tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30490264892729484712024-03-04T22:35:46.413-08:00Once Upon a Time...a girl fell in love with bookspinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-38985400621107637762013-01-01T06:32:00.002-08:002013-01-01T06:32:15.928-08:00<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13366259-the-yellow-birds" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Yellow Birds" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346188518m/13366259.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13366259-the-yellow-birds">The Yellow Birds</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3140334.Kevin_Powers">Kevin Powers</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/491451434">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I wish I liked this book more. I thought the writing was stellar. But I just didn't connect with the story. I didn't feel anything for the characters, and didn't really understand the plot half the time. <br /><br />This would be a great book for reading groups. I'm sure with careful study and discussion, there would be so much more to explore in this book - symbolism, character's motivations, etc.<br /><br />
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pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-72215888262370929172012-11-12T17:44:00.002-08:002012-11-12T17:44:37.126-08:00<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137327-enclave" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Enclave (Razorland, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327877657m/7137327.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7137327-enclave">Enclave</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/835348.Ann_Aguirre">Ann Aguirre</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/454383874">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Wow - I really loved this book! I've had several people recommend it, so even though I just finished another distopian book (The Dog Stars), I figured this would be different enough. The best part of waiting so long to read it? I can go straight to the next book in the series! Outpost is sitting here, ready to be read - yay!<br /><br />I love strong female characters - Deuce has grown up preparing to be a Huntress. She's strong and brave, but still tender. She is partnered with Fade, a boy who is an "outsider" - not born in the enclave, but brought into it as a young boy. Together, they fight the "freaks" and grow close, learning to depend on each other more than on those in charge of the enclave.<br />
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pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-60760302993869436102012-09-06T19:48:00.002-07:002012-09-06T19:48:44.716-07:00<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12875258-tell-the-wolves-i-m-home" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Tell The Wolves I'm Home" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1335450415m/12875258.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12875258-tell-the-wolves-i-m-home">Tell The Wolves I'm Home</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5274234.Carol_Rifka_Brunt">Carol Rifka Brunt</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/408965188">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
A beautiful book on the surface about a young girl who has lost her beloved uncle to AIDS, and her growing friendship with his lover. But with as much depth as this book has, it's hard to describe it that simply and do it any justice. It's a coming-of-age, it's a romance, it's about two sisters finding their friendship again, it's about honoring a dying person's wishes. It's about first love, and saying goodbye. And doing bad things for the right reasons, and forgiveness. <br /><br />
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pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-63719113375703235982012-09-01T18:23:00.003-07:002012-09-01T18:23:26.758-07:00<br />
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="A Monster Calls" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1331787035m/8621462.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8621462-a-monster-calls">A Monster Calls</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/370361.Patrick_Ness">Patrick Ness</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/379125130">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
This is one of those rare books that not just pulls you in and brings so much emotion out, but is so beautifully written that you have to go slowly and savor each word.<br /><br />Even now, a month after reading it, I still am haunted by it. On the surface: A young boy with a dying mother is visited by a monster who tells him stories. On a deeper level, the monster serves to help him deal with the loss of his mother. But there's even more than that. It's a story about stories, about loss, about love, and relationships.<br /><br />I will definitely read this one again - I will have a copy on my keeper shelf and share it with as many people as I can talk into reading it.<br />
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pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-62648439483645923452012-01-27T17:17:00.001-08:002012-01-27T17:17:49.959-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11018878-it-takes-a-witch" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="It Takes a Witch (A Wishcraft Mystery, #1)" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zg1AsgvVL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11018878-it-takes-a-witch">It Takes a Witch</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3178457.Heather_Blake">Heather Blake</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/264215556">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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As a HUGE fan of the Lucy Valentine books, I was really excited to get my hands on this one! <br />
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And.... I liked it - a lot. But I didn't love it like I love the Lucy Valentine series, so I felt disappointed. And that's really not fair, because this was a very cute book and I really think the series has so much potential. There are great characters, an AWESOME setting, and a really unique take on witchcraft.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-20130069430604961172012-01-18T19:22:00.001-08:002012-01-18T19:22:01.043-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8113940-witches-of-east-end" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Witches of East End (The Beauchamp Family, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294433454m/8113940.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8113940-witches-of-east-end">Witches of East End</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21911.Melissa_de_la_Cruz">Melissa de la Cruz</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/264211658">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Despite lots of bad reviews, I decided to go ahead and read this, and I'm so glad I did! I actually really enjoyed it.<br />
