Musing Monday 2/15/16

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

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

Musing Monday asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer each week…

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week.

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Award-winning author Matt Rees takes readers to 18th centuryAustria, where Mozart’s estranged sister Nannerl stumblesinto a world of ambition, conspiracy, and immortal music while attempting touncover the truth about her brother’s suspicious death. Did Mozart’s life endin murder? Nannerl must brave dire circumstances tofind out, running afoul of the secret police, the freemasons, and even theAustrian Emperor himself as she delves into a scandal greater than she had everimagined. With captivating historical details, compelling characters, and areal-life mystery upon which everything hinges, Rees—the award-winning authorof the internationally acclaimed Omar Yussefcrime series—writes in the tradition of Irvin Yalom’sWhen Nietzsche Wept, Louis Bayard’s The Pale Blue Eye, andPhillip Sington’s The Einstein Girl to achievethe very best in historical fiction with Mozart’s Last Aria.

Book Review: The Temptation of the Night Jasmine (Pink Carnation #5) by Lauren Willig

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

A New York Times extended list bestseller and the exciting fifth book in the national bestselling Pink Carnation series.

After years abroad, Robert, Duke of Dovedale, has returned to England to avenge the murder of his mentor. To uncover the murderer’s identity, he must infiltrate the infamous, secret Hellfire Club. But the Duke has no idea that an even more difficult challenge awaits him-in a mistaken, romantic-minded young lady.

Charlotte Lansdowne wistfully remembers the Robert of her childhood as a valiant hero among men. Too aware of his own flaws, Robert tries to dissuade Charlotte from her delusions, even as he finds himself drawn to her. When Charlotte takes up a bit of espionage-investigating a plot to kidnap the King-Robert soon realizes that she is more than the perfect partner in crime.

Caught in a dangerous game full of deadly spies and secret rites, Robert and Charlotte must work together to reveal the villain…and confront their true love.

Another solid installment of the Pink Carnation series with the Night Jasmine and another enjoyable read. While for me this one started off a little bit slow it picked up the pace and became really enjoyable. Robert Duke of Dovedale is the kind of character I could conjure up a true image in my head of. I really liked him and even though some of his actions ticked me off (why couldn’t he just tell Lady Charolotte the truth?!) I also understood why he did them. He thought he was protecting her and that is of course how these books work.

While the spy craft is still around in this book it does focus a little bit more on the love and fairy tale aspect of a historical romance which to me made this one a little bit more light and fun. There is still the spy side and a little bit of danger to keep it spicy. Then there is the modern side of the story as we always have that bit to play with as well and this time we saw Eloise thinking that Miles was a spy. This lead to some very comical situations and then eventually he had to confront her.

Bottom line enjoyable and I look forward to reading the next installment.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Teaser Tuesday 2/2/16

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along with Teaser Tuesday! 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!

“There are a thousand ways to hurt someone you love that have nothing to do with physical violence.”
― Laurell K. Hamilton, Cerulean Sins

Musing Monday 2/1/16

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

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

Musing Monday asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer each week…

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week.

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: What do you do with your books once you’ve read them?

I am fairly sure I have answered this before somewhere on the blog but it was a long time ago. I do a variety of things with books when I am done reading them depending on the book. Very few go on a keeper shelf, most go on PBS, some get donated or changed in at the UBS. Then there are the ones that are to damaged, old, moldy, water damaged ect depending on damage and issues I use some of them for art and others are burned. I know burning a book sounds terrible but using the paper for a starter on a damaged book that would otherwise go in the trash works out well. Oh yes and Ebook and audio books are lent out. So there is my Musing Monday.

Ever on the search

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

When you have musicians in the family and friends circle you tend to be always on the look out just like you hope they are looking out for your favorite books as a book reader. So on my never ending search I came across the m 88 microphone and thought I would give it a shout out. A good microphone can be hard to find and this one seems to be a good quality and a fair price as well.

Book Review: The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff

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The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Cleopatra, the #1 national bestseller, unpacks the mystery of the Salem Witch Trials.

It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw Massachusetts winter, when a minister’s daughter began to scream and convulse. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death.

The panic spread quickly, involving the most educated men and prominent politicians in the colony. Neighbors accused neighbors, parents and children each other. Aside from suffrage, the Salem Witch Trials represent the only moment when women played the central role in American history. In curious ways, the trials would shape the future republic.

As psychologically thrilling as it is historically seminal, THE WITCHES is Stacy Schiff’s account of this fantastical story-the first great American mystery unveiled fully for the first time by one of our most acclaimed historian

I know non-fiction books can be dryer then fiction but this one is just something else. The author is acclaimed and many people loved her Cleopatra book but this is just way to dry. I hate that because the Salem Witch trials are a fantastic time to write about. This book was a slog from page one to page end. It had a fair amount of good details but everything was just so flat and dry history does not have to be that way.

The worst part of it for me I think was that while she gave good facts but everything was just left not connected and details that would have been interesting were cut. It feels like the author just cut all the good juicy meat off the bone and left the leanest most boring cut to be read. Not the worst book ever but it is a massive slog. You have to really be dedicated to make it through.

My Gemstone Rating:

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Gift ideas

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

If you have a musician in your life and are wondering what to get them for valentines or another holiday you may want to check out the novation launchkey mini instrument for the your Ipad. It will open up some great creative places and maybe give the right hint to get the books that you are craving too. Never hurts to give a loved one what they might want so you get a thoughtful gift too.

Teaser Tuesday 1/26/16

- Ambrosia 3 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along with Teaser Tuesday! 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’m learning that you have to make time for what’s important. You have to fight to carve little pieces of happiness out of your life, or the everyday emergencies will eat up everything.”
― Laurell K. Hamilton, Cerulean Sins

Musing Monday 1/25/16

- Ambrosia Leave a comment

Musing Monday is hosted over at Should Be Reading.

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

Musing Monday asks you to choose one of the following prompts to answer each week…

I’m currently reading…
Up next I think I’ll read…
I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
I can’t wait to get a copy of…
I wish I could read ___, but…
I blogged about ____ this past week.

THIS WEEK’S RANDOM QUESTION: Have you read – or do you plan to read – the Shannara Chronicles by Terri Brooks? Have you been watching the new TV series based off the books? If so, what do you think?

Reading this question was the first time I have even heard of these books and the TV series as well. After reading the basic descriptions I can say the books have gone on my possible list. they look like something I might like and I am interested at least. Maybe I will check out the TV show to make sure first, which sounds silly I know since Movies and TV do not always follow the book exact but I can at least get feel for things.

Teaser Tuesday 1/19/16

- Ambrosia 4 Comments

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along with Teaser Tuesday! 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 didn’t know there could be an almost kiss. It seems like the sort of thing that either happens or it doesn’t.
Oh no… There’s an entire universe of near misses out there, kisses that almost were, but weren’t.”
― Lauren Willig, The Temptation of the Night Jasmine

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