Eye On The Prize

Last night I picked up a book a started a couple of weeks ago and never finished. It is by Debbie Macomber, Caroline's Child. I consider Debbie Macomber one of those feel good, fall in love authors. A Danielle Steele without killing off a spouse every book. She does quite a few books around cowboys and ranches. Because life has been so hectic I had to do some rereading to remember the story. I think there are a few books about this family and town. The town is called Promise. The rancher is Grady Weston. He falls in love with Caroline Daniels and her child. With a few bumps along the way he proposes and she accepts.
At this point I really want a great book. It is sure not happening. This is another 2. I have one other book I am a few chapters until the end. That is not a bad story!

The count is: 3

Quiet Before The Storm

I had several hours of quiet before Tru Stories and her family arrived for Christmas today. I got my house clean. I did some baking. Then I had time to read. I enjoy the quiet of Christmas waiting for the kids to burst in the door ready for their last Christmas. It was a lovely time. After they left it was back to reading for me. No rest until my goal is achieved.
Today I read a book by Anita Shreve. I have read quite a few of her books. Most of them I really enjoy. Not the case with this one!! It is, They Last Time They Met. It was published in 2001. Maybe her writing has improved over time. This story is about high school sweethearts that are broken up because of an auto accident. They meet years later and have an affair. The book opens with them meeting again in their 50's. The story does not make any sense to me. I even read the discussion questions at the end.
Not going to try to analyze. It is what it is. A book I did not enjoy. I am giving the book a 2.

The count is: 4

Santa Miracles

I picked up a feel good Christmas book when I was in Barnes today. It is by Brad Steiger and Sherry Hansen Steiger. I knew it was a feel good book. I thought it would be about miracles that happened at Christmas. Like someone was ill and miracle they were cured. It was not like that. It was mainly people that had stories of seeing Santa or someone dressing up as Santa. Very lame! Not the precious feel-good Christmas book I was wanting tonight. But read it. Still counts. I can't give it a 1 because that would be like giving Santa a 1. But I will give it a 2. Lame book.

The Count is: 5

A Single Man

Tonight was book club night. We read the book, A Single Man. As I said in a earlier post, I did not get this book. The writing style was irritating to me. I think the subject would have been interesting if I would have liked the way it was written. It was written in 1960's. The story of a gay relationship. The hidden life. Depression after a loved one died. It should have been a great story. It should have been a great discussion. There is never a bad discussion. But a great discussion keeps us all more engaged. Too much work talk made a way into our coversation tonight. That should not happen at book club.
Once again, it was a book none of us would have read on our own. That has to always be a good thing. Stretching our reading boundaries. It is like yoga for readers. I know the hostess always wants to pick a 5. Picking a book is a huge deal. Most of us research and research what book to pick. We want our picks to be something everyone will love. Something that is out of our comfort zone. A book that will give a great discussion. And....obviously, a book that can get a 5 rating. We all look forward to our month to hostess. Picking the place to eat is also a big deal. We have all gotten so much better at that. Tonight was a great restaurant, Skewer's. Offered a little bit of everything. For those of us trying to eat healthy, it offered great choices.
Whenever a group of people share a passion for anything, it is going to be nice to get together. For the holiday season we did a gift exchange. I got some of my favorite things. A little picket size journal. Two kinds of note pads. I love that stuff.
Now I am so stuffed. I am ready for bed! I do not have the name of next month's book with me. I will post it at a later time.

I Even Read A Book This Week-End

I had a crazy, busy week-end. A full week-end. I enjoyed most of it. The party was great. Went out early Saturday morning to grocery shop and get stamps. Christmas Cards mailed. Came home and cleaned my really messy house. Picked up The Kid. We went to the library. The Kid stayed all night. We decorated the Christmas Tree. Did some more cleaning. My kitchen was out of control. So much stuff accumulated on my counters. Terrible!!
Today the girls came for a few hours. They managed to make another mess. The Kid sat and read a few books. We cleaned up again!
The afternoon was mine to waste. I napped. Then I read a very odd book. It is, Rescuing Sprite, by Mark R. Levin. I don't know what made me pick up this book. I do know it was on a clearance table. It is the story about the Levin's adopting a dog from a local shelter. The dog only lives with them for two years. He is sick in that two years. Most of the book is about preparing for the dog to die.
I like dogs. I have three. I treat them like, dogs. I have affection for them. We do not let our animals sleep with us. I do not bond with a dog like it is a person. I bond with dogs like they are dogs. It is hard for me to imagine grieving for a dog like a person. Mark Levin could not have lost a person that is very close to him. If so, he would grieve differently for his dog. I am rating this book a 2. Really, it is a 1. But it is published. He does write well. It is just a ridiculous book.
One thing I have discovered since I write about my reading is, in order to find great books, I have to read many mediocre books and some rotten books. Maybe that helps make the great books even better. On the upside, it was a short book.

The Count is: 8

In Car Reading

I finished another book on audio this morning. Listening to the books on audio is interesting. I will get involved in the story, go in the house, and want to pick up the book. It can get confusing. If I am listening to the book in the car, I am probably reading a book in the house too. Today I finished a book by Janet Dailey, Something More. The story kept me involved while I was driving, but it was not good enough that I felt like I did not want to get out of the car. That does happen. Sometimes I will sit in the parking lot at work to get through a good part of a book before I go inside.
This is a story about Glory, Wyoming. There is a rancher, Luke McCallister (hasn't that name be used over and over). He finds a human body on his property. That brings Angie to Wyoming to claim the remains of her grandfather and search for gold.
It really is a lame story. I am glad I did not buy the book, or buy the audio. I just checked it out at the library.
What I did buy was, The Lady With The Dragon Tattoo. I just started listening to it this morning. I might need to start over. I was half sleeping on my drive to work. Not sure I remember what it was about. This morning it sounded confusing. Hope it will be easy to follow on audio.
I am reading the 4th book in the bride quartet series by Nora Roberts. I have really enjoyed this series. Nora Roberts writes such sweet little love stories!

The Count is: 25

The Count is 30

Finished an audio book today. I really do enjoy the audio books. I cannot imagine the drive without my books. So much more enjoyable to spend time in the car with a book.
This was a long story. Honeysuckle Summer by Sherryl Woods. I have read a few things by Sherryl Woods. Her books are similar to Debbie McComber. Just sweet stories.
Her devastating marriage behind her, Raylene Hammond is truly thankful for her best friends the Sweet Magnolias. Her friends took her in, shielding her from the world. She meets sheriff Carter Rollins, and suddenly Raylene's haven no longer feels quite so safe. The main story is about Raylene and Carter. There all also a few sub stories of some of their other friends. Cute loves stories. Raylene working with a counselor to get over agoraphobia. A teen with with an eating disorder. Two other couples working on their relationships. Story flows nice. Easy to follow, even in the car. There were no surprises but still an enjoyable story.
I have never read the series that starts with, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. I have picked it up a few times, just never ended up buying.. A blog follower suggested I listen to the series on audio. I think I am going to try that next. I started a new book on my way home. That is the last book I have checked out. Next time I go to the library I will look for the series.
With only 30 books left to read, my goals seems more attainable. I am waiting for the new John Grisham book to be delivered. That will keep me busy this week-end. Next month's book club read is a short one. This just might happen!! Stay tuned.

Deviation in Week-End Plans

I finished by second book of the week-end. I stayed up late reading Thursdays at Eight by Debbie MaComber. It is a cute story. Four women meet in a journal writing class. They continue to meet once a week for coffee. When do they meet? Thursday mornings at 8:00. They are different ages, with different life styles, different levels of careers. It is a story of where each of their lives take them in a year. They continue to keep journals. Stay in contact. Support each other through hard times. It is a good story. Not a unique story. I am going to rate it a 2. That is not saying it is bad. It is just hard for me to compare books with more substance to books that are just fun light reading. I tend to be harder on books after I rate something a 5. I need to learn to rate each book as a stand alone. If you would enjoy a light read, and like Debbie MaComber, you will like this story.
I ended up having to leave my house today. Ruined by week-end plans. I had to go clear over to the other side of town to drop something off for my sister in law. She left some clothes in the hotel when she stayed in town last week-end. Last week-end I had to go pick the clothes up. This week-end I had to drop the clothes off at her friend's house. It can really be a burden being the youngest in the family. I am expected to take care of the old people in my family.
I stopped and got gas while I was out. Now I do not have to do that tomorrow. I have a roast in the crock-pot. Making a nice dinner for a cool fall night. Grandkids are coming to the spend the night. We will cuddle in for a relaxing evening. Now I have a few minutes before they get here. Think I will start my next book.
Hope you are having a relaxing week-end too!

Friday Night

Today during my soul sucking day at work, I made a plan. My plan for the week-end. I decided to stop by Walmart on my way home. Buy groceries. This is something I rarely do. I usually hurry home and go without groceries. Today I had a plan. I came home, put the groceries away, put on comfy clothes, and started cooking pizza. After dinner, I did just enough clean-up in the kitchen to make it presentable. This is the good part. My plan is READING. When I finish reading one book, I will READ another. The is the big plan. I just finished my first book. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. I started reading it a couple of nights ago.

The Old Lady is first on the waiting list for it. I know what you are thinking. Why would you lend the Old Lady a book again? Well, everyone deserves a second chance, even the Old Lady. She is basically good at heart. Sure there is her pill problem. Winter is approaching so there is also her cough syrup addiction. Besides those two things, she is good at heart. I know this time she will read the book quickly and give it back. I know it, because I expect her to say that in the comments of this blog. There is a waiting list behind her. I am going to trust she will get it back to be in a timely manner.

This is not the same level of writing we have come to expect from Mr. Sparks. Normally, his stories surprise me with a unique twist. Not so in this story. A mysterious woman appears in a small North Caroline town. She is determined to keep to herself. We meets Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two children. The story is how Kate and Alex slowly get to know each. Katie begins to let Alex into her life. Eventually, Katie's past catches up to the both of them.

It was nice to just read a story. I think I am going to rate it a 2. It is really more than a 2 but less than a 3. Unfortunately, there are not half ratings in this blog. Sorry Bride To Be.

Now I need to get back to the plan. Book two sitting next to me on the table ready to go.

Feels Good To Close A Book

Today I finished a book that normally would have taken me one evening to read. The books is called Passing by Nella Larsen. A co-worker recommended it and gave me her copy when she heard me talking about The Help. The thought this book would be a great follow up to The Help. Passing was published in 1929. I can tell in the writing style that it was written long ago. The story does not flow as well as it should.
It is about African Americans that can pass as White. This particular story is about a woman, Clare, that marries a white man without his knowing she is not white. He is not only white, but a terrible bigot. The story is told through the eyes of a childhood friend of Clare's, Irene. Irene on a whim goes into an upscale restaurant that she would not be allowed in if she could not pass. At first she does not recognize Clare. Then Clare comes to her table and they become reacquainted.
It is a sad story, a dark story. I think after the restaurant scene it goes downhill fast. The secret life that Clare lives is very sad. She is shut off from her family and old friends. She chose to Pass for the money and grander life style. After seeing Irene, I think it becomes clear to Clare that she could still have had a grand life without living a lie.
I can only give the book a rating of 2. The story is worth reading. I just do not enjoy the choppy feeling I get from the writing. I should have finished it in a evening. I would have enjoyed it much more.
If you read, The Help, you would enjoy this book. Check it out from the library. Give yourself an evening to read it. Another view into the ugliness of racism. With the angle of some disapproval from African Americans towards people trying to Pass. Let me know what you think if you do read it.

A Cup of Comfort for Inspiration-One Summer

I was finally able to finish a book. It feels like a very long reading drought. I was going to find a Chicken Soup For The Soul. The salesperson at Barnes suggested I try this book. Just about the same thing as Chicken Soup books. "Uplifting stories that will brighten your day." The good thing about this book is that it gave me the opportunity to read something with short chapters. It adapted to my short attention span. I can't say the stories were anything that gave me goose bumps or brought me to tears. It is the same premise as the Chicken Soup books. These must be the stories that could not make the Chicken Soup cut. I should have just reread one of the Chicken Soup books that I already own. I am just at the point I need to keep reading to try for a book connection. Books take me to my happy place. I am only give to give this book a 2 rating. I expect more from my sappy inspiration books.

I continue to listen to and enjoy my audio books. Last week I listened to a cute romance by Nora Roberts called, One Summer. It was one of her predictable romances. Two professional photographers spend a summer driving across the country taking pictures together. Obviously, they have different styles. He is aloof, more serious. She has a light side. They are attracted to each other immediately. They agree to a summer fling, no strings attached. You know where this is going. We have read it before. They are afraid to admit to the other person that they have deeper feelings. I will give this book a 2 rating too. It felt like a 3 when I was listening to it. That is because at 5:45 am I have lower expectations. It is just great to hear a voice in the car. I continue to enjoy my enhanced car rides now that I have added audio books. It does not feel like I am wasting two hours a day. Nice to get something accomplished. I know I have to keep the books light and easy to follow. Driving can be so distracting. It is almost like I need to give most of my attention to the driving and can only give a small percentage of my brain over to the book. People have been telling me to try it since I started my commute. Glad I finally gave it a chance. I will not be listening to something major like Catcher In The Rye and consider it "reading" the classics. Light reads will continue to flood my car in the early morning hour.

Little Children by Tom Perrotta

This book was passed along to me by a new follower. I can tell the downside to having a blog will be when I rate a book someone recommends to me that I do not love.

There are many things going on in this book. There are two main couples struggling with stale marriages. There is a child molester released back into a community. The book touches on the molester's mother. There is a retired police officer that could not stay on the force after killing someone in the line of duty. There is a recreational football team.

There some positives to the book. There are some unique subjects. I like the writing.

Unfortunately, there are more things I did not like about the book. I did not find most of the characters likable. One woman whined too much about her life. One man was trying to pass his bar exam to become a lawyer. He was weak and made excuses for his failures. One wife was pushing her husband to be something he clearly did not want to be. She had a career but made it seem like it was just something she was doing until her husband could make the big bucks. A vigilante crossing the line. Sure cannot like a child molester.

I felt like there were too many things going on and did not come together very well. I would not call it poorly written. It did not seem choppy. Just felt too long. At the end, I felt like the author got tired of writing and just quickly pulled it together.

All of that said, my review can also be a reflection of the fact I need a light Spring read. I gave the book a 2.