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Basically, three witches (a mother and two daughters) begin to use their magic (they'd been forbidden to practice since the Salem witch trials). At the same time, strange things start to happen in their town, and they work together to solve the mysteries.<br />
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True, it could have been better - lots better. The book was definitely short on details - I would have loved to hear more about their past, the ancient goings-on that led to the current situation, etc. But for a short, easy read, it was good.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-32994558135156408612012-01-18T05:19:00.001-08:002012-01-18T05:19:54.179-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/316558.Kabul_Beauty_School" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320448527m/316558.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/316558.Kabul_Beauty_School">Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/182089.Deborah_Rodriguez">Deborah Rodriguez</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/260646746">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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(This is the audio version)<br />
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I liked it - didn't love it. The narrator was very good, but the story really dragged in some places. And like others have said, it seemed out of chronological order, making it hard to follow.<br />
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Still, the stories were good and it does make you aware of the plight of Afghan women.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-76189059548127465362012-01-15T04:00:00.001-08:002012-01-15T04:00:06.330-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11534527-the-innocent" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Innocent (Vanessa Michael Munroe #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320457864m/11534527.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11534527-the-innocent">The Innocent</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4119134.Taylor_Stevens">Taylor Stevens</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/260646668">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Vanessa Michael Munroe is one of my favorite characters. In The Informationist, she is hired to find a missing daughter. In this book, she's again hired to find and extract a daughter, this time a young girl being hidden by The Chosen, a religious cult operating in Buenos Aires.<br />
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Again, she teams up with Miles Bradford and with her friend Logan and two others, travels to South America and infiltrates the cult.<br />
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I love the complexity of this character. She grew up with missionaries but ended up living on her own, teaming up with some mercenaries. There, she was trained to be a fighter, and she learned well. She was also tortured on a regular basis by one of the men there - and who she eventually killed. All this creates a fascinating character with unique skills.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-48434204140325549262012-01-04T03:41:00.001-08:002012-01-04T03:41:18.743-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11045709-when-she-woke" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="When She Woke" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1306504418m/11045709.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11045709-when-she-woke">When She Woke</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/972440.Hillary_Jordan">Hillary Jordan</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/254766711">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This was a very good book. As a retelling of The Scarlet Letter, it can't quite compete with the classic. Still, as a dystopian novel, it definitely has some very good things going for it. It's beautifully written, and Hannah is a haunting character. Yes, some parts are a bit of a stretch but overall it's a good story.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-44519284694467506672012-01-02T05:58:00.001-08:002012-01-02T05:58:57.836-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11082037-the-drop" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Drop (Harry Bosch, #16)" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5139zOQirJL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11082037-the-drop">The Drop</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12470.Michael_Connelly">Michael Connelly</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/252641173">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Another terrific Harry Bosch novel! <br />
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I've been a fan of Michael Connelly since his 3rd book - I read the first three Bosch novels in a row and since then I've waited anxiously for each new book. Harry Bosch is one of the best characters written - he's developed over the years, faced some of his own demons, and moved forward. Now he's a single father of a 15 year old daughter, trying to balance work and family.<br />
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This book has him working two cases - a open-unsolved case involving the murder of a young girl and he's called in to investigate Irvin Irving's son's death. If you've read the series, you will be familiar with the animosity between Bosch and Irving. Irving has requested Bosch personally for the investigation, and Bosch is now in the middle of political "high jingo" which he doesn't like. And the murder case leads him to a pedophile (and the psychiatrist who works with him). Bosch has to work with both to get to the murderer. <br />
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Of course, both cases are solved, but not without some personal torment and loss. Still, Bosch stays true to his convictions, even though he questions them. I think that's why I love this character and these books - there's much more depth than just solving the crime. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-26402311571166591912011-12-29T05:35:00.001-08:002011-12-29T05:35:53.152-08:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10644930-11-22-63" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="11/22/63" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51yvVgcvLsL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10644930-11-22-63">11/22/63</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3389.Stephen_King">Stephen King</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/250358725">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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Absolutely fantastic!!! Be prepared to be sucked in for a while with this one - it's long and involved, but well-worth the time.<br />
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Jake is shown a way to travel to the past and encouraged to do something huge - prevent Kennedy's assassination. Since he can only travel back to 1958, he spends the time between then and 1963 building a life that has more value to him then the one he left. But - here's the rub - he will HAVE to travel back to present time once he stops the assassination to make sure everything's ok. Once he does that, he can't go back.<br />
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Stephen King is one of the best wordsmiths there is. While some of his books are definitely better than others, they are all great, in my opinion. This one stands at the top of the list though - one of my favorite King books has always been It (and yay! some It characters make a showing in this book!). 11/22/63 comes close to taking over the top spot (and only doesn't because I just LOVE when King gets truly creepy).<br />
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I give this one all 5 stars without hesitation.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-87495468087730242442011-12-20T04:30:00.001-08:002011-12-20T04:30:17.878-08:00Emory's Gift<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9756659-emory-s-gift" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Emory's Gift" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312054658m/9756659.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9756659-emory-s-gift">Emory's Gift</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/327737.W_Bruce_Cameron">W. Bruce Cameron</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/249141464">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This book is such a gem!! It's heart-warming and thought-provoking. Charlie is an 8th grade boy who has lost his mother, has trouble relating to his father, and is trying to find his social place at school. Things are not happy for him, and then he sees a grizzly bear in the wild - and somehow they connect. The grizzly comes home with him and stays in his barn - and apparently is a reincarnated Civil War soldier with a message.<br />
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Like his other book, A Dog's Purpose, Cameron has written a book with an animal as a main character - one who is more than "just" an animal. Even though this book focuses mostly on Charlie, the magic of an animal being "more" is a big part of the novel, and is what makes both books so magical.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-75400916110177304612011-11-13T15:31:00.001-08:002011-11-13T15:31:40.286-08:00The Hour I First Believed<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3086160-the-hour-i-first-believed" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Hour I First Believed" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255637905m/3086160.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3086160-the-hour-i-first-believed">The Hour I First Believed</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3505.Wally_Lamb">Wally Lamb</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/234812954">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This is another wonderful book by Wally Lamb. I absolutely loved "I Know This Much Is True" but for some reason, I held off reading this for a long time! Finally, I picked it up and was immediately engrossed in it.<br />
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In a nutshell:<br />
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<i>When high school teacher Caelum Quirk and his wife, Maureen, move to Littleton, Colorado, they both get jobs at Columbine High School. In April 1999, while Caelum is away, Maureen finds herself in the library at Columbine, cowering in a cabinet and expecting to be killed. Miraculously, she survives. But when Caelum and Maureen flee to an illusion of safety on the Quirk family's Connecticut farm, they discover that the effects of chaos are not easily put right.</i><br />
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While Maureen fights to regain her sanity, Caelum discovers five generations' worth of diaries, letters, and newspaper clippings in his family's house. As unimaginable secrets emerge, Caelum grapples with the past and struggles to fashion a future from the ashes of tragedy. His quest for meaning is at once mythic and contemporary, personal and quintessentially American.</i><br />
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Expect to fall in love with the characters, flawed as they are, and expect to cry when you close the book.<br />
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This one joins his other books on my keeper shelf!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-6573810957853785552011-08-29T19:30:00.000-07:002011-08-29T19:30:27.513-07:00Hush by Eishes Chayil<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7890134-hush" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Hush" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1312230744m/7890134.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7890134-hush">Hush</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3430680.Eishes_Chayil">Eishes Chayil</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/203444208">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This is a truly heart-rending story of a young girl living in a Chassidic Jewish community in New York who witnesses the molestation of her best friend at the hands of her friend's older brother. Gittel didn't understand what was happening, couldn't protect her friend, and when her friend, Devory, commits suicide, she is told to forget about her and everything that happened.<br />
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Told in alternating narratives from Gittel as a 9 year old and then as a young adult graduating high school and getting married, we see how the experience has haunted her and continues to affect her until she finally speaks out. Again and again and again until people finally start listening, believing, and acting on what she says.<br />
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Based on her own experiences, the author (who writes under the pseudonym Eishes Chayil) has shed light on an issue that has been so hushed up and ignored for so long in her community. <br />
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Highly recommend. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a><br />
