“It is my destiny to know people who abuse punctuation.” ― Caroline Kepnes, Hidden Bodies
So twisted..but I loved it!
I do not know why I liked part two“It is my destiny to know people who abuse punctuation.” ― Caroline Kepnes, Hidden Bodies
So twisted..but I loved it!
I do not know why I liked part two so much more then one. I have seen some reviews and others seem to feel the opposite.
Maybe because this one is not so creepy and there is a firm story that goes beyond the book store. Joe is such an odd character! I thought so in "You" but now I know it's true. He is a heck of a book character to spend time with. And I love Love! (Anyone who has not read the book will not know what I am talking about.)
I really hope there will be a part three. I want to know how the story plays out. In any event, for myself, Hidden Bodies was a heck of a read. I enjoyed it greatly....more
“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
I loved it as a kid. Jane was s“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
I loved it as a kid. Jane was sort of an idol to me. I will admit though that I did alot of skimming as the book went on . It is a tough book to get through..I personally think certain parts are unable to put down interesting and others made me sleepy. But there were no gray areas. Either great parts of the book..or not great. I really did not find much in between.
I have not done or attempted to do a reread as with many others from my past so some details are vague. I will post more after I do a reread....more
"What right did that Swiss bourgeois have to impose his own taste on the presentation of the collection? Did his financial backing give him a free rei"What right did that Swiss bourgeois have to impose his own taste on the presentation of the collection? Did his financial backing give him a free rein to call all the shots"?
Spring Collection by Judith Krantz
3.5 stars rounded up to four for Spring Collection.
What Fun reading! This is a book about three models who win a contest and what happens to them as a result. Most of the story takes place in Paris which is pretty nice. It's a fun book that I really enjoyed.
The three models are as different as can be. There is April, the sweet blonde, Jordan, the woman of color and Tinker, a redhead. The three of them will have their chance to model for a famous designer in Paris where one of them will be chosen as the face of his new collection.
There are two other pivotal women characters in this book. The lady who books the models, a sassy mischievous lady by the name of Frankie and Justine the owner of Loring Modeling agency.
This is chick lit and it is a great read for when you have read one to many dark books and want a break. Parts of it are not realistic so there is that. Interestingly, I had not to many issues with that aspect. It was a fun read, made all the more fun by some really good characterizations.
I should say it is not all sweetness and light..some pretty dark stuff does happen. But by and large it is a light fun read and I enjoyed it....more
I really liked this book. It somehow combines Chick Lit, mystery, romance, character study, almost every genre and manages to do it well. INo reviews?
I really liked this book. It somehow combines Chick Lit, mystery, romance, character study, almost every genre and manages to do it well. I think people should read it but I am amazed at the lack of reviews. I cannot be alone in liking this book.
SPOILERS:
It was a solid 4 star read but would have been a 5 if not for a bit of absurdity involving the ending. I cared about both these women but after Stacy slept with Robert it was tough to have much sympathy for her. Just what was she trying to prove?
I also found a scene of animal cruelty involving a flying balloon that made me knock off a star. I do that whenever I find a scene of animal cruelty in almost any book.
I enjoyed much of The Ties that bind. I enjoyed the look at a very complicated friendship between two very complicated ladies. I wept for Elise. I could not believe the ending but that's my issue. Otherwise, I liked it greatly and hope to see more reviews on an interesting and different read.
“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Sigh. I was obsessed with the world of Narnia as a kid. I even tried to get there through the closet!
“I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Chocolate Milk, falling snowflakes and Little Women.
Nothing bette“I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
Chocolate Milk, falling snowflakes and Little Women.
Nothing better then that.
Loved reading about Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. Reread many times. A favorite of both myself and my mom. Not sure which little woman was my favorite but I think I will go with Beth....more
“You can't change the desert. You can only take the fastest course through it. Wishing it's an oasis won't make it so...” ― Michelle Moran, Nefertiti
T“You can't change the desert. You can only take the fastest course through it. Wishing it's an oasis won't make it so...” ― Michelle Moran, Nefertiti
This is the first book I have ever read about Nefertiti. It was a great read.
It takes the reader through Nefertiti's whole life.I did not know much about before reading this book. It was particularly wonderful at setting the mood and taking us inside her world.
I have read other books by this author and she is great at Historical Fiction. But I particularly enjoyed this one. I have always had an interest in Cleopatra but knew very little about Nefertiti. I learned so much.
For me, when reading any work of historical fiction, I need to feel like I'm there. Atmosphere is as important as good writing. Michelle Moran does both. I breezed through this book and really enjoyed it.
There is alot of tragedy but that I did know going in. It is also told through the eyes of Nefertiti's sister which some readers did not like but which I thought was fine.
I would give this 4.5 stars. This is a compelling work of Historical Fiction, written extremely well and I very much enjoyed it....more
“There are times when the midsummer sun strikes cold, and when the leaping flames of a hearthfire give no heat. Times when the chill within us comes n“There are times when the midsummer sun strikes cold, and when the leaping flames of a hearthfire give no heat. Times when the chill within us comes not from fears we know, but from fears unknown-and forever unknowable.” ― Patricia Clapp, Jane-Emily
Does anyone remember this eerie and fascinating little book from days gone by?
This is a chilling little read from my childhood years that I have reread since then and find just as creepy as back then. OK..Maybe not just as creepy..but still creepy nonetheless!
I remember after reading this just feeling the eeriness and the ominous feelings. And does anyone look at reflecting Balls in the same way again?
This is one of those timeless tales that can be enjoyed by anyone in any age group and despite the fact that it is a pretty small book and I am an adult now..that Emily..that reflection.. Yowsa!...more
“Clams served on Quinnipeague were dug from the from the flats hours before cooking, and the batter, which was exquisitely light, held bits of parsley“Clams served on Quinnipeague were dug from the from the flats hours before cooking, and the batter, which was exquisitely light, held bits of parsley and thyme. Other fried clams couldn't compare.”
Barbara Delinsky-Sweet Salt Air
I am a very visual reader. When I read, I like to see colors, beautiful, glimmering colors all around me.
You know what colors surround this book?
Blues – every shade of blue imaginable.
Turquoise and aquamarine and glowing azure blue and brilliant, brilliant Sapphire.
These are the colors of beauty. These are the colors of Maine.
That is where it takes place. On an island in Maine. Is there any more beautiful place than Maine?
This is a book about friendship. And marriage. And love.
And it also takes place on that beautiful island in the beautiful state of Maine (The way life should be.) All Mainers will get that reference.
I do not live in Maine but have been there many times, from childhood into adulthood. What a joy to read a book that takes place in one of my very favorite states.
It is magnificent and it was a pleasure to read this book, aptly titled "Sweet Salt Air", that takes place there.
The air inMaine does, indeed, have its own smell. It does smell sweet and salty and breezy and blue.
I liked the book so very much bur though I loved and adored where it took place, I did have a few issues.
I found it to be interesting and I loved the writing, particularly the descriptiveness around this beautiful little Maine island. I wanted to go there! That is what kept me reading.
But the reason I liked but did not love this this is because of my dislike for one of the main characters which I could not get over and which dulled my enjoyment of the book a bit. For spoiler reasons I will not say which character. But suffice to say that had much to do with why I struggled. I still want to make clear that I firmly recommend this book.
I also enjoyed reading about one lady more then the other. I did not skim this one but there were moments honestly when it moved a bit slowly, although I'd still call it a very good read. I just preferred to read about some characters over others.
Oh..if you choose to read this..bring your appetite.
That may seem an odd thing to write but one of the main characters is a food blogger..and..well..suffice to say there are many a reference to food. Also, because this takes place in Maine, Seafood capital of the USA, there are many references to Seafood, as seen in the quote I chose to use. Yes, this book may make one eat more then usual, I must say.
