So valentines has come and gone and many of my friends talked about jewelry around that time. Since we do not make a huge fuss over the day here it didn’t come up (yes we celebrate but not extremely). I am now however thinking about some pieces, and Hubby and I have thought about an anniversary “upgrade” in the future, so we have been peeking at some platinum wedding rings. Not sure if we will do anything, I love my ring but hey never hurts to window shop with the one you love, right?
Mooncalf by Linda Zern
Over Olympia and Leah’s heads, Americans race the Russians to the moon; on their television sets young men fight and struggle in the mud of Viet Nam; and America holds its breath between heartbreaking tragedies.
But on Miss Brinker’s school bus, in the seat with the rip in the green plastic, Olympia and Leah fall in love, the way children do: immediately, completely, and without knowing or caring why they shouldn’t. Olympia Crooms, with her happy hair, and Leah Breck, with her silly red dog, are two smart girls.
Olympia’s father works other men’s orange groves in rural Central Florida and tells his daughter that school is the best way to reach for the stars. Leah’s father moves his family from the Space Coast to the country where she and her brother can climb orange trees, imagine lions in the tall grass, and learn to feed baby cows milk from a bottle.
At Evegan Elementary, two smart girls find each other and have to decide if they will learn the hardest lessons of all: the false traditions of their fathers.
Praise for Mooncalf
“One of the most admirable things about Mooncalf is that it’s difficult to find a single wasted word in the entire book. Granted the book is short; yet, it is very rare to find a book which treats with such delicacy the choosing of each word–each adjective, verb, and noun. Themes, motifs, and symbols are everywhere throughout Mooncalf, and most impressive of all none of it is discarded. Motifs and themes exist in big and small circles in Mooncalf, circling back in on themselves as well as intertwining themselves with the plot and the characters that inhabit it. And those motifs and themes, those messages and those symbols, don’t go away once you’ve finished the book. They stick with you. It’s hard to forget Mooncalf.”” ~ The Thousander Club
“I never expected to be moved to tears by a book meant for adolescents. Buy it, read it, share it, and let yourself be changed by it.” ~Lacey Smith
Author Linda Zern
Linda Zern is a native of Florida where she learned to be moonstruck.
She wrote her first children’s chapter book, The Pocket Fairies of Middleburg, in 2005. Writer’s Digest called “the perspective of these tiny beings [the pocket fairies] refreshing, enchanting, and intriguing.”
Florida Publisher’s Association was kind enough to award her little book the President’s Book Award for best children’s book of 2005.
Mrs. Zern has since published an inspirational book, The Long-Promised Song, serving as both writer and illustrator. Three collections of her humorous essays (ZippityZern’s Uncommon Nonsense) can be found at Smashwords.com, and her award winning essays have been recognized and published at HumorPress.com.
Her current project, Mooncalf, is her first work of historical fiction for Middle School readers. Set in rural Central Florida, the author tells the story of two misfit girls and the hard lessons they must learn about friendship and love from their friends, their families, and their world.
The mystical state of Florida remains an enchanted and delightsome place for both Mrs. Zern and her husband of thirty plus years, and so they continue to make their home among the palmettos and armadillos in the historic town of Saint Cloud.
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Olympia’s voice was a whisper in Leah’s ear.
“I don’t have those things, those cooties.”
“I know. I don’t even care what those things are.”
“Cootie bugs. Miss Rhodes is saying I have bugs crawling and living in my hair and at my house.”
“Miss Rhodes didn’t mean you.” Leah felt icky. “She couldn’t mean you.”
“It’s because I’m one of the poor kids, you know. She said it: sharecroppers.”
Without looking, Olympia pulled her hand out of Leah’s and started trying to flatten the wrinkles out of the crushed paper doily on the valentine. Leah put her hand over Olympia’s, the valentine a ruined mess under their fingers.
“But Miss Rhodes has hair just like yours.”
“No,” Olympia said, shaking her head. “No, Miss Rhodes doesn’t want hair like mine, like she had when she was a little girl. She wants white folk’s hair. That’s what Granny Mac says. ‘Cuz some colored folks like her don’t know who they want to be any more.’”
Leah looked at the neat part in her friend’s black braids, and loved the way Olympia’s barrettes danced when she dropped her head. She saw only the complicated, clever patterns in her friend’s clean black hair.
Leah saw only Olympia.
Blog Tour Giveaway
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Ends 3/9/14
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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!
My Muse this week is when you are listening to an audio book do you like the person reading it to straight read or do voices? The one I am listening to now, which admittedly is my first has the reader doing different voices for the different characters and honestly it makes me smile and giggle and enjoy it that much more.