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pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-58278019379605013392011-07-09T06:33:00.001-07:002011-07-09T06:33:26.953-07:00Smokin' Seventeen by Janet Evanovich<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9583508-smokin-seventeen" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Smokin' Seventeen (Stephanie Plum, #17)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1297164109m/9583508.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9583508-smokin-seventeen">Smokin' Seventeen</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2384.Janet_Evanovich">Janet Evanovich</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/183346051">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I loved this one! I was disappointed with the last two books but I love Stephanie Plum so much, I read this as soon as I could get it - and it was so good! Stephanie is cursed, her and Lula have the usual adventures, and there's still the Ranger/Morelli dilemma - but it seems a bit fresher than it has been in a while. I hope this upswing continues with the next book!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-88839649495372306972011-06-08T06:49:00.001-07:002011-06-08T06:49:46.568-07:00Delirium by Lauren Oliver<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10232734-delirium" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Delirium (Delirium, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1297565466m/10232734.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10232734-delirium">Delirium</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2936493.Lauren_Oliver">Lauren Oliver</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/174772360">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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YA seems to be flooded with dystopian novels, just as they were with vampire novels not too long ago! I've read several lately, this one being the latest.<br />
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In an undefined time, love is considered a disease, and a procedure exists to give everyone the "cure." It's a mandatory procedure for everyone once they turn 18. Lena is looking forward to it - her mother was never cured and that past haunts her.<br />
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As the day moves closer, Lena becomes more aware of the way things "really" are. She discovers that her world may not be exactly what is presented, and as she begins to question her reality, she faces a life-changing dilemma.<br />
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This is a very well-written novel that is a definite page-turner, with characters that will stay with you for a while after the book ends.<br />
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Delirium is the first book in a planned trilogy, and I will definitely be looking for the next one!<br />
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Also... Look for a movie to come out based on this book! <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-9014210202022961752011-05-22T19:07:00.001-07:002011-05-22T19:07:37.058-07:00Where She Went by Gayle Forman<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Where She Went (If I Stay, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1286145918m/8492825.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8492825-where-she-went">Where She Went</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/295178.Gayle_Forman">Gayle Forman</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/169296443">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This book is the followup to If I Stay, and begins three years after Mia's accident. Told from Adam's viewpoint, we find out what has happened with him over the years.<br />
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When the book starts, he and Mia are NOT together, and haven't been since shortly after she moved away to go to Julliard. He has become a rock star, but isn't close to the rest of the band anymore. He feels very isolated and depressed and is beginning to question whether he wants to continue playing with his band.<br />
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The break-up with Mia has left him feeling very lost, and even though he's tried to move on, he is finally realizing that's he's miserable. As he nears the end of his rope, he runs into her - and begins to finally find a way to heal.<br />
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While not as good as If I Stay, Where She Went is still very well written and absorbing. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-71013391339841625382011-05-22T09:57:00.001-07:002011-05-22T09:57:46.719-07:00The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6837103-the-kitchen-house" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Kitchen House" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275847678m/6837103.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6837103-the-kitchen-house">The Kitchen House</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3067074.Kathleen_Grissom">Kathleen Grissom</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/169833859">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I have such mixed feelings about this book. The good: It's an excellent read. The writing is great and I loved the characters. It was a can't-put-down read!<br />
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The bad, though: I couldn't help but thinking OMG, how much more cr*p are these people going to have to deal with??? In one book, we have murders, rapes, incest, child molestation, alcoholism, drug abuse, adultery, insanity, stillbirths and miscarriages, and just plain old miscellaneous deaths. It was just too much. Way too much! In fact, it was so much that after just the first quarter of the book, I didn't even feel that emotional about it anymore. Parts of the book that should have been guaranteed tear-jerkers left me feeling emotionally void - I was on overload.<br />
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Now, all that said -- I also don't like other authors that are very popular, who I feel play deliberately on emotions (Jodi Picoult comes to mind). So if you are a fan of that type of fiction, then by all means grab this one up - you'll love it! It really is well-written with great characters and a great story. <br />
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But if you want more subtlety, you may want to skip this one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-26139651713019748712011-05-15T19:49:00.000-07:002011-05-15T19:49:09.257-07:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Book Thief" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255579180m/19063.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19063.The_Book_Thief">The Book Thief</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/11466.Markus_Zusak">Markus Zusak</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/168508988">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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First - this is the 2nd time I've read this book, and it was even better the second time around. For those who don't know, this is a story of a young girl living in Nazi Germany, but it is Death who is telling the story.<br />
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This book is absolutely haunting. From the first page to the last, you are drawn in to Death's story of Leisel. He first sees her as a young girl on the way to her foster parents, and he tells her story over the next 4 years or so, as Germany is at war.<br />