Don’t forget to check out the delightful and exquisite cover!
I'd recommend it. The main reason for that is the beautifully descriptive writing. The story is interwoven with the tranquil coastal island in Maine and the prose, particularly about said island, is delightful and it wasn't all that hard to keep on reading. This is my first book by this author and I will certainly look for more of her books in the future....more
“I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the cho“I finally understood what true love meant...love meant that you care for another person's happiness more than your own, no matter how painful the choices you face might be.” ― Nicholas Sparks, Dear John
It was so sad! I loved the sweet story about John and Savannah. I also cried my eyes out. What is it about Sparks that does that? I do not read much romance, not anywhere as near as much as I used to but Sparks is the gold standard of romance novels and I will continue to happily read his work.
Although my favorite of his still remains "The Notebook", this book charmed me and its sweetness just wraps itself around you. Without revealing any spoilers, I'd say if you choose to read this have some kleenex on hand although if you've read Sparks before you likely know this.
A great book..a must read for romance novels fans....more
"One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object"One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me.” ― George Orwell, 1984
"He envied them over there, the Nicelys, the Garners, the Wrights, and their neighbors, for the long slow afternoons filled with late light and the la"He envied them over there, the Nicelys, the Garners, the Wrights, and their neighbors, for the long slow afternoons filled with late light and the lazy wane of day".
Perfect Family by Pam Lewis
"and everything-the house, the lawn, the shore, and half the lake-was in shadow. A stiff wind was kicking up whitecaps on the water. a handful of sailboats scudded quickly, their small white sails crowded together as they headed for the last race buoy".
Perfect Family by Pam Lewis
When William's sister Pony, mysteriously dies in a drowning accident, her family is left reeling. And William himself has many questions.
Pony's always been an amazing swimmer. So how could she have drowned? What happened that night?
As William tries to adjust, he begins to suspect there is more to Pony's death then meets the eye. But as much as William wants to find out what happened, he is discovering that Pony may have had some secrets. And he also must deal with his family who is unraveling around him.
This was a really fun read. So much so that I suggested it to a former book group and we chose it as one of our monthly selections.
I really enjoyed the moodiness throughout this book. It takes place mostly in New England where I am from. One really feels the atmosphere all through the book and that just adds the allure of Family Secrets.
Daniel is an interesting and complex man. I liked him as well as feeling for him.
It was tough for me to warm to all the characters however....Tinker especially.I found her strident and annoying. I have known to many "Tinkers" in my life not to think of them as I read about her.
If there was one thing I did not love it was how easy it was to figure out some..not all..but some..of the details.
Also..Pony dies so early..she was such an interesting character she could have had her own book. I wanted to know her more. I'd still rate this a four though because it is an interesting and moody book
SPOILERS:
I really love the trip to Idaho. Love the unexpected humor. ("This is Idaho".) It is like saying "Your not in Kansas anymore!"
However I will never ever go white water rafting after reading this book!
A very good mystery. Had much fun reading it....more
“As is always the way in fairy tales, bad has to happen as well as good. We human beings survive on hope that those good moments will come again.” ― L“As is always the way in fairy tales, bad has to happen as well as good. We human beings survive on hope that those good moments will come again.” ― Lucinda Riley, The Girl on the Cliff
“Every human being has a fascinating existence, with a big cast of good and evil characters in each.” ― Lucinda Riley, The Girl on the Cliff
The girl on the cliff sure has some beautiful cover art I must say.
This was an interesting read. It isn't my favorite book out there but it does tell a compelling story and is both well written and very moving.
I loved the ethereal aspect to this book. Even the cover has that component.
This story takes place on the coast of Ireland which I must say sounds breathtakingly beautiful. The setting was part of what really made this book interesting. I also really got drawn in and loved the character of Grania. The friendship she forms with the girl on the cliff was poignant and it was a very touching story. And (for me anyway) it is not at all the kind of book you can DNF once you start because you so want to know what happens.
