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385th Virtual Poetry Circle

November 26, 2016 by

Welcome to the 385th Virtual Poetry Circle!

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s book suggested.

Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

Today’s poem is from Edgar Guest:

Thanksgiving

Gettin’ together to smile an’ rejoice,
An’ eatin’ an’ laughin’ with folks of your choice;
An’ kissin’ the girls an’ declarin’ that they
Are growin’ more beautiful day after day;
Chattin’ an’ braggin’ a bit with the men,
Buildin’ the old family circle again;
Livin’ the wholesome an’ old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother’s a little bit grayer, that’s all.
Father’s a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an’ to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin’ our stories as women an’ men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we’re grateful an’ glad to be there.
Home from the east land an’ home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an’ best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We’ve come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an’ be frank,
Forgettin’ position an’ station an’ rank.

Give me the end of the year an’ its fun
When most of the plannin’ an’ toilin’ is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin’ with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An’ I’ll put soul in my Thanksgivin’ prayers.

What do you think? What are you thankful for this year?

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Jewish Book Month: Tasa’s Song by Linda Kass

November 25, 2016 by

Jewish book month, sponsored by the Jewish Book Council, begins on Nov. 24 and runs through Dec. 24.

This year’s poster features artwork by Katherine Messenger, and the council will advise local communities on exhibits, book fairs, book clubs, author speaking tours, and literary programs. For information on programs in your area, please check the network website.

Earlier this year, I reviewed Tasa’s Song by Linda Kass, which is based on true events in eastern Poland. I thought it was very well done, and it was the BRONZE WINNER, IPPY AWARD for HISTORICAL FICTION.

Please check out the book trailer below:

Classical music infuses this novel, and Charles Wetherbee has composed “Tasa’s Song” as inspired by Kass’s novel. Please listen to a portion of the song here.

If you’re looking for good historical fiction, Tasa’s Song should be on your list.

About the book:

1943. Tasa Rosinski and five relatives, all Jewish, escape their rural village in eastern Poland―avoiding certain death―and find refuge in a bunker beneath a barn built by their longtime employee.

A decade earlier, ten-year-old Tasa dreams of someday playing her violin like Paganini. To continue her schooling, she leaves her family for a nearby town, joining older cousin Danik at a private Catholic academy where her musical talent flourishes despite escalating political tension. But when the war breaks out and the eastern swath of Poland falls under Soviet control, Tasa’s relatives become Communist targets, her new tender relationship is imperiled, and the family’s secure world unravels.

From a peaceful village in eastern Poland to a partitioned post-war Vienna, from a promising childhood to a year living underground, Tasa’s Song celebrates the bonds of love, the power of memory, the solace of music, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

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Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2016 by

Happy Thanksgiving to my friends here in the United States.

Enjoy your family and friends. And of course, the food.

Filed Under: announcements Tagged With:

Dogs and Their People by Barkpost by Bark & Co

November 23, 2016 by

Source: Giveaway Win
Hardcover, 272 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

Dogs and Their People by Barkpost by Bark & Co. has the funniest pictures of pooches around, and the stories in these pages are endearing.  They even brought to mind some of my own dog stories.  From the pictures to the stories and the checklists and recipes, this book is a must have for any dog lover.

One great story: Natalie builds her dog Perrin race tracks in the snow during winter blizzards, which can mean that she digs them several times over the course of a storm, especially in Massachusetts.  Then, of course, there’s Denise, Theo & Desna – Theo the husky practically ate all the furniture and Desna decided that her favorite perch was the kitchen counters and Denise had to puppy-proof the entire kitchen.

Anyone who knows me, knows I love dogs, and while my current dog does not have her own Instagram account — she does make appearances — we love her to bits.  She’s my daughter’s sibling — they’ve grown up together.  We adopted her when our daughter was about one.  She’s a husky mix and she can be a handful, but at least she hasn’t eaten the furniture.  We do have a zillion nicknames for her, with my daughter recently referring to her as Woofie.  Nicknames are terms of endearment for animals, I think, and I’ve given multiple names to my pets for many years.  Who can stop themselves when they are so cute!

My previous pooch went everywhere with us — camping, to see Santa, to restaurants and stores — and he got into mischief.  He loved to eat things he wasn’t supposed to.  That dog would unwrap bubble gum, eat glass to get at the bacon grease, and get his head stuck in cardboard boxes if he thought there was a morsel of food to be had.  One of my favorite stories was when we were camping — by this time he was elderly — and we decided to take a “short” hike, according to the map.  Well, that hike ended up being way longer than the map led us to believe and the dog just refused to move.  He sat down and that was it.  My poor husband had to carry this 45-pound dog over his shoulders (much like Bryan in Colorado), and would you believe that people on the trail thought our fluffy dog was a deer.  Ridiculous!  They even brought out their cameras to take a picture.  People are sillier than dogs sometimes.