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Be prepared to cry and laugh, and in some parts of the book, your heart will break. This is not a quick, easy read but one that deserves an intense focus. <br />
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By far, this is one of the best books I've ever read.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-18616613400182347202011-05-15T06:15:00.000-07:002011-05-15T06:17:32.003-07:00Bought Some Books Yesterday!<div class="image"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Essential-Ingredients-Erica-Bauermeister/dp/B003UHUBLI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305465042&sr=1-1"> <img alt="Product Details" class="productImage" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Bz-7jXIaL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160_.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="image"></div><br />
<a class="title" href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Essential-Ingredients-Erica-Bauermeister/dp/B003UHUBLI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305465042&sr=1-1">The School of Essential Ingredients</a> <span class="ptBrand">by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Erica-Bauermeister/e/B000AP9CZY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1305465042&sr=1-1">Erica Bauermeister</a></span><br />
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<h3 class="productDescriptionSource"><i>Product Description</i></h3><blockquote><i> <b> A "heartbreakingly delicious" national bestseller about a chef, her students, and the evocative lessons that food teaches about life </b><br />
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Once a month, eight students gather in Lillian's restaurant for a cooking class. Among them is Claire, a young woman coming to terms with her new identity as a mother; Tom, a lawyer whose life has been overturned by loss; Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer adapting to life in America; and Carl and Helen, a long-married couple whose union contains surprises the rest of the class would never suspect... </i> <br />
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<i>The students have come to learn the art behind Lillian's soulful dishes, but it soon becomes clear that each seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. And soon they are transformed by the aromas, flavors, and textures of what they create. </i></blockquote><br />
<span class="ptBrand" style="font-size: large;">This book is one of my absolute favorites - and even though I've read it before, when I saw it at the thrift store, I grabbed it to keep on my keeper shelf for a reread, and then I'll be sure to share it with someone.</span><br />
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<div class="image"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Year-Flood-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0307455475/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305465195&sr=1-1"> <img alt="Product Details" class="productImage" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51mA4iivKmL._SL160_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-dp,TopRight,12,-18_SH30_OU01_AA160_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Year-Flood-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0307455475/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305465195&sr=1-1"> </a> </div><br />
<span class="ptBrand"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </span><a class="title" href="http://www.amazon.com/Year-Flood-Margaret-Atwood/dp/0307455475/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305465195&sr=1-1">The Year of the Flood</a> <span class="ptBrand">by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Atwood/e/B000AQTHI0/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1305465195&sr=1-1">Margaret Atwood</a></span><br />
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<blockquote><i><b>Book Description</b><br />
The long-awaited new novel from Margaret Atwood. </i><i>The Year of the Flood is a dystopic masterpiece and a testament to her visionary power.</i><br />
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<i>The times and species have been changing at a rapid rate, and the social compact is wearing as thin as environmental stability. Adam One, the kindly leader of the God's Gardeners--a religion devoted to the melding of science and religion, as well as the preservation of all plant and animal life--has long predicted a natural disaster that will alter Earth as we know it. Now it has occurred, obliterating most human life. Two women have survived: Ren, a young trapeze dancer locked inside the high-end sex club Scales and Tails, and Toby, a God's Gardener barricaded inside a luxurious spa where many of the treatments are edible.</i><br />
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<i>Have others survived? Ren's bioartist friend Amanda? Zeb, her eco-fighter stepfather? Her onetime lover, Jimmy? Or the murderous Painballers, survivors of the mutual-elimination Painball prison? Not to mention the shadowy, corrupt policing force of the ruling powers...</i><br />
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<i>Meanwhile, gene-spliced life forms are proliferating: the lion/lamb blends, the Mo'hair sheep with human hair, the pigs with human brain tissue. As Adam One and his intrepid hemp-clad band make their way through this strange new world, Ren and Toby will have to decide on their next move. They can't stay locked away...</i><br />
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<i> </i><i>By turns dark, tender, violent, thoughtful, and uneasily hilarious, </i><i>The Year of the Flood is Atwood at her most brilliant and inventive. </i></blockquote><br />
I haven't read Oryx and Crake yet, but it's on my very short TBR pile. Now that I have this follow-up, I think I'm going to set aside some time to dive in and then I can pass them both along.pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-41251188491341214102011-05-03T19:18:00.001-07:002011-05-03T19:18:56.587-07:00These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9166559-these-things-hidden" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="These Things Hidden" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1296001564m/9166559.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9166559-these-things-hidden">These Things Hidden</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2875124.Heather_Gudenkauf">Heather Gudenkauf</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/165091791">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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As much as I loved Gudenkauf's first novel, The Weight of Silence, I think this one is so much better.<br />
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Told from the perspective of four women whose lives are interwoven. Allison, recently released from prison, is trying to build a life after serving 5 years for the murder of her newborn baby. Brianna, her sister, refuses to speak to her, and is dealing with serious issues of her own. Claire, the adoptive mother of Joshua, owns a bookstore and gives Allison a job there. And Charm, who has befriended Claire, but has ulterior motives for doing so.<br />
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As events unfold bringing these four women together, we see the events that led up to Allison's incarceration and the heartbreak that all four women have endured over the years.<br />
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The writing is wonderful, making this a book that was so hard to put down. I look forward to more books by this author!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-44239681176634226702011-05-02T15:21:00.001-07:002011-05-02T15:22:33.525-07:00If I Stay by Gayle Forman<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4374400-if-i-stay" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="If I Stay (If I Stay, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1221604709m/4374400.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4374400-if-i-stay">If I Stay</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/295178.Gayle_Forman">Gayle Forman</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/165088755">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This is a very moving story about a young girl who is hovering on the edge of death, laying in the ICU following a horrible car accident.<br />
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As she watches from outside her body, she realizes that she must decide whether to stay or let go. Her family and friends are keeping watch, and praying, and hoping. She watches them, but doesn't know if she can come back to them.<br />
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The story goes from the present to the past, offering glimpses into her life with her parents and younger brother, and touching on various defining moments in her young life.<br />
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As she struggles with a literal life and death decision, the reader struggles along too. When she finally makes her choice, it is heart-wrenching, but absolutely the right choice for her.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-43924582077314886862011-04-24T19:14:00.001-07:002011-04-24T19:14:38.339-07:00Curse of the Spellmans by Lisa Lutz<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1590979.Curse_of_the_Spellmans" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Curse of the Spellmans (The Spellmans, #2)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255890659m/1590979.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1590979.Curse_of_the_Spellmans">Curse of the Spellmans</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/74189.Lisa_Lutz">Lisa Lutz</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/162400991">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
This is such a good series! After reading the first one in the series (The Spellman Files), I've been anxiously waiting to get a chance to read this one. I was NOT disappointed! In fact, I immediately picked up the 3rd one in the series and I'm reading it now.<br />
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<br/>In this one, Isabel is suspicious of a neighbor, realizes here romantic feelings for a surprising person, and makes a surprising career move. It's lots of fun, with plenty of laugh out loud moments.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-8756121294610315922011-04-18T16:45:00.001-07:002011-04-18T16:46:17.226-07:00Never Knowing by Chevy Stevens<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10169662-never-knowing" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Never Knowing" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294615110m/10169662.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10169662-never-knowing">Never Knowing</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3163298.Chevy_Stevens">Chevy Stevens</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/161398533">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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What happens when you find your birth parents, and they aren't what you had hoped? In Sara's case, she discovers she's the result of a brutal rape - now, her birth mother wants nothing to do with her, and her father is a suspected serial killer.<br />
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And because of her search, her birth parents' identities are broadcast online and her birth father (John) contacts her. Working with the police, Sara tries to lure him in so that they can finally apprehend him.<br />
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Chevy Stevens writes so well, and the book is such a roller-coaster of a ride, that time just flies by while reading. This is another good one by Ms. Stevens, who also wrote "Still Missing" - another very good book that I highly recommend!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda-ostromek">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3049026489272948471.post-62581181848797621002011-04-15T07:12:00.001-07:002011-04-15T07:12:14.901-07:00The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8546358-the-peach-keeper" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Peach Keeper" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1292779551m/8546358.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8546358-the-peach-keeper">The Peach Keeper</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/566874.Sarah_Addison_Allen">Sarah Addison Allen</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/161207686">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
One of the things I loved most about Allen's earlier books was the beautiful magic qualities in them (changing wallpaper, trees that throw apples, books that show up out of nowhere, etc.). This book had touches of that magic, but much of it was mentioned briefly and then never explored. I would have loved to have more of that.<br/><br/>Still, this is a lovely book about friendship and learning to accept yourself. It centers around two women, Willa and Paxton. Paxton lives the life she thinks she is supposed to, while Willa lives a life she thinks she wants. They realize that they are missing quite a lot, and by exploring the past and learning about their grandmothers, they come to terms with who they really are and what they truly want.<br/><br/>Allen continues to be one of my favorite writers! Her books flow so well, the characters are just so wonderfully real. I love the world she creates, and am always a little sad when I turn that last page.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/997724-rhonda-ostromek">View all my reviews</a>pinkcypresshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959414888789289383noreply@blogger.com0