When Ellie Black meets Dan Cooper, she feels as though she’s found her best friend and soul mate. After an idyllic courtship, Dan proposes and Ellie happily accepts. She loves everything about Dan, even his family: his sister, Emma, has become her good friend, and his mother, Linda, might end up being the mother Ellie never had when she was growing up. Ellie’s own family was far from ideal–her alcoholic mother died when she was 13, and Ellie and her father withdrew from each other almost completely. She hopes Dan’s family will become her own, that is, until she gets to know Linda and realizes how controlling and manipulative she can be. Ellie’s resentment toward Linda grows after she gets pregnant and gives birth to Tom. When an accident puts Tom’s life at risk, Ellie’s bottled-up emotions spill over and threaten not just her relationship with her mother-in-law but her marriage itself. Green, best-selling author of Jemima J (2000) and To Have and to Hold[BKL Mr 1 04], is particularly adept at producing engaging women’s fiction, and her latest is a prime example–warm, convincing, and eminently readable. Although at times Ellie’s venomous anger toward her mother-in-law grates, overall, she is a sympathetic heroine
I want to start my review by saying that in general I really enjoy Jane Green and her writing. So with that said this was not my favorite book of hers. The writing was still solid and very readable, put together well with a good flow to the overall story. So that is why I kept with it. The rest of it however is all pretty predictable and honestly I had a lot of time trying to enjoy Ellie because she is supposed to be the “heroine” of the book the one you should connect with. I just couldn’t. We all have our issues with in laws I am no different on that but the reasoning behind a lot of her issues is just not very solid at all. Overall if you like Green you can give this one a try and see if you like it better then I did.
My Gemstone Rating:
Another Sunday has come and it has been another slow week for me reading wise. Although I have started must love Otters and I have say say chapter in and I am enjoying it a fair amount. It has a quirky side to it so far that I like. Besides that I have been working on some crafts which seems to be the important thing right now, ebbs and flows like that. I have also been watching the Olympics.
Now usually I am not a huge sports person I would rather watch something educational then watch people chase a ball or what have you around, but there is something about the Olympics that I really enjoy. I suppose like many it is because I feel that swell of country pride when the person you want to win an event does.
Anyone else been behind on reading due to the Olympics?
This is another one hosted over at Should be Reading
India Allen joined the fight for Irish independence as a young girl, but left the country when her rebellion failed. Now, with her mysterious patron Quinn Calleigh, she begins another battle: the American Revolution.
I love my critters and I would never trade them for anything in the world. However last year Isis went through what I call a tantrum phase and destroyed some of our cushions. Most have been replaced various ways but we have one chair cushion that I have not been able to replace. I just could not seem to find the foam replacement, I thought to just try some stuffing but that didn’t work. The great news is that I found out about Foam Factory outdoor cushions and after a little looking am on my way to getting the foam replaced for that chair. Finally I can sit happily in it again!
This one is Hosted at the Booking through Thursday Blog.
For most of the east coast, at least, it’s a wintry, snowy day today, so … How do you like to spend your snow days? Feel free to gloss over the obligatory parts like shoveling unless you LIKE it. We’re talking ideal, best way to spend a snow day kind of thoughts, here.
For those of you who live in places where snow days simply don’t happen? Feel free to substitute “snow” with “rain” and think about the kind of days when you just want to cuddle up inside where it’s warm and dry.
Oh ideally I would sleep the day away but that never happens for many reasons. My ideal day though these days would be snuggling up with a good book, a nice warm beverage and once I am done reading whatever crochet project i am working on. I would also like my yarn to be knot free, lol
This is another one hosted over at Should be Reading
To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…
• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What are you reading next?
I am currently listening to The Red Necklace (still I know Audio is new to me) and reading.
Hollie Porter is the chairwoman of Generation Disillusioned: at twenty-five years old, she’s saddled with a job she hates, a boyfriend who’s all wrong for her, and a vexing inability to say no. She’s already near her breaking point, so when one caller too many kicks the bucket during Hollie’s 911 shift, she cashes in the Sweethearts’ Spa & Stay gift certificate from her dad and heads to Revelation Cove, British Columbia. One caveat: she’s going solo. Any sweethearts will have to be found on site.
Hollie hopes to find her beloved otters in the wilds of the Great White North, but instead she’s providing comic relief for staff and guests alike. Even Concierge Ryan, a former NHL star with bad knees and broken dreams, can’t stop her from stumbling from one (mis)adventure to another. Just when Hollie starts to think that a change of venue doesn’t mean a change in circumstances, the island works its charm and she starts to think she might have found the rejuvenation she so desperately desires. But then an uninvited guest crashes the party, forcing her to step out of the discomfort zone where she dwells and save the day … and maybe even herself in the process.
No just finished at the moment. Bad reader.
What’s next: I need a Vampire fix.
So up next will be 
Caldwell, New York, has long been the battleground for the vampires and their enemies, the Lessening Society. It’s also where Rehvenge has staked out his turf as a drug lord and owner of a notorious night club that caters to the rich and heavily armed. His shadowy reputation is exactly why he’s approached to kill Wrath, the Blind King and leader of the Brotherhood.
Rehvenge has always kept his distance from the Brotherhood-even though his sister is married to a member, for he harbors a deadly secret that could make him a huge liability in their war against the lessers. As plots within and outside of the Brotherhood threaten to reveal the truth about Rehvenge, he turns to the only source of light in his darkening world, Ehlena, a vampire untouched by the corruption that has its hold on him-and the only thing standing between him and eternal destruction.
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!
“Live you life, Sido, whatever happens. Live in the moment, don’t live with regret.’ He took his last kiss.” The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
