Book Review: Kiss Me, Annabel by Eloisa James

April 3, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

The RULES OF MARRIAGE…according to Miss Annabel Essex
A husband must be:
RICH.
Make that very rich. She’s had enough of leaky roofs and thread-worn clothing.
ENGLISH
London is the center of the civilized world, and Annabel has a passion for silk and hot water.
AMIABLE.
Good-looking would be nice, but not necessary. Same for intelligent.

Isn’t she lucky? She’s found just the man! And her chosen spouse is nothing like the impoverished Scottish Earl of Ardmore, who has nothing but his gorgeous eyes, his brain — and his kisses — to recommend him.
So what cruel twist of fate put her in a carriage on her way to Scotland with just that impoverished earl and all the world thinking they’re man and wife? Sleeping in the same bed? Not to mention the game of words started by the earl — in which the prize is a kiss. And the forfeit…

Well. They are almost married, after all!

Kiss me; Annabel is the second book in Eloisa James’s hot Essex sister’s series. In addition, I can say without a doubt that it does not disappoint. I came upon this series accidentally and read the third book before I knew it was a series. However, finding out that it was I happily picked up the others. In addition, have yet to be disappointed.

Annabel is by far the most greedy of the Essex sisters, seeking to trade her good looks much like a courtesan does for a mans favor. Nevertheless, she is not content to be improper about it she will give her beauty only to a rich Englishman who will marry her. But she gets a shock when a handsome Scotsmen not only gets in her path but there is a scandal and she must marry him.

This book was so fun and so touching, I really enjoyed it and had a fun time reading it. The author even states that it is loosely based on Shakespeare taming of the shrew and I do not have a bit of trouble believing that. When you read it, you will know what I mean. However, in all honestly it is a very easy to follow read, in the historical romance genre Eloisa James stands out.

The writing has a fun flare to it, and you find some mysteries wrapped in. Nothing to deep but still a little something to make it fun. Moreover, the secondary characters of this story are just as fun to follow around as the main characters. If you are a fan of historical romance, and England and Scotland, you really do need to read this book. You follow the women around from country to country, and see just what Annabel ends up marrying for. Love? Money? Or both.

Booking Through Thursday: Library

April 3, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I honestly do not go to the library much anymore. When I was a kid I went all the time. I enjoyed it. Now I don’t go because Have to think about my being sick. I have to be careful of people and germs. Its not my favorite but you do what you have to do.

All of that being said I think libraries still have a good place. And I know when I was a kid I love going to the library. We went once a week and I always looked forward to it. I loved weighing myself down with as many books as I could carry. And I would read them all. So over all I think I do miss going to the library, but I also just enjoy having my books at home. I have so many book’s now I have a small library of my own.

Book Review: All the numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen

April 1, 2009 - Ambrosia 2 Comments

“How much do you love me?” Daniel asked his mother.

“I love you all the numbers.”

What begins as a sunny August afternoon on a bucolic lake turns into a tragedy when a Jet Ski swerves fatally close to shore. It’s a day Ellen Banks could never have prepared for … a day no mother should ever have to live through.

The moment her son James is killed, Ellen must face the unimaginable while trying to remain strong for her older son, Daniel, who witnessed the fateful accident and blames himself. Ellen’s shock and grief soon give way to defiance as lawyers and policemen who once vowed to support Ellen’s desire for justice succumb to political pressure and back away. Still, Ellen is determined to see the reckless young man pay for his crime and to heal her family’s deep wounds. But first, she must heal herself.

An unforgettable journey of power and emotion, All the Numbers poignantly depicts a woman’s reckoning with her own vulnerability and finding in the wisdom of motherhood the redemptive grace to begin again.

All the numbers is a masterfully written book. Judy Merrill Larsen takes you on an emotional rollercoaster of a family’s grief of losing an 11 year old boy named James. We first come upon Ellen when the event has already happened; right away the book pulls you into its emotional current and prepares you to hang on.

From that emotional beginning we move backwards and start where the evens would begin. We follow Ellen as she does the regular things we all do, she goes to the DMV and has a scuffle with the clerk about coffee. She goes shopping; she picks up her kids and listens to their demands. Don’t all of us do these same things everyday? And most of all she is looking forward to the yearly trip to the cabin. How she to know this was would be the summer all of it would change? How would any of us know?

You will cry when you read this book. You will cry as you watch Ellen make choices none of us would want to have to make about her youngest son and his death. You will cry when you see how she tries, and sometimes fails to be strong for her older son Daniel. Judy Merrill Larsen writes this book in such a way you can not help but picture it all. You can not help yourself but to feel the true raw emotion behind it.

Ellen also learns a lesson in that family is not always just blood. Her friends that’s she has known for many years stand by her through all of it. Anna and Sam are like rocks to her, and a friend she didn’t know could be made in a nurse named Laurie from the hospital. As the story continues the grief of fighting for a criminal trial introduces her to a wonderful lawyer named Bob. She feels guilty for her feelings towards him. Guilty that her sons death should bring her close to someone who might bring her happiness.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for something good to read. The content is heavy, but it does have its bright points. There are happy moments, in memories and in learning how to live again after tragedy. This book teaches you that although life will not be the same, you can still live it.

My Challenge Update

April 1, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

So it is going to be April and I decided to take a look at how my challenges are shaping up. And I have to say not to bad on most of them.

