonna make you wise."~ Oletta to CeeCee, page 290.~


OUTSTANDING!


About the author:

Beth Hoffman was the president and owner of a major interior design studio in Cincinnati, Ohio, before turning to writing full time. She lives with her husband and two cats in a quaint historic district in Newport, Kentucky. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is her first novel. Visit her website at http://bethhoffman.net.

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books (January 12, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670021393
• ISBN-13: 978-0670021390

Friday Finds

Friday Finds hosted by Should Be Reading asks us to share what great books we heard about or discovered in the past week.

I came across these books while browsing a friend's library on Librarything.com.

Dream House by Valerie Laken

What price will people pay to hold their homes and dreams together?

When Kate and Stuart Kinzler buy a run-down historic house in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they're hoping their grand renovation project can rescue their troubled marriage. Instead, they discover that years ago their home was the scene of a terrible crime—and the revelation tips the balance of their precarious union.

When a mysterious man begins lurking around her yard, Kate, now alone, is forced to confront her home's dangerous past. Hers is not the only life that has crumbled under this roof. This man's family also disintegrated here, as the result of one brief act of rage that may haunt him—and this house—for years to come.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (January 26, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060840935
• ISBN-13: 978-0060840938

Katrina's Wings by Patricia Hickman

A rich, reassuring, coming-of-age tale for the dreamer in us all

For every woman who has come into her own or is striving to find her way in the world, Katrina's Wings honors and explores the desire to break free from childhood constraints and soar into the future. A tale of redemption, love, and triumph set entirely in the Deep South, Patricia Hickman's novel offers an intimate, occasionally painful, and frequently humorous glimpse into the lives of two sisters who take different paths in life, yet wind up at the same discovery: Miracles show up in the most unexpected places.

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: WaterBrook Press; Later Printing edition (May 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578562937
• ISBN-13: 978-1578562930

What did YOU find today???

A Challenge After My Own Heart!

Yvonne at Socrates' Book Reviews is hosting a wonderful challenge. It is What An Animal III Reading Challenge, and this is her first time hosting this challenge. The rules are simple, see below:

1. Read at least 6 books that have any of the following requirements:

 a. there is an animal in the title of the book

b. there is an animal on the cover of the book

c. an animal plays a major role in the book

d. a main character is (or turns into) an animal (define that however you'd like).

2. The animal can be any type of animal (real or fictitious)--dog, cat, monkey, wolf, snake, insect, hedgehog, aardvark...dragon, mermaid, centaur, vampire, werewolf...you get the idea...


3. Challenge runs from March 1, 2010 to February 28, 2011. That’s a full year to read at least 6 books (you can read more if you’d like). You can still sign up after March 1st as long as you can get 6 books read by February 28, 2011 ;o).


4. Books can be fiction or nonfiction.


5. You may make a list of books at the beginning of the challenge or you can just list them as you find them.


6. Book titles may be swapped out at anytime (assuming you made a list to begin with).


7. Crossovers with other challenges are permitted and encouraged.


8. You don't have to have a blog or write a review, but you can if you want to.



So! Head on over to Yvonne's blog, and sign up with Mister Linky to join this awesome challenge....this one is too good to pass up!

~Recommend Me!~

Recommend Me is a weekly event (hosted at The Neverending Shelf) in which participants will pick one of their all time favorite reads to share. This could be a book that your read yesterday or years ago. To play along, grab a favorite read and tell us about it. You can include your thoughts about the novel, its summary, your favorite memory related to the novel... the possibilities are limitless. If you are up for a challenge, you can also include:

* Your review of the novel
* Links to others' reviews of the novel
* Recommending to a general group of readers or if you want to be extra daring, to specific reader friends

This is my first time participating in this meme! It's exciting to me to be able to share my favorite reads with others.

My pick for this week's Recommend Me is:

Beauty by Susan Wilson

What if the fairy tale came true In this moving, and utterly convincing contemporary retelling of the beloved Beauty and the Beast tale, Susan Wilson brings to life a thorougly modern woman who learns to look beyond a man's physical appearance to the beauty in his soul.

