Catch-up, Pt 1

Life got busy and complicated and my blog suffered for it.  But I have still been reading.  I'm going to try to remember everything (except the kids books).  I'll write a little something about the books if I can (such as if I jotted notes down, or if I read it recently).  I have to do this in multiple parts because I'm limited by the tags.

Here we go...

Title: Prayers for Sale

Author: Sandra Dallas [Website][Facebook]

This was a book club read.  I had the following notes saved on my phone...

I enjoyed. Historical fiction can be so interesting, and this fit the bill. Stretched between the Civil War, the Depression, and Mining. Plus the Colorado Mountain setting, the old teaching the young, the storytelling, and the friendship aspects... They combination appealed to me. There was both sorrow and joy, but overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to trying more by Sandra Dallas. I discovered at the end that some of the characters can be found in other books so I intend to go back and discover these additional stories.

Title: Trust No One

Author: Jayne Ann Krentz [Website][Facebook] aka Jayne Castle aka Amanda Quick

Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons

ISBN: 9780399165139

Length: 327 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

It's JAK.

Comments:

I like Grace and Julius. ... and that is as far as I got on this book in my draft posts from early February.

Title: The Curl Up and Dye [Goodreads]

Author: Sharon Sala [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Dinah McCall

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Series: Follows the novella Color Me Bad

ISBN: 9781402283970

Length: 288 pages

Obtained: Library ebook copy

Why this book?:

It was the January title for the discussion group I'm leading.

Comments: Also as far as I had gotten in a draft post from early February.  LilyAnn has been living a tedious life, until one day she gets a wake-up call and starts making some changes.

Is the south (southern USA) really like this?  Every time I read a book about small town southern life I wonder.

Title: The Tusk That Did the Damage

Author: Tania James [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Obtained: Free ARC from ALA Midwinter Conference

Why this book?:

I couldn't resist the cover, the title, or the little bit that I read of the blurb (the first sentence or two).

Comments:

It wasn't exactly what I expected, especially with the multiple perspectives.  But that didn't make it less interesting.  As I was adding this my nephew (7 yo) came up behind me and read the title.  I told him that some people do horrible things and kill elephants and rhinos for their tusks/horns.  He says, "Can't they just cut them off without killing them?" I say, "Cutting them off can kill them.  People don't need that stuff."  He thinks and responds, "Why don't they just cut them off dead ones?" (meaning those who've died of natural causes).  He was called away before I could respond...  ::sigh::

Secrets Over Sweet Tea

Title: Secrets Over Sweet Tea

Author: Denise Hildreth Jones [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Tyndale Fiction

Series: Has a companion non-fiction book called Reclaiming Your Heart: A Journey Back to Laughing, Loving, and Living.

ISBN: 9781414366845

Length: 387 pages + "Discussion Questions"

Obtained: Library book kit copy

Why this book?:

It was for my book discussion group.

Note: I read the print and ebook editions of this book. 

 Comments: 

I enjoyed this book (though the discussion was very slight and comments lackluster).  Scarlett Jo is a great character.  And inspirational too.  She has SO much personality.  She'd be (as one of the first the discussion questions asks) a great friend.

As for the secrets...  They range from alcoholism, to adultery, to well - I don't want to give too much away.  I understand secrets, though I tend not to keep many about myself.  Coming from a family with both mental illness and addiction (both having stigmas in their own right), I feel there is a time and a place, but mostly I just tell it how it is.  And since that sounds like Scarlett Jo let me explain that I am nothing like her.  I could never be so outgoing.  Nor could I be so nonchalant about others reactions towards me.

Anyway, hile I get the secret part of the book, the forgiveness aspect is even more difficult for me.  I (here comes the little touched upon religious part of me) know it is a vital part of my life, but I'm not so hot about doing it.  Or at least, I wouldn't be in the scenarios presented in the book.  Though I have to say, I felt some characters in the book went way overboard in their reactions and need some forgiving for too.

Overall, I wouldn't mind reading more from this author.

Friendship Bread

Title: Friendship Bread

Author: Darien Gee [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Mia King [Website][Facebook][Twitter]

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Series: Avalon, Illinois

ISBN: 9780345525352

Length: 363 pages + "Amish Friendship Bread Recipes and Tips" + "A Reader's Guide" (Including "A Conversation with Darien Gee" and "Questions and Topics for Discussion"

Obtained: Library book club book

Why this book?:

It was being discussed as the library's July online book discussion book.  I'm about to take on the task of running this discussion, so I thought I should read the book.  Besides, it sounded interesting enough.

Comments:

I got into this pretty quickly, though the actual reading around my schedule took longer than I would have liked.  There were quite a few characters to track, but they added - you know - character.

I'm going to try to keep this vague to lessen spoilers...

Anyway, parts of the story made me uncomfortable.  Namely, Julia's negativity toward her husband and Mark's tottering on the edge of messing things up.  Parts made me think.  Such as I couldn't help but wonder as the "aunt," how, in Livvy's position, what would have happened with me and my relationship with my sister?

Anyway, I especially enjoyed the end, which came together in a rush with hope and goodness and forgiveness and all those good qualities that make you feel warm and content.

I cannot wait to try starting some friendship bread of my own.  I vaguely remember us having some at one point in my childhood, but it is time to make new and fresh memories.  And I hope this is something I can share with the kiddos.

Oh, and I definitely want to read The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society, which follows this story.