For my overall challenge I have read 34 out of 125 books.

I have completed 3 out of 12 on my YA challenge.

I have completed 2 out of 10 on my Historical challenge, but will be reading another two this month.

I have completed 1 of 6 for my “what’s in a name” challenge. Again I have 3 coming up this month.

I have not completed any for my themed book challenge which finishes in July. But again I have several up for this month 2 or 3 than I will be getting some other books that are first in the series to I can finish it up.

I have completed 6 out of 12 books for my year of reading dangerously challenge.

Over all I think I am doing pretty good on my challenges. I will admit I dropped the ball a bit on the themed book challenge I forgot about it. Oppsy, but I am going to make it up I will get it finished by July!

The Debbie Downer book group

March 31, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

Yup, that’s what I am calling the monthly book talk on PBS the Debbie Downer book club. I don’t mean that in a mean way, really I don’t. But as I sit here reading and finding myself crying yet AGAIN I shake my head.

Now just because the books are sad doesn’t mean they are bad. But if you look at the three books I have been reading for this group. First month we started with Shoot the Moon by Billie Letts, while the book ended up being one of my favorites I have read it was depressing. The story is great, but there really isn’t a “happy” ending. The character is still dead, she was still murdered. It is a Debbie downer.

Second we read we need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver. The book is about a school shooting, and it is told from the shooters moms POV. I really do not think you could find a more depressing book than that to read. It was heavy, and hard to read. With all the school shootings wasn’t unexpected but still.

And the book for April? All the Numbers by Merrill Larsen. I am half way through and so depressed. It’s about a mom losing her youngest son to a horrible accident. And moving on with her older son. I realize it is a story of hope and love. But again it’s SO SAD. It is a good book and it will get a positive review. But SHEESH. I wish we could pick something HAPPY in my book group.

Teaser Tuesday: Tease 6

March 31, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to: Grab your current read.Let the book fall open to a random page.Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!Please avoid spoilers!

But mornings would come early, and the soft, high voices of her children would beckon to her, and she’d propel herself out of bed. Her day would begin my scrambling eggs and making toast- and she gradualy found new patterns for her life, through her children. ~pg.207 All the Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen

Musing Mondays: #6

March 30, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

Do you keep track of what and/or how many books you read? How long have you been doing this? What’s your favorite tracking method, and why?If you don’t keep track, why not?

I used to keep a running log when I was in high school of the books I had read. It was just simple with the title and author in a notebook. Well life, and moving later I lost the notebook and stopped recording. But as of Jan 2009 I started again. How might you ask? Well right here in this blog. Every book I read gets listed and a little review, weather I liked it or not. That way I have a clear saved documentation of title, author and page count.

Pick My Next Give away..

March 30, 2009 - Ambrosia 3 Comments

So I think it is time to do another giveaway on this blog. I have a pile of books to get through and would love to get my readers opinions. So here are a few books to choose from.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
Bergdorf Blondes by Plum Skies
Showdown by Tilly Bagshawe
and
Kiss me Annabel by Eloisa James

So..give me your votes.

Book Review: Fashionista’s Lynn Messina

March 29, 2009 - Ambrosia Leave a comment

At Fashionista, all is fair in fashion and war. Life at Fashionista magazine can be a real bitch. Especially when you work for one. Vig Morgan finally worked her way out of the assistant-for-the-bitch-from-hell trenches only to get stuck in a sea of editors. But Vig isn’t like the other associate editors at the aggressively hip and overwhelmingly current Fashionista magazine. For one thing, she couldn’t care less which star wore which designer to which party. Sure, she’s clever and witty — and just as ambitious as the next over qualified underpaid underling, but she would never get drawn into a plot to depose the evil editor-in-chief. Or would she? Jump with Vig into the choppy waters of scheming, backstabbing, free speech, flirtation and fashion, as the lackeys at the bottom of the masthead band together to take down the queen at the top, with some unexpected — but not necessarily unpleasant — results.

Lynna Messina has to be one of the funniest authors I have ever read. I picked up this book not sure what to think as I had not read any of the authors work yet. Well that is going to change, and it’s going to change soon. Fashionistas is a hilariously funny romp through the vapid world of glossy magazines.

Vig Morgan is a low totem pole employee at Fashionista who gets brought into a plan that in the beginning she wants not mart of. The plan is to get rid of the mean tyrannical boss Jane. And replace her with the seemingly nice people friendly Marguerite. You will join Vig as she travels through dealing with the plot and keeping the rest of her life on track.

If you are a chic lit fan you can not possibly miss this book. Vig is funny and witty and gets herself into some interesting scrapes. Her love life reminds me a little bit of Bridget Jones, she is always complaining that the only men she is attracted to are the emotionally unavailable kind. Enter Alex Keller the mean ogre from that office that no one sees who turns out to be devastatingly handsome.

I honestly had trouble putting this book down because it was so good. I was literally laughing out loud at several points thanks to the witty dry way that Vig sees everything. She seems to be a polar opposites of her best friend Maya who makes several appearances to the reader and is just as funny. If you’re looking for a fun and fast read that will bring a smile to your face I recommend Fashionistas. I guarantee you will have a sore face from smiling so much when you read this book.

The Purple Booker

Reading is…Bigger on the inside

Author: Ambrosia