Now that I’ve been on my own for a long time, I’ve noticed that my parents have started treating their dogs like children.  They have seat belts and clothes.  One of their dogs used to have a leather hat and coat — she looked like a mean biker with her Peek-a-Poo underbite.  It makes me wonder why the dogs even put up with humans — oh, right, it’s the treats, toys, and warm beds.

Dogs and Their People by Barkpost by Bark & Co. is just a delightful and fun book.  There are recipes for dog biscuits and more.  It would make a fantastic gift for those dog lovers in your life — you know the holidays are coming faster than you think!

RATING: Cinquain

Check out BarkPost!

Filed Under: giveaway win, nonfiction, Read in 2016, reviews Tagged With: , ,

Darcy’s Hope: Beauty from Ashes by Ginger Monette & Giveaway

November 22, 2016 by

Source: the author
Paperback, 278 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

“‘Dum spiro spero! Dum Spiro Spero!’ While I breathe, I hope.” (pg. 10-11)

Darcy’s Hope: Beauty from Ashes by Ginger Monette has created a believable catch-22 for Mr. Darcy of Pemberley, now a British captain during WWII. He is sent to France after losing nearly all his men at the Somme and months after his failed proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, a Voluntary Aid Detachment nurse’s assistant. At The Ritz, Darcy is confronted with all of the feelings he’s denied on the battlefield and he must confront his vow of never again having attachments. Elizabeth, on the other hand, has put the blame on Darcy all this time — his military requisitioning of her family home, the death of her father, and much more. She’s vowed to loathe him for eternity, but can she keep that vow as the ravages of war continue to push them together and force them to work together to keep the hospital going and saving the casualties of WWI?

“He was no more distinguished than a tiny grain of sand on an endless beach.” (pg. 56)

“So many of the conclusions she had glibly drawn about people and situations — and stood upon as a firm foundation — were now shifting like sand beneath her feet.” (pg. 137)

Monette has set the tone early on, and these characters will be tested in terms of their perceptions, values, and character. Darcy is more stoic in Monette’s novel; he’s a man hammered by war and burdened by a secret mission he feels ill-equipped for. But he still plods onward, doing his duty and nothing more. Elizabeth has come into her own as an independent woman, finding her way in the medical field and hoping for a future where she doesn’t need to depend on anyone. Both are closed off, but under the threat of the Germans and the constant barrage of casualties, they are forced to re-examine themselves and what it means to truly be a casualty of war.

Darcy’s Hope: Beauty from Ashes by Ginger Monette peels back the layers of the ways in which we protect ourselves from pain to reveal that we all want to be loved, protected, and esteemed.

RATING: Cinquain (I cannot wait to read book 2)

gingermonetteAbout the Author:

The teacher always learns the most. And in homeschooling her children, Ginger Monette learned all the history she missed in school. Now she’s hooked—on writing and World War I. When not writing, Ginger enjoys dancing on the treadmill, watching period dramas, public speaking, and reading—a full-length novel every Sunday afternoon.

Her WW1 flash fiction piece, Flanders Field of Grey, won Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s 2015 Picture This grand prize.

Ginger lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she happily resides with her husband, three teenagers, and two loyal dogs.

Watch the book trailer.
Listen to an audio excerpt.
Add it on GoodReads.
Visit Ginger Monette on Facebook.

lizzys-scrapbook

Giveaway:

giveaway-ornaments-mug

With Darcy’s Hope set during the era of Downton Abbey and the tour being right before Christmas, I thought it would be fun to use Downton Abbey ornaments as the giveaway.

Seven ornaments will be given away and is open to U.S. residents in the continental US. The prize for residents of the continental U.K. is a Downton Abbey mug.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: 2016 World at War Reading Challenge, ARC, challenges, fiction, giveaway, historical fiction, New Authors Challenge, Read in 2016, reviews Tagged With: , ,

Guest Review: Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon

November 21, 2016 by

West Virginia:  Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon

Synopsis from Goodreads:

A brilliant novel that captures the dusty, dark, and beautiful world of small-time horse racing, where trainers, jockeys, grooms and grifters vie for what little luck is offered at a run-down West Virginia track.

lordmisruleReviewed by Elisha of Rainy Day Reviews!:

This won the National Book Award. How fun is that? I was looking forward to reading this because not only did it win that award, but it is about horse-riding. My dad and his siblings grew up with animals. My dad’s dad grew up on a farm. My daughter loves horses and has rode a horse a few times. I grew up with horses at my church. So, I was especially excited to read a novel about horses.