When Alexandra Miller takes off for a remote spot in New Hampshire to paint Leland Crompton's portrait, nothing has prepared her for what's in store. The house is almost a castle, with its massive chimney, mullioned windows, and iron-work gate with wrought-iron roses. The housekeeper is unnerving. And Lee himself is hideously disfigured by a rare genetic disease. But in their long hours of work together deep in the wintry woods, Alix discovers that beneath Lee's disturbing exterior lies a true prince. Gradually, she realizes that she loves him. And he absolutely refuses to believe her.

Beauty is a book that I found while browsing in the library about 10 years ago. I grabbed it off of the shelf, loved the cover, and put it in my bag. I'm glad that I did. I am not big into fairy tales, and I knew the story of Beauty and The Beast, but nothing prepared me for this modern version of the fairy tale....complete with the castle and the "Beast". This is a love story that tugs at your heart. You yearn for Leland to believe Alix's love for him is true, while Alix herself is so in love with the person that Leland is on the inside, you know that her love for him is true.

While reading this book, I suggest you find the most comfortable reading spot in your home, pour yourself a cool drink (or if the weather is cold, a hot cup of cocoa) and open a box of your favorite chocolates, and enjoy........

Book Review - Standing Still by Kelly Simmons

I picked this book up on Sunday and started reading it (even though I am reading another book and usually don't read more than one at a time). I couldn't put it down! I finished it that evening. Here is a synopsis from Amazon.com:


Journalist and suburban mom Claire Cooper suffers from panic disorder. Most of her anxieties seem irrational, nothing that can't be fixed with the help of some Xanax. But late one stormy summer night, when her husband, Sam, is away on one of his frequent business trips, Claire's fears come to life. She discovers an intruder has broken into her young daughter's bedroom. She watches helplessly as he picks up her sleeping child from her bed. Desperate to protect her family, Claire puts herself in the line of fire and utters the plea that will undo her: "Take me instead."

As she drives away in the kidnapper's car, Claire fears for her children, but not for herself. And she can't help noticing the reversal in her marriage -- for the first time in ten years, Sam will not know where she is.

For the next week, Claire is tied to a bed in a strange motel room, the intruder her only com-panion. She is forced to lie still and contemplate the reasons for this assault on her family. Is this just a random crime, or something more sinister? Has the shadowy past that she tried so hard to leave behind finally caught up with her? Day after day, she goes deeper into herself, reevaluating her marriage and her role as a mother, and unburying the source of her crippling anxiety. In seven days she will step out to the very brink of her soul -- perhaps never to return.

A riveting debut novel that will appeal to fans of Sue Miller and Janet Fitch, Standing Still is a powerful exploration of the darker side of mother-hood and marriage.

Awesome! I loved Claire's character...and surprisingly grew to love the kidnapper as well. This is a must read for anyone looking for a domestic/drama/thriller....all wrapped into one!

VERY GOOD!

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Washington Square Press; Reprint edition (February 10, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743289730
• ISBN-13: 978-0743289733

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
* Grab 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! ;)

My teaser today is from Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, which I am almost finished reading. What a wonderful book! I have really enjoyed it! Here's my teaser:

~Momma had been wearing that dress on the day she died, and though her casket had been closed, I imagined she was still wearing it, along with her red shoes, when she was lowered into the ground. It wasn't a vision I could wipe easily from my mind.~ pg 77

What's YOUR teaser today???

Friday Finds

I came across this book while browsing Amazon.com. You know me, a sucker for memoirs....especially about mothers and daughters!

When I Married My Mother: A Daughter's Search and What Really Matters by Jo Maeder


Book Description:

Jo Maeder was an ambitious DJ in New York City when she did the unthinkable: she moved to the Bible Belt to look after her frail, estranged mother, who had long been a source of intense frustration. Maeder’s tumultuous journey from simply living with “Mama Jo” to learning to truly love her not only changed Maeder’s life, but also was the catalyst for pulling her long-fractured family together again. Though often rocky, their “marriage” was a triumph that taught her about life, faith, and what really matters.

With an estimated 34 million informal caregivers in the United States today, more and more adult children are finding themselves in similar circumstances. Poignant and refreshingly funny, Maeder’s story will resonate with this vast audience, providing an informative and inspirational roadmap for compassionate elder care.

What did YOU find today??

~Book Review - Ambulance Girl by Jane Stern~

At 52 years old, Jane Stern had hit a rough patch in her life, suffering from too many phobias to name. One day she sees a sign for volunteer EMT's wanted at her local firehouse. On a whim, she signs up for the class. Despite all of her phobias, she passes all of the tests with flying colors and becomes a Volunteer EMT for the Georgetown CT Fire Department.

Her stories are funny and heart-breaking. From hanging out in the firehouse with "the guys" to going on a call to the AIDS Hospice facility and meeting a patient who touches her life for a very short amount of time.

I found myself laughing out loud many times, as Jane has a dry sense of humor, very similar to mine. We also share the same phobias....I didn't think anyone could be as phobic as I am of vomiting, but she proved me wrong!

I loved her story....and admire her greatly for pursuing her career as an EMT, despite being afraid. She found out that she gained so much in her life by helping others. It helped her find her niche...helping others helped her find herself.

Highly Recommended!

OUTSTANDING!

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (April 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400048699
• ISBN-13: 978-1400048694

~Book Review - Bufflehead Sisters by Patricia DeLois~

Product Description

As an only child, Janet longs for a sister her parents are unable to give her. In kindergarten she meets Sophie, a strange and imaginative girl with a troubled family life. As friendship grows between the two girls, Janet believes her prayers have been answered, especially when members of her family embrace Sophie as one of their own.

Sophie's troubles continue to follow her through high school, and Janet stands by her "sister" until, in adulthood, she learns of a devastating secret Sophie has kept from her. Janet's world is turned upside down-and she discovers there may be a limit to what sisters should share.

My thoughts: I read this book very quickly. I have mentioned that I have been in a reading slump lately....this book brought me out of it. It held my attention from beginning to end.

Janet has always longed for a sister, but her mother could not have any more children. In elementary school, she meets Sophie. Sophie is mystical and engaging from the time we meet in her as a little girl, all the way up into her early adulthood. She is unpredictable, spontaneous and longs for a family that cares about her. Her mother is in a mental hospital after a breakdown, and her father, a doctor, is never home. Sophie longs to be loved. Janet and her family embrace her and she feels safe with them.

This is an amazing story. I never lost interest, the characters were real and likable, I didn't want the story to end. Towards the end of the book, I was on edge, wondering if Janet and Sophie's friendship was strong enough to withstand a terrible secret that Sophie has been hiding for years.

If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, this book will not disappoint. Highly recommended!

OUTSTANDING!

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Reprint edition (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425227774
• ISBN-13: 978-0425227770

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
* Grab 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! ;)

My teaser today is from Ambulance Girl by Jane Stern.

~I am beginning to realize that while the class was about taking a test and acting like the Dorothy Hamill girl, here at the firehouse it's about getting your hands on a really sick person and trying to save that person's life. Suddenly all my fears come back and I think I am way too claustrophobic to ride in the ambulance, to see anything icky, to get up at 3 am from my warm bed.~ pg 99

I am loving this memoir by Jane Stern. Although it deals with the serious subject of her training to become an EMT, Jane brings humor to her situations. I have laughed out loud more than a few times while reading this book. I just started it today.....it's a really good read! What's YOUR teaser today?

Mailbox Monday

I received just one last week, from Paperbackswap.com:

Cotton Song by Tom Bailey

Product Description

In World War II–era Mississippi, the aftermath of a tragedy takes on all the intensity and heat of the Delta summer when the town of Ruleton copes with violence, racism, and a vengeful spree that threatens the life of a young girl and the soul of the small town.

In Hushpuckashaw County in the 1940s, many things are desperately unfair. Letitia Johnson, a young black mother and the nanny for one of the town’s most distinguished couples, knows this only too well when the couple’s baby is found drowned in its bath. Accused by the grieving family and the enraged townspeople, Letitia quickly sends her twelve-year-old daughter, Sally, out to hide in the brush before she is taken into custody. The angry mob would get revenge when they drag Letitia from her jail cell and hang her that very night. But they wouldn’t get Sally.

Baby Allen, a courageous social worker, is assigned to Sally’s case, and gradually coaxes the young girl out of hiding, wins her trust, and secures her protection. But once Sally is safe, Baby is left with the greater mission of uncovering the truth about who is responsible for the infant’s death—a shocking revelation that will change the ways and attitudes of a town that has been long in need of changing.

Beautiful and gripping, Cotton Song is the story of a woman’s fight to save the child left behind after the horrific lynching that took her mother’s life.

What was in YOUR mailbox today??