The Blue Orchard by Jackson Taylor
You know, I often browse Amazon reviews before I post my own review here, just to see if my own thoughts are in line with other reviewers when it comes to various books.
Rarely do you find a book that ONLY has five star reviews, but this novel definitely warrants it.
This novel, based on the life of Taylor's grandmother, follows the life of Verna Krone, born poor in early 1900s Pennsylvania. The first half of the novel tracks her early life, her first jobs, a rape, an abortion, an affair, a child, and ultimately, a moneymaker: serving as the nurse for Dr. Crampton, a well-respected black doctor who happens to perform illegal abortions.
Verna enjoys the money she earns nursing these women after their surgeries, though at times questions the legality of their actions, all while Dr. Crampton continues to serve the Harrisburg community fully, until politics start getting in the way. The book begins with Verna's arrest for illegal surgery, and so even though the reader knows of the end at the beginning, you still hold your breath to see if she and Dr. Crampton will be caught.
I thought this was a wonderfully engaging, well written novel with interesting characters, that perfectly evokes the time period and the settings so well. My only negative would be that the politics in the second half of the book didn't keep my interest, and ultimately slowed the story down to a near stop for me.
Beyond that, though, this is definitely a recommended read! Fantastic!
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Calendar Quilt
A couple of weeks ago, I was reading a review mag for the library and found a quilt book on "calendar quilts". Being intrigued, I Googled the term and found more information about calendar quilts...namely, a challenge that encourages participants to piece a strip every day for 365 to represent a calendar year, and using seasonal colors and so forth.
Well, I knew I'd never stick with THAT, so I decided to bastardize the intent, and created by own "calendar quilt" - with each color block representing a month of the year, and my interpretation of it. :-)
What do you think?
The rundown...
January: snowy blues
February: Valentine reds
March: greening of the garden
April: Easter colours
May: pink flowers (I love pink, and it's my birthday month, ergo, pink flowers!)
June: Relay for Life purple
July: Red, white and blue for July 4
August: I just want to sink to the bottom of a swimming pool in August, hence the colours!
September: the leaves starting to turn yellow
October: Halloween colours
November: fall tones and Thanksgiving colours
December: Christmas fabrics!
I'm really pleased with the colour selections and how it turned out - done entirely while the Winter Olympics were on, even!
Well, I knew I'd never stick with THAT, so I decided to bastardize the intent, and created by own "calendar quilt" - with each color block representing a month of the year, and my interpretation of it. :-)
What do you think?
The rundown...
January: snowy blues
February: Valentine reds
March: greening of the garden
April: Easter colours
May: pink flowers (I love pink, and it's my birthday month, ergo, pink flowers!)
June: Relay for Life purple
July: Red, white and blue for July 4
August: I just want to sink to the bottom of a swimming pool in August, hence the colours!
September: the leaves starting to turn yellow
October: Halloween colours
November: fall tones and Thanksgiving colours
December: Christmas fabrics!
I'm really pleased with the colour selections and how it turned out - done entirely while the Winter Olympics were on, even!
Latest Reads
What have I been ticking off the reading list lately? Let's see...
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
I listened to this Harry Bosch story, which centers on a murder case in Echo Park, and the sudden admittance of guilt by a man condemned to death for other murders. The problem is, Harry doesn't believe him...a good story, but the audiobook was scratched, so I kept missing key passages!
Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland
This is one of those books that isn't really *about* anything, but the writing and setting is so great, you find yourself sucked in anyway. A trio of adult siblings try to come to grips with each other's lives and choices, in often hilarious manner. The brother was by far my favorite character...
Dreaming in Hindi by Katherine Russell Rich
I'm not sure what I was expecting of this novel (a travelogue, some humor, descriptions of language, food, sights), but I found myself disappointed in the stilted prose and lack of connection I felt to the narrator or her journey to India to learn a new language. I hate being disappointed. :-(
Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer by Jane Brocket
I'm a huge fan of Brocket's blog (yarnstorm), so I was eager to read this book, which talks about and includes recipes from foodstuffs found in British children's books. All those Enid Blyton books of my youth kept bubbling up in my mind as I read about all the foods from the stories. A true delight to me, but would definitely be lost on US readers, I think....
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
I listened to this Harry Bosch story, which centers on a murder case in Echo Park, and the sudden admittance of guilt by a man condemned to death for other murders. The problem is, Harry doesn't believe him...a good story, but the audiobook was scratched, so I kept missing key passages!
Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland
This is one of those books that isn't really *about* anything, but the writing and setting is so great, you find yourself sucked in anyway. A trio of adult siblings try to come to grips with each other's lives and choices, in often hilarious manner. The brother was by far my favorite character...
Dreaming in Hindi by Katherine Russell Rich
I'm not sure what I was expecting of this novel (a travelogue, some humor, descriptions of language, food, sights), but I found myself disappointed in the stilted prose and lack of connection I felt to the narrator or her journey to India to learn a new language. I hate being disappointed. :-(
Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer by Jane Brocket
I'm a huge fan of Brocket's blog (yarnstorm), so I was eager to read this book, which talks about and includes recipes from foodstuffs found in British children's books. All those Enid Blyton books of my youth kept bubbling up in my mind as I read about all the foods from the stories. A true delight to me, but would definitely be lost on US readers, I think....
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
Book Review: One Good Dog
One Good Dog by Susan Wilson
As someone who has been a "pack of two" for exactly a year today (one year ago, I brought Zoe home!), this was a timely piece of fiction for me to read, provided by the lovely folks at The Book Report Network who sent me an advanced copy.
Adam March is that stereotypical high flyer - rich, successful with the plastic wife and the snotty child and the constant need to acquire more, more, more...until in just one ill-timed moment, everything goes awry in his life.
And Chance, a pit bull who's never known anything but a life of dogfighting and cages, has just one ill-timed moment to make a break for it, and everything changes in his life.
So what happens when a down on his luck guy meets a down on his luck dog?
A great story. :-)
This is written in alternating chapters - first Adam's point of view, and then, even more interestingly, from Chance's point of view. I particularly enjoyed Chance's chapters, and found myself looking at Zoe and thinking "Omigod, is that what she thinks?" or "Omigod, no wonder she looks at me like I'm nuts sometimes!". What a great - albeit fictional - insight into the minds of our faithful companions. Wilson has does a great job of breaking down these two characters, then rebuilding the trust and ultimate good in both of them.
This is a great read - honest, heartwrenching,heartwarming and ultimately uplifting. Made me give Zoe a big cuddle after I turned the last page.
Highly recommended!
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
As someone who has been a "pack of two" for exactly a year today (one year ago, I brought Zoe home!), this was a timely piece of fiction for me to read, provided by the lovely folks at The Book Report Network who sent me an advanced copy.
Adam March is that stereotypical high flyer - rich, successful with the plastic wife and the snotty child and the constant need to acquire more, more, more...until in just one ill-timed moment, everything goes awry in his life.
And Chance, a pit bull who's never known anything but a life of dogfighting and cages, has just one ill-timed moment to make a break for it, and everything changes in his life.
So what happens when a down on his luck guy meets a down on his luck dog?
A great story. :-)
This is written in alternating chapters - first Adam's point of view, and then, even more interestingly, from Chance's point of view. I particularly enjoyed Chance's chapters, and found myself looking at Zoe and thinking "Omigod, is that what she thinks?" or "Omigod, no wonder she looks at me like I'm nuts sometimes!". What a great - albeit fictional - insight into the minds of our faithful companions. Wilson has does a great job of breaking down these two characters, then rebuilding the trust and ultimate good in both of them.
This is a great read - honest, heartwrenching,heartwarming and ultimately uplifting. Made me give Zoe a big cuddle after I turned the last page.
Highly recommended!
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
New Library Signage
You know you're a library geek when you get superstoked about new library signage!
I lovelovelove the new signage we purchased to replace that blue lego crap we've had since opening our doors 20+ years ago. Pretty, no?
I lovelovelove the new signage we purchased to replace that blue lego crap we've had since opening our doors 20+ years ago. Pretty, no?
Book Review: The Power of Half
The Power of Half by Kevin and Hannah Salwen
First off, this isn't something everyone could do.
But we should WANT to.
15-year-old Hannah, daughter of Kevin and Joan (who have been extremely successful, both financially and employment-wise, in their lives), one day became outraged at hunger and homelessness in Atlanta, and started a chain of events.
Namely, the family downsizing their million-plus dollar home, moving into something smaller, and giving away half the proceeds to a good cause.
The Salwens, as a family (including younger brother Joseph), decided to give up some of their "stuff", move their lives out of the house with the elevator, the huge yard and the master suite, and into a smaller house, so that they could fully fund a program of The Hunger Project in Ghana.
This easy to read nonfiction book details their journey from Atlanta richy-riches to philanthropists to the nth degree, all the way to Ghana and their experiences there, as well as the struggles they encountered bringing their plan to reality.
This read reminded me so much of one of my favorite recent reads, 29 Gifts, but on a much grander scale, and with a sharper focus on one issue. Kevin narrates the bulk of the book, while Hannah imparts exercises, thoughtful questions and her opinions in her sections.
This is an easy, inspiring, thought-provoking read - highly recommended!
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
First off, this isn't something everyone could do.
But we should WANT to.
15-year-old Hannah, daughter of Kevin and Joan (who have been extremely successful, both financially and employment-wise, in their lives), one day became outraged at hunger and homelessness in Atlanta, and started a chain of events.
Namely, the family downsizing their million-plus dollar home, moving into something smaller, and giving away half the proceeds to a good cause.
The Salwens, as a family (including younger brother Joseph), decided to give up some of their "stuff", move their lives out of the house with the elevator, the huge yard and the master suite, and into a smaller house, so that they could fully fund a program of The Hunger Project in Ghana.
This easy to read nonfiction book details their journey from Atlanta richy-riches to philanthropists to the nth degree, all the way to Ghana and their experiences there, as well as the struggles they encountered bringing their plan to reality.
This read reminded me so much of one of my favorite recent reads, 29 Gifts, but on a much grander scale, and with a sharper focus on one issue. Kevin narrates the bulk of the book, while Hannah imparts exercises, thoughtful questions and her opinions in her sections.
This is an easy, inspiring, thought-provoking read - highly recommended!
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
Book Review: Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
This book review is multiple choice! You can either...read the review below or...you can watch my little book review vid below, made for Crucial Pop. If you like the vid review format, let me know. It's something I'd like to play with more this year...
Thanks!
On with the review!
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
The lovely Nicole at The Book Report Network sent me an advanced copy of this book, which I quickly dove into. This is a really absorbing read...Meredith and Nina, two adult sisters, and drawn back home to the Pacific Northwest as their father lays dying. His final request is for their cold, unloving mother, who has never given them the time of day, to tell them her "fairy tale" in its entirety, a story they remember hearing bits of from their childhood.
What follows is Anya's "fairy tale", which is actually the dawn of World War II in Lengingrad where Anya was a girl. The book flips from past to present seamlessly, and the final resolution was quite shocking to me. I thought this was a really engaging, interesting, and at times completely heartbreaking story, framed in the beginning as a fairy tale. I did find myself more drawn to Anya's story than to the present day story, but they were woven together well.
If you like Kristin Hannah, or just like family dramas, I highly recommend this read!
The vid version:
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
Thanks!
On with the review!
Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
The lovely Nicole at The Book Report Network sent me an advanced copy of this book, which I quickly dove into. This is a really absorbing read...Meredith and Nina, two adult sisters, and drawn back home to the Pacific Northwest as their father lays dying. His final request is for their cold, unloving mother, who has never given them the time of day, to tell them her "fairy tale" in its entirety, a story they remember hearing bits of from their childhood.
What follows is Anya's "fairy tale", which is actually the dawn of World War II in Lengingrad where Anya was a girl. The book flips from past to present seamlessly, and the final resolution was quite shocking to me. I thought this was a really engaging, interesting, and at times completely heartbreaking story, framed in the beginning as a fairy tale. I did find myself more drawn to Anya's story than to the present day story, but they were woven together well.
If you like Kristin Hannah, or just like family dramas, I highly recommend this read!
The vid version:
I'm an Amazon Affiliate. If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.