However, it was not quite what I expected. Although I am not sure what I expected. Black beauty perhaps? Black beauty this was not. This was gritty and dirty (pun not intended). There was drug use (both illegal and legal) that surprised me. There was also gambling (although there was a track, so I can’t be surprised there), and characters that you typically would not want as your neighbors, but may not know; if they were. Although the story was intense and new to me, I am not sure I care for this type of story. I may not have been the right reader for this book, but I am glad I read it and gave it a shot.

wv-usbooks

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Guest Review: Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich

November 21, 2016 by

North Dakota: Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich

— Reviewed by Teri at Sportochick’s Musings

Synopsis:

The first of Louise Erdrich’s polysymphonic novels set in North Dakota — a fictional landscape that, in Erdrich’s hands, has become iconic — Love Medicine is the story of three generations of Ojibwe families. Set against the tumultuous politics of the reservation, the lives of the Kashpaws and the Lamartines are a testament to the endurance of a people and the sorrows of history.

love-medicine4 Star Review:

Wow is all I can say because I was not expecting this to be such a good read. Having chosen to read this because I am part Cherokee and into anything that is about Native Americans, I found it filled with tradition and expansive descriptions.

In the beginning there was a point where I got confused with all the people in this book. Thankfully the author did a supreme job of keeping the reader clear in each storyline as the book wove through generations of these families lives with a family tree included in the book.

As in all families there are twists and turns to the stories and the crossing of family lines creating great drama in each short story. What is obvious to this reader is the great care the writer takes in explaining with compassion and non-judgement the cause and effects of each characters actions through three generations. I never felt like judging their lives or criticizing their life decisions.

Reading this was powerful and filled me with many emotions and at the end of the book I can’t explain why but I want to cry and as I prepare this review I still feel like crying.

I give it 4 STARS and recommend you give it a read.

nd-usbooks

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Mailbox Monday #402

November 20, 2016 by

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia at To Be Continued, formerly The Printed Page, has a permanent home at its own blog.

To check out what everyone has received over the last week, visit the blog and check out the links. Leave yours too.

Also, each week, Leslie, Vicki, and I will share the Books that Caught Our Eye from everyone’s weekly links.

Here’s what I received:

Womb: A Novel in Utero by Eric D. Goodman for review, which will be published in Spring 2017.

What makes Womb most unique is the unusual narrator. Set in the city and suburbs of Baltimore, Womb is narrated from the point of view of a child still in utero. He describes his own reality inside the womb, his connection to the collective consciousness, and also narrates (through his own perspective) the drama of his mother’s life as she deals with her pregnancy, friends, family and work. Womb has been compared to Room by Emma Donoghue in style, as well as The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Womb is due for delivery on Spring 2017.

Shine-a-Light: Secrets of the Rainforest by Carron Brown, Alyssa Nassner — a gift for my daughter from Usborne Books…shhhh

Discover the amazing animals that live in the lush rainforest, with this gorgeously illustrated book of natures hidden habitats. By simply holding the book up to the light, or shining a light behind each page, young children will be able to discover the animals and plants that live in and around a kapok tree, from the colourful parrots in the canopy, to the sleek jaguar on the forest floor. The innovative see-through feature fulfils a similar function to lift-the-flaps books, but has the added interactive dimension of the child being able to see both the surface and the hidden picture at the same time.

A Tale of Two Beasts by Fiona Roberton, another gift for the little one.

A little girl rescues a strange beast in the woods and carries him safely home. But the beast is not happy and escapes! A funny and charming tale about seeing both sides of the story.

What did you receive in your mailbox?

Filed Under: mailbox monday, meme Tagged With: , , , , , ,

384th Virtual Poetry Circle

November 19, 2016 by

Welcome to the 384th Virtual Poetry Circle!

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock’s book suggested.

Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don’t like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

Today’s poem is from Richard Wilbur:

The Beautiful Changes

One wading a Fall meadow finds on all sides
The Queen Anne’s Lace lying like lilies
On water; it glides
So from the walker, it turns
Dry grass to a lake, as the slightest shade of you
Valleys my mind in fabulous blue Lucernes.

The beautiful changes as a forest is changed
By a chameleon’s tuning his skin to it;
As a mantis, arranged
On a green leaf, grows
Into it, makes the leaf leafier, and proves
Any greenness is deeper than anyone knows.

Your hands hold roses always in a way that says
They are not only yours; the beautiful changes
In such kind ways,
Wishing ever to sunder
Things and things’ selves for a second finding, to lose
For a moment all that it touches back to wonder.

What do you think?

Filed Under: virtual poetry circle Tagged With:

The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine and Marc Brown

November 18, 2016 by

Source: Purchased
Hardcover, 40 pgs.
I am an Amazon Affiliate

The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine and Marc Brown is a fun book that kids will love. It has monsters who are slimy, ones that smell, and more. The kids are asked not to feed the monsters and to not get too close. Some are hungry and others just say, “hi”, differently. The illustrations look like colored pencil drawings and each monster has its own unique look.

My daughter loved these monsters and their gross habits. Some sneezed all over you and others tickled you. It’s a great book to be interactive with. While your child is shopping for a monster of their own, they soon discover that the monsters are doing a little shopping too! The Little Shop of Monsters by R.L. Stine and Marc Brown is just a fun book, but beware, monsters might follow you home.

RATING: Cinquain

Filed Under: children's fiction, Hachette Books, Publishers/Publicists, purchased, Read in 2016, reviews Tagged With: , ,