The Accidental Book Club

Title: The Accidental Book Club

Author: Jennifer Scott [Website][Facebook][Twitter] aka Jennifer Brown [Website]

Publisher: NAL Accent

ISBN: 9780451418821

Length: 342 pages + "Conversation Guide" (Includes "A Conversation with Jennifer Scott" and "Questions for Discussion"

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

I saw this (I can't remember where.  In a professional magazine maybe?), thought it sounded interesting, and put in a purchase request for it.  It's due tomorrow, so I started reading...

Comments:

I read this straight through in one sitting.  Yes, I found myself skimming here and there.  In those instances I had to backtrack a bit to see what I missed.  I noticed the skimming mostly happened when some past event was being remembered (like a flashback).  But outside of those parts I found myself caught up.

Jean's part of a monthly book club.   They take their monthly meetings as opportunity to enjoy "good" food (though it sounded positively disgusting to me) and the books they love (though I COULD NOT have read some of the books they discussed).

The book club that was formed when Jean found out her husband was ill is there as a support, a comfort, humor when life needs it... all that.  All the members have issues that need worked on and have problems in life, but they find, with each other, they can continue and grow.

Anyway, when Jean finds out her daughter's life is a mess and her grandaughter Baily is a troubled teen, it is her book club that helps her work through everything.  It isn't that they are involved in every step.  Jean doesn't tell them everything.  But they are there for Jean when she needs them, and support her throughout.

I felt so bad for Baily.  And when Jean first re-encounters her grandaughter and fumbles so, I couldn't help but feel frustration rise.  But even then she was head over heels better than Baily's parents.

Anyway, their relationship is a process and the ending was satisfactory.  I left the book feeling an appreciation for the human connection and the spirit of women who stand up for each other.  The other thing I came out of this book with?   A reminder of how books can come to the rescue. =)  

The Cherry Cola Book Club

Title: The Cherry Cola Book Club

Author: Ashton Lee

Publisher: Kensington Fiction

Series: Cherry Cola Book Club, Bk 1

ISBN: 9780758273413

Length: 243 + "Recipes for Loyal, Hungry Readers" + A Reading Group Guide (Discussion Questions)

Why this book?:

It featured a book club.  It has a bright, cheery, cozy, attractive cover.  (I really love the cover.)  I was in the right mood to pick it up (I put in a purchase request for it back when it was first coming out but never read it until now).

Comments:

The librarian and library in trouble theme interested me.  Oh, and the library programming aspect was especially interesting.  The library will be shut down (crossed off the town's budget) if Beth can't show that the library is an integral part of the community and important to the voters.  And the solution she decides on is a new book club.

In some ways the friendships built in this book reminded me of Jennifer Chiaverini's Elm Creek books (or at least the 1 I've read).  On the other hand, I hesitate to call this women's fiction because it makes such a point of bringing up how men can read and participate in book discussions, etc.  But mostly that's how it felt.

Anyway, I look forward to reading the next book, The Reading Circle.

Embedding was disabled (how stupid is that?), but if you'd like you can find a YouTube trailer about The Cherry Cola Book Club here [Trailer].

The Giving Quilt

Title: The Giving Quilt

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini

Publisher: Dutton

Series: Elm Creek Quilts, Bk 20

ISBN: 9780525953609

Length: 357 pages

Obtained: Library copy

Why this book?:

This is the book my grandma's book club was/is doing.  Despite the fact that it's the 20th book in a series I haven't read, and it isn't my usual sort of book, it is fiction.  And I didn't read the last pick, so I needed to read this one.

Comments:

Set during the week after Thanksgiving, this is a timely novel.  It is one I was reluctant to try, though.  I worried it would be boring.  It isn't a mystery, or fantasy, or romance.  It isn't historical.  It isn't non-fiction.  So what was the point?  But I started it anyway, and found myself pleasantly surprised.

The characters and their individual stories are interesting.  In general they are characters I believe aren't in the bulk of the series, so jumping in wasn't such a big deal.  And it really felt like a series of short stories, patched together by a common thread (pun semi-intended).  Each character has her own story, and you get the resolution to each character's personal story - at least partially influenced by the relationships made and lessons learned during Quiltsgiving - in the last chapter.  I do love a nice neat ending. 

We'll skip Sylvia as she's part of the overall Elm Creek series, and her section is more of an overview than her story anyway.  So the characters in the spotlight are:

• Pauline, a 911 operator, wife, mother, and former (due to much conflict and infighting) treasurer of another very prestigious quilters' guild; 
• Linnea, a librarian, wife, and sister, whose life and family has been hit hard by economic trials (her husband lost his job, her sister's job is in a shaky place, and her library is at risk of closing); 
• Michaela, a college student and cheerleader, with aspirations of coaching, but roadblocks that have cropped up along the way;
• Jocelyn, teacher, widow, mother - she's been learning to keep living without her husband, but the unfairness of the world around her isn't helping any;
• Karen, wife and mother - she works in a quilt shop, but only after she was rejected as a teacher for the very same Elm Creek Quilters that are hosting Quiltsgiving - And the quilt shop is in jeopardy.  

My grandmother insisted I at least read Linnea's part of the story, but I actually found it the least moving.  Perhaps because I couldn't stop comparing her library with the one I work at and her job - especially in regards to her creativeness, inspiration, and resourcefulness - with my own.

Anyway, maybe I should read more of the series.  Or even more of the Women's Fiction genre as a whole.  After all, I'm always saying how the characters are the most important part, and this was all about the characters.