High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

High Fidelity
by Nick Hornby
copyright 1995

From Goodreads:
Is it possible to share your life with someone whose record collection is incompatible with your own? Can people have terrible taste and still be worth knowing? Do songs about broken hearts and misery and loneliness mess up your life if consumed in excess? For Rob Fleming, thirty-five years old, a pop addict and owner of a failing record shop, these are the sort of questions that need an answer, and soon. His girlfriend has just left him. Can he really go on living in a poky flat surrounded by vinyl and CDs or should he get a real home, a real family and a real job? Perhaps most difficult of all, will he ever be able to stop thinking about life in terms of the All Time Top Five bands, books, films, songs - even now that he's been dumped again, the top five break-ups. Memorable, sad and very, very funny, this is the truest book you will ever read about the things that really matter.

First Sentences:
Long Black hair? Maybe. Small? Smaller than me, certainly.
Slanted, almost oriental eyes and a dark complexion? That could have been her, or it could have been someone else.

I must first point out, the book cover and the GoodReads description does not serve this book well because High Fidelity is far more, far better.
I very much enjoyed the read.

High Fidelity’s beginning intrigued and brought me into Rob’s narration of his life . I must admit, however, that towards the beginning when we are first introduced to Rob’s life in the record shop, I did become a bit bored. Still, I was curious and for that curiosity I am glad. As I continued to read Rob’s narration of his up and down life I felt myself pulled further into his world. I became so interested in his point-of-view of relationships and life that I just could not stop reading. I felt compelled to continue “looking into” Rob’s life as I wanted to know if he would straighten out his miserable, lonely and pathetic self. I may be a bit harsh with those adjectives because Rob was not a bad guy. He actually is very likable but man does he struggle to figure out life.

As I mentioned, I was intrigued by Rob’s point-of-view. I realized during the reading that I do not remember reading a book with an adult male perspective as the narration. I found it to be incredibly interesting. The narration worked for me.
Early on, I clearly realized that I loved the language and how the words flowed throughout the pages. I also do enjoy British slang and humor which was sprinkled throughout this read. I truly liked the writing style.

Throughout the story, I had several laughs and thought many times what a schmuck Rob was. He was a loss soul who needed to get going on life and relationships yet he continued to muck them up. I sometimes wondered about the females in his life as Rob seriously did have commitment issues. He kept himself somewhat distant from the relationship yet at the same time he could be very obsessive with his thoughts and actions. I suppose that is why he was the one that continued to be dumped. The girls/women wised up. Again, even through all his downs of life, Rob was very likable. Ahh…yes, that is what attracted the women to him. He was very likable.

I found it interesting that he was down on himself very frequently. I wondered why because on the outside there does seem to be an obvious factor. Such is life and you make of it what you will. He made his life miserable with his untoward and obsessive thinking.

The story was a bit depressing yet at the same time it was not. There were splashes of humor throughout along with wonderful moments of music related interest. I loved reading the lists of music that Rob loved. I loved reading of his musings as to if music forms a person’s thinking or the other way around. I thoroughly loved reading his thoughts and takes on situations. Again, the male perspective was intriguing.

I must let you know, through most of the read, I could not get John Cusack out of my head. He played the lead role in the movie, High Fidelity which I have not viewed. I just kept picturing Rob as Cusack with his mannerisms and such. Then, I started thinking that I could not see Cusack playing a Brit with the way Rob spoke and the use of the British words. So, upon that thought, I switched to thinking of Rob as Hugh Grant. Yeah, I am a fan of almost all of Hugh Grant’s movies. This was probably not the best way to read the story but it worked for me. I will also say, I am very curious about the movie. I do want to see how Cusack pulled off the role.

High Fidelity is a story that I enjoyed while reading and continue to think of weeks after the read. I agree with ErrantKnave’s overall thoughts that High Fidelity gives honest characters, obsession, love, humor and great music.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thanks ErrantKnave of Fiefdom for the recommendation.

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win one of four books that I am excited about reading in November.
Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details. Open Worldwide.

What Are You Reading On Mondays? Nov. 9th

What Are You Reading On Mondays?

is a fun weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog . For this meme, participants post about books completed last week, currently reading and plan to read for this coming week.

Check out J.Kaye’s Blog to see what others are reading.

This past week,illness hit our home. With the 6 year old boy being lethargic during his febrile bouts, I had some long periods of reading time. Yes, very sad that his sickness enabled my reading. Well, to be fair, he insisted that I lay next to him frequently throughout the days so what else should I do but read. Anyways, “I” is still not 100% as of this writing. Hopefully by post date he will be back to his energetic self.

Hopefully, this coming week I can read at least two books. There is a good chance since there is nothing major (outside of work and therapy) that is scheduled into the week.

Happy Reading!

Last week:

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati – I am very glad that I have read this book. I found it to be a wonderful read. (review to can be found here)

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange – This book was on my Everything Jane Austen Challenge. (review can be found here)

Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh – I heard about this book a few months back and it interested me immediately. I am glad I read this book. (review to come)

Currently Reading:

Time Plains Drifter by Cheryl Pierson

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater – This is the chosen read aloud book with my girls.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis – I am“reading” this book via the Focus On The Family audiobook. I am reading this series with my daughter EJ.
I am not very far into this audiobook as I am driving a car that hampers my audiobook listening. Must correct that problem.

Up Next:

The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy by Sara Angelini
I have read some good reviews about this book which piqued my curiosity. My library copy came this past week so I must read this book before the due date.

The Bastard by John Jakes
I am looking forward to reading this book. It will be interesting to see if I like it as well as I did when I was in highschool.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Another book on my Everything Jane Austen Challenge. I am hoping that I will like this read.

What are you reading this week?

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

Into the Wilderness
by Sara Donati
copyright 1998

Back Cover:
It is December of 1792. Elizabeth Middleton leaves her comfortable English estate to join her family in a remote New York mountain village. It is a place unlike any she has ever experienced. And she meets a man unlike any she has ever encountered--a white man dressed like a Native American, Nathaniel Bonner, known to the Mohawk people as Between-Two-Lives. Determined to provide schooling for all the children of the village, she soon finds herself locked in conflict with the local slave owners as well as her own family. Interweaving the fate of the Mohawk Nation with the destiny of two lovers, Sara Donati's compelling novel creates a complex, profound, passionate portrait of an emerging America.

First Sentence:
Elizabeth Middleton, twenty-nine years old and unmarried, overly educated adn excessively rational, knowing right from wrong and fancy from fact, woke in a nest of marten and fox pelts to the sight of an eagle circling overhead, and saw at once that it could not be far to Paradise.

I was immediately drawn into the story of Into the Wilderness. I found myself thinking; “Finally, a story that I can loose myself in. A story whose fictional couple has captured my attention and maintained it throughout the story. A fictional couple for whom I want to read more of. A story that I am very interested in seeing progress through time and adventure. A story that gives me a feeling of ahhh.”

Elizabeth and Nathaniel endeared me immediately as their love for one another was sown and as we watched it grow.
Elizabeth a smart woman who will not allow herself to be bullied into making choices that she does not want. She has strength, guts and wit. I was impressed by Elizabeth and her resilience.
Nathaniel, a man to take heed of as he posses intelligence, strength, courage, honor and compassion. He is protective and understanding. He is a force.
I was most attracted to Nathaniel by his ability and instinct to live off the land along with his ability to handle people. He has given me an overall impression of a handsome man who has an incredible presence in any situation.
Together, Elizabeth and Nathaniel absorbed me into the world of 1792 northern New York wilderness and lives of both Mohawk and whites.

By the end of my reading of Into the Wilderness I realized two things:

1. Elizabeth and Nathaniel have found a solid place in my fictional world.
I like them so much that I rank them as my 2nd favorite fictional couple.
Ummm…I must put in a disclaimer here; Elizabeth and Nathaniel may be my second favorite fictional couple but they still are far, far from reaching my most favorite couple. My most favorite couple has no worries in being usurped.
If you do not know who my favorite fictional couple is then you have not been reading my blog. *smile*
Okay, disclaimer over…
Elizabeth and Nathaniel as my second favorite couple speaks volumes as to how much I like them as I do like them greatly. I am looking forward to reading more of them. I am looking forward to watching them grow as a couple, as a family, as individuals.

2. The story itself was wonderful.
I was greatly intrigued by the lifestyle, homesteads, law and order of the times. I was intrigued by the Mohawk Indians’ way of thinking and regret that this was n0t touched upon in greater depth. I was intrigued by the shear strength, courage and determination that one needed to survive this rugged way of living. I was intrigued by the travel and the politics of the day. As my historical passion does lean towards early American History (colonies, Revolutionary War, Civil War, etc.), I was very much intrigued by the times and adventures of Elizabeth and Nathaniel.

I look forward to reading more of Elizabeth and Nathaniel’s story as it continues with Dawn On A Distant Shore.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win one of four books that I am excited about reading in November.
Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details. Open Worldwide.

Author Event: Patricia Polacco

On Wednesday, November 4th, I was able to attend another author event. This time the event took place at The Bookstall bookstore. It was a lovely environment as the bookstore has a decent space toward the back where they set-up the event. For this event, I went with my good friend, her daughter and my 10 year-old daughter EJ. The children were able to sit down in front of the author while the adults were sitting in chairs.

Patricia Polacco, a wonderful children’s author, has an amazing history. Ms. Polacco has written and illustrated numerous books. While my three older girls were younger, I read to them several times the book Mrs. Katz and Tush which is a delightful story. While at the event, our interest was captured by The Butterfly (for EJ), “G” is for Goat (for “I”), Emma Kate (for “G”), and her new book titled January’s Sparrow.

Ms. Polacco is on tour for her new release January’s Sparrow. She explained to us that this story is based on true events. She also explained about where the story takes place as well as her process for the writing. The story sounds wonderful. I will note here, Ms. Polacco mentioned that January’s Sparrow is not written for children under the fourth grade as the subject matter is intense.

In the beginning of Ms. Polacco’s talk, she shared with us a family tradition that she grew up with:

Upon the age of four, her family would pour some honey onto of a book cover and the 4 year old child would then dip their fingers into the honey and eat it. The family would ask the child, How does it taste? for which the child answers, sweet. The family then would follow up that comment with, Yes, knowledge is sweet. Just like bees who must work for the sweetness of honey, so must you work for the sweetness of knowledge.

I thought to myself, “very cool tradition”. I liked how they took the fact of having knowledge as a sweetness of life and made a concrete impact of this thinking upon the child.

Did you know that Ms. Polacco did not learn to read until she was age of 14?
I certainly did not. She explained that if she were in school today she would have been placed in Special Education. She has dyslexia along with a few other challenges. The combined challenges greatly impact the way she is able to perceive the written word. Far different than you or I as she see words in the negative form which means that instead of seeing the letter shapes she sees the white space that surrounds the letters. I know I am not explaining this well but suffice it to say, Patricia Polacco is an example of hope for all children whether they are in regular or special education classrooms. Another interesting Patricia Polacco fact is that she did not write her first book until she was forty-one years old. I love that fact. I thought to myself, “See, I still can become an author.” I thought that in jest but I do find this aspect of her life encouraging.

I asked my daughter, “What part of the author’s talk did you find the most interesting?” Her reply was that she really enjoyed learning about the author’s writing and illustrating process. Polacco’s writing process takes several months with many edits and re-writes. Once her manuscript is done she then starts to work on the illustrations which take many months before they too are done. All in all, her books can take up to one and half years from start to finish. I was not surprised that this was the most interesting part to EJ as she writes and illustrates stories almost on a weekly basis. EJ can be seen drawing constantly throughout the day (while at home). I was glad to know that EJ found the writing/illustrating process interesting. I was glad to know that she heard that even an author must re-write their work as it goes through the editing process.

When Patricia Polacco signed our books I told her of EJ’s passion for drawing and writing stories. Ms. Polacco told EJ , “You are an author.” EJ response was a bit of a “Huh?" Ms. Polacco went on to explain, “Even though your stories and illustrations are not published as mine, you _are _an author. Everyday that you write a story makes you an author.” How cool and encouraging is that? Very cool!

I have now attended my third author event in a little over one month. Each event was different from one another. Each event was very cool, fun and interesting.
Stayed tune, I know I will be attending more author events in the future.

Have you attended any author events? If so, how did you like the event? Does one author event stand out to you more than others? Do you plan on attending an author event in the future?

Side Note: EJ had a special first-grade teacher and her current fourth-grade teacher is outstanding. She will be giving them each a signed book for their Christmas gift. A few pictures were taken of EJ with the author and the author signing the books. I am going to add those pictures to the book gift.

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win one of four books that I am excited about reading in November.
Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details. Open Worldwide.

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre
by Amanda Grange
copyright 2009

Challenge: Everything Austen Challenge

from Goodreads:
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre starts where Pride and Prejudice ends and introduces a dark family curse so perfectly that the result is a delightfully thrilling, spine-chilling, breathtaking read. A dark, poignant and visionary continuation of Austen's beloved story, this tale is full of danger, darkness and immortal love.

First Sentence:
Elizabeth Bennet’s wedding morning was one of soft mists and mellow sunshine.

I had high hopes for Mr. Darcy, Vampye and I was left underwhelmed.

Right from the start through the whole read, I did not like the story.
I am so sorry dear author but I just could not get into the storyline.

My troubles with the story, first and foremost was the lack of connection between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. I get it that the author wanted their relationship to be strained but still...connection...connection...connection, it could have been there. My other trouble was that Elizabeth called him Darcy. Ugh! That annoyed me through the whole read. You know, he has a first name. It does not seem to fit Elizabeth and the times for her to refer to him by his surname. Finally, the storyline was weak. I did not feel any passion for the plot. I did not become engaged.

I read the story from the first page through the last with hopes that the story would redeem itself. It did not. I was underwhelmed.

Other Reviews:
Bitten by Books
Laura’s Reviews
minds alive on the shelves
Gofita’s Pages

Source: I purchased this book.

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win one of four books that I am excited about reading in November.
Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details. Open Worldwide.

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant

Sacred Hearts
by Sarah Dunant
copyright 2009

Back Cover of the ARC:
By the second half of the sixteenth century, the price of wedding dowries had risen so high that most Italian aristocratic families could afford to marry off only one daughter. The remaining young women were dispatched into convents, and not all of them went willingly. Santa Caterina’s new novice sets in motion a chain of events that will shake the convent to its core.
Serafina, a willful, emotional, furious girl, has just been ripped from her proposed marriage and sent by her noble family to Santa Caterina. During her first night inside, such is her violent, incandescent rage that the dispensary mistress, Suora Zuana, is sent to her cell to calm her with a draft of herbs. Thus begins a complex relationship of trust and betrayal. And while outside the convent walls the forces of the Counter-Reformation push for ever more repressive changes…

First Sentence:
Before the screaming starts, the night silence of the convent is already alive with its own particular sounds.

While attending Sarah Dunant’s author event, she shared with us a comment one reader made to her in regards to Sacred Hearts - the reader felt that there did not seem to be much going on during the beginning of the read yet continued to be drawn to story. The moