Author: Ambrosia

Musing Monday 6/24/13

- Ambrosia 5 Comments

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

 

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

What do you do after an emotional read? Do you dive into another big deep read or do you settle for some fluff? I just finished a big one and while I have two lined up as my currently reading books one is deeper and one is decidedly more fluffy, and I am a bit torn on which one to go with next.

Book Review: The Book of Secrets by Elizabeth Joy Arnold

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Release Date: July 2nd 2013

At once a captivating mystery, a love letter to classic literature, and a sharp-eyed examination of marriage, The Book of Secrets is a gripping novel of family, friendship, and the undeniable pull of the past.

After more than twenty years of marriage, Chloe Sinclair comes home one night to find that her husband, Nate, is gone. All he has left behind is a cryptic note explaining that he’s returned to their childhood town, a place Chloe never wants to see again.

While trying to reach Nate, Chloe stumbles upon a notebook tucked inside his antique copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Written in code, the pages contain long-buried secrets from their past, and clues to why he went home after all these years. As Chloe struggles to decipher the notebook’s hidden messages, she revisits the seminal moments of their youth: the day she met the enigmatic Sinclair children ane the increasingly dangerous games they played to escape their troubled childhoods; the first time Nate kissed her, camped out on the beach like Robinson Crusoe; and the elaborate plan she and Nate devised, inspired by Romeo and Juliet, to break away from his oppressive father. As the reason for Nate’s absence comes to light, the truth will forever shatter everything Chloe knows—about her husband, his family, and herself.

The first thought that went through my head when I finished this book was intense. This has to be one of the best written books I have read. The wonderful intertwining of books I love like Narnia and Robinson Crusoe with the story of love, loss, lies and a deep mystery. This book has so many layers when you are done with it your not even really sure you should be. Like you want to delve into more chapters because it really was that good. I felt so deep into the lives of the stories of the characters. I played along with them as they did a play with Narnia, grieved at the loss of a Son and was I was completely stunned when everything came to light along with them. This is a fantastic book and I recommend you read it.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Book Review: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton

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Published over ten years ago by Ace, Guilty Pleasures marked the debut of a series that was destined to grow from cult favorite to a major New York Times bestseller. Now, for long-time Anita Blake junkies and newfound fans, Guilty Pleasures makes its trade paperback debut. Readers will learn how Anita Blake started raising the dead-and killing the undead. And how she met Jean Claude, the master vampire destined to become not only her biggest nemesis, but her greatest lover..

There are somethings I loved about this book and somethings that I just kinda went Meh about. That said it was enough of a decent introduction to make me want to read the next book in the series, so for a First series book that is not to bad. I have had friends trying to get me to read this book since it was first published, so success there right?

Anita well she did grow from the start of the book to the end of the book. She is a bit Buffy like although naive season 1 Buffy and well I am not so much a fan of how much see seems to sweat. I mean I get it scared is scared but the author could have found another way to talk about it I think. I also knew who the Vampire murderer was about 150 or so pages before Anita did, so that takes a little of the fun out of it.

Jean Claude I like over all but, I think I need to see more of him to know for sure if I like him or not. After all he has been locked in a box for most of this book. Edward now there is a guy I can like. A killer yes, but hey that is his job, he is good at it, loves it and makes no apologies. So at the end of the day I will be reading the next book, it was a fun enough book not my favorite but not a stinker.

My Gemstone Rating:

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The Daily Rehash

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It is summer time and while I know all of us love to read it is good to get out and see some movie’s once in a while too right? Of course. So whether your in the mood for a based on a book or a summer block buster the fellows over at The Daily ReHash have some great video stuff, and a lot of other goodies too. You can click the link to check things out and you can see a movie sample below.

Summer Movies Preview 2013 on Twitter | DAILY REHASH | Ora TV

I know I am going to be following the Daily ReHash on Twitter because well that is what Social Networking is for right? Plus I like a bit of Celebrity news and Movie stuff as my lovely readers know.

Cover Reveal: Pasha ~ My Story

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Yeah anyone who knows me knows this is a personal…must promote the heck out of this one book, but really if you want a story about from Siberia to Stardom this is a good one. Looking forward to reviewing it.

Pasha’s talent and determination has taken him to some amazing places all around the world including Moscow, New York, LA and London. However, it was the grey, stark landscape of his Siberian hometown, still reeling from the Communist regime, which provided the unlikely inspiration for his early love of ballroom dancing, a passion that he has embraced and nurtured ever since. With a desire to succeed, Pasha fought off tough competition to win a place on So You Think You Can Dance in the US, and then became one of the best-loved professionals on Strictly Come Dancing in the UK. It’s no surprise that Pasha has twice danced his way into the Strictly final, and waltzed straight into the hearts of the nation. Yet, despite his fame, Pasha remains something of an enigma and, unlike some of is dancing co-stars, has eschewed the limelight, preferring to express himself through movement. Now, in his own words, Pasha reveals all in his heart-warming autobiography. From romance to body image, Pasha speaks candidly about the impact his extensive world travel and showbiz life have had on his mindset, and the illness that nearly killed him. He’ll separate fact from fiction, the man from the myth and reveal how it really felt to almost lift the Glitter-ball trophy with Chelsee Healey and Kimberley Walsh. Most of all, he’ll give readers a glimpse behind the scenes of the flashy world of ballroom, and what really goes on beneath the veneer of sparkles and glamour.

Amazon UK Link

Amazon US Link

Teaser Tuesday 6/18/13

- Ambrosia 1 Comment

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!

I glanced down at the sidewalk then up. I stared into his blue eyes and said, “She had Phillip killed.” ~ pg. 252 Guilty Pleasures by Laurel K Hamilton

Musing Monday 6/17/13

- Ambrosia 5 Comments

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

 

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• Describe one of your reading habits.
• Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
• Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

Read-a-Thon do you do them or don’t you? I have been thinking of doing one for myself this summer and maybe making it something Invite others too. I have seen other people doing them over the years since I started blogging. I have not been able to take part in any though. So do you take part in them? And when you do..do you caffeine yourself up and not sleep? Or set a schedule?

Book Review: Stealing the Preacher by Karen Witemeyer

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On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can scarcely believe it when he’s forced off the train by a retired outlaw and presented to the man’s daughter as the minister she requested for her birthday. Worried this unfortunate detour will ruin his chances of finally serving a congregation of his own, Crockett is determined to escape. But when he finally gets away, he’s haunted by the memory of the young woman he left behind–a woman whose dreams now hinge on him.

For months, Joanna Robbins prayed for a preacher. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. A man to help her discover answers to the questions that have been on her heart for so long. But just when it seems God has answered her prayers, it turns out the person is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett to stay in her little backwoods community? And does the attraction between them have any chance of blossoming when Joanna’s outlaw father is dead set against his daughter courting a preacher?

Okay friends who know me..get laughing at the title of this one out of your system.

Now onto the review. Bethany house seems to have a habit in of being the one with..missing F’s and some various other letters in the books with the Early copies. Again another one I happily got from Net Galley which I am happy for but gah it is hard to read the word coffee over and over again without the f’s. Hopefully it has been corrected in the final copy.

Jo and her family are the kind I can see myself sitting around with and enjoying some good laughs. They are hard working ranchers, although Jo’s Dad and her adopted Uncles were once outlaws. They however were not the kind that ever harmed anyone and only took enough to survive and for the last 16 years have been reformed, except when Silas steals Crockett Archer off a train for his Daughters birthday. Yes I personally laughed at that as well.

Crockett ends up forgiving his kidnappers and because what happened to him basically lost him the job he was going after takes up preaching in the small local church that Jo was so desperately trying to find a preacher for. It seems a little bit idealistic but it fits with the character we learn about Crockett and brings the whole story together. This was a good read with enjoyable characters that I am going to remember for a while.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Book Review: The View from Garden City by Carolyn Baugh

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Author Carolyn Baugh tells the moving story of a young American student living in the Garden City district of Cairo. Having come to study Arabic, she learns far more from the Egyptian women, young and old, she meets within the swirl and tumult of Garden City. Living, loving, and flourishing amid the fierce inflexibility of tradition, these women reveal a fascinating world of arranged marriages, secret romances, and the often turbulent bonds between four generations of Arab mothers and daughters.

Meet the women of Garden City:

Huda, who waited desperately for the man she loved until she could wait no longer
Karima, who found her husband in a collapsing post-war world
Afkar, who paid a dreadful price for her freedom
Selwa, who suffered through the deaths of her children
Yusriyya, who left her native village for a new life in the city
Samira, who loved a man who was not hers

Rich with the sights and sounds of modern Egypt, The View from Garden City lifts the veil of privacy to explore the stunning inner strength of women torn between their dreams for the future and the sacrifices women must make in a world of harsh realities.

This is a read that I was conflicted about from the first couple of pages. The writing style put me off a little bit because it is not what I usually enjoy personally. Some of the actions that take place seemed to me a little bit off putting as well or not what is normal. There is a disclaimer from the author however that does explain that. Now those complaints aside it is a good book overall.

My favorite character I think is Huda. She at times is immature but really she is just a flawed person trying to deal the best she can with what life has given her, what one of us doesn’t do that? The scenes are painted vividly and you can almost hear the noise, smell the traffic and the spices and everything that unfolds before your eyes. This one gets a middle of the ground rating for me, but it was not a total waste of time I think if your someone who could deal with the tense it is written in better then me you will really enjoy it.

My Gemstone Rating:

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