So why a three rating? Well it was a bit difficult to follow at times. It also does move a bit slowly but at no point did I consider not finishing it.
There were a few events that happened that were a bit out of a soap opera concerning Grania's love life but that really did not detract from the story.
SPOILERS:
Did not expect that ending and it was quite sad..and I have to say I did not like the ending as I am sure many readers didn't. The whole book had a bittersweet quality. I will also say it was slow to start but don't give up on it because it has a nice slow buildup and once you become interested you might find yourself lost in it. I did....more
“To be successful you need friends and to be very successful you need enemies.” ― Sidney Sheldon, The Other Side of Midnight
Such a great book. My favo“To be successful you need friends and to be very successful you need enemies.” ― Sidney Sheldon, The Other Side of Midnight
Such a great book. My favorite Sheldon novel.
This is a long and epic read about four individuals some of whom we do not meet right away. It takes place over a long period of time and pretty much has everything. Love, war, history, romance, family betrayals, legal drama, high fashion, high times, low times, Nazis, heroes fighting Nazis, ac tresses, first love, murder, betrayal, mind games, war crimes, Epic family sagas, in infidelity, deceit, tragedy, joy, pain and glory.
Did I leave anything out?
It is a huge book I reread every few years or so to remind me of how much I love reading. This book was turned into a film starring Susan Sarandon as Catherine. I do not think the movie can touch the book.
SPOILERS:
Twist at the end..all time favorite of book twists. Just..nothing else can compare.
Sequel I was not wild about and like to pretend it did not happen. This one stands alone fine.
Be prepared to be transported to France..to Greece..all over the world! I loved the way Sheldon brought these countries to life and felt as though I was there.
“A fine line separates the weary recluse from the fearful hermit. Finer still is the line between hermit and bitter misanthrope.” ― Dean Koontz, Veloc“A fine line separates the weary recluse from the fearful hermit. Finer still is the line between hermit and bitter misanthrope.” ― Dean Koontz, Velocity
Imagine if you were to go to your car and had a note waiting for you in the way that Billy did. What on earth would you do?
I must say I have not read much of Koontz work. I did enjoy this fast paced little mystery though. The person who gave this novel to me said she had a tough time getting into it but I didn't. The beginning starts powerfully and I was drawn right in.
SPOILERS:
I'd like to say the whole book was as good as the beginning but it wasn't. It was still worth reading, particularly if you like a good mystery.
I enjoyed most of Velocity. The issue for me was the ending.
There are also not alot of suspects in our pool to choose from. It is pretty easy to figure out who did it. The ending seemed overly dramatic when Billy is fighting the villain and I caught myself rolling my eyes a few times.
What I liked best..surprisingly..was the very unusual love story. That is not the main focus of the story but it is in a way(if that makes any sense.). I found Billy's devotion to his girl to be quite touching and the book is worth reading just for that.
“In other words, I am the Brunette Who Keeps Her Head.” ― Jane Heller, Name Dropping
This book is a laugh a minute. Go ahead and grab a copy.
This is a “In other words, I am the Brunette Who Keeps Her Head.” ― Jane Heller, Name Dropping
This book is a laugh a minute. Go ahead and grab a copy.
This is a book I do not know how to categorize. Women's fiction, humor, Chick lit, I guess all of the above.
Wickedly good fun. Nancy is a Preschool teacher. She lives in NYC and is single, actually divorced. She is bored. Bored with her life, her job, her singleness.
Then another lady movies into her apartment building. And this lady has the SAME name as our Nancy. The same first name..and last.
They start receiving each other's mail. Which would be fine except Nancy One..the preschool teacher.. starts getting invites to Celebrity parties, benefits, her phone starts ringing with international Playboys asking her out. Turns out Nancy two is a beautiful Jet setter and reporter whose job it is to interview just about anyone who has fame to their name. Needless to say it starts making our teacher feel pretty sad about her own life.
When the phone rings one night and Teacher Nancy hears a really nice wholesome sounding guy on the other line asking for a date..she accepts..even though the guy thinks she is Nancy the reporter.
This is a delightful comedy/romance/mystery that kind of puts the F in fun and made me howl with laughter in some spots. Teacher Nancy is a great story teller and there is much more story to be told then I have covered in here. This is such a solid 5 star read, such a fun zippy little book I highly recommend anyone reading this pick up a copy now!...more
"Hello. I'm Nicole Clark. I'm going to marry your husband".
Joy Fielding-The Other Woman
This is a reread.
Imagine if you, happily married, in love..madl"Hello. I'm Nicole Clark. I'm going to marry your husband".
Joy Fielding-The Other Woman
This is a reread.
Imagine if you, happily married, in love..madly with your spouse. You are together at a party when a beautiful lady comes up to you and says the words above.
That is what happens to Jill Plumley in this incredible little book, that I love more then most people who probably read it. I have read tons of books and much romance and chick lit. I do not usually love these genres so I cannot really say why this particular book stayed with me but it did and I actually own a copy.
So Jill married David after stealing him away from his first wife, Elaine. So she knows it can be done. But, to Jill's credit she did not know he was married when they first me t. David tells her he is separated which is quite a hint as to his character because in reality he is not separated. By the time Jill finds this out, she is madly in love with him .
David is handsome and fun and charismatic and he likes women. Alot. And it doesn't hurt that Jill is getting older and Nicole is much younger and stunning. And Jill has residual feelings of guilt over having an affair with him herself. Guilt and self recrimination play a huge role in this story.
Obviously infidelity in books has been done so much but I liked this particular premise. At first I was quite frustrated by Jill. Oh. Stop reading my review if you have not read because now there will be:
SPOILERS:
Jill at first is very passive about the whole thing. David offers to speak to Nicole with Jill beside him and she says no. (WHY I do not know.) If that had been me I'd have said heck yeah baby!. But Jill feels in her own words "like a rat in a maze". David and Nicole work together so he has to see her. And as the book deepens, David is getting closer to Nicole. When one of the other lawyers at his law firm (where he and Nicole both work) is killed that only brings them closer.
Some reviewers and readers may not like Jill but I did. She is a fully fleshed out very real character, not without her own faults but very human and she tries her best. The guilt from stealing David has never left her and it does not help this his children and ex wife despise her.
She is however very much a passive observer of her own life. As mentioned, I was baffled as to why she continually rejects David's offer to speak to Nicole. And when Nicole and Jill have an altercation at the local gym, Jill does not even tell David about it.
To be clear..David's a jerk. Even if Jill had been more assertive it is likely that her and David's relationship would have crumbled. As Jill ultimately learns at the end, any bit of pressure on David and the mask crumbles. He comes across as not just needy and self absorbed but incredibly weak willed and indecisive.
Gradually Jill gains some esteem. She decides to go back into her old field of television production which she gave up when she married David. This book came out a long time ago and may seem dated to some but I feel the story works, even today.
There is a second story involving the above mentioned murdered lawyer and I really appreciated that story as it delves into domestic abuse and made for fantastic reading. And I felt for Beth too. I also thought she could have had her own book. I'd have liked to know what ultimately happened to her.
Jill eventually sends David packing as by now he is openly seeing Nicole and wants Jill to "wait for" him. If there is one thing I could have changed, it is that I really wanted David to be told off, Nicole to be told off and both of them to break up but that didn't happen and the story was great anyway. I did always hope she'd write a a part two of this one but she never did. Jill finds her way at the end though and that was incredibly satisfying.
Highly recommended for Women's fiction and chick lit lovers....more
Bren fall in love with the sea.
>
Books:
fantastic-book-covers
(103)
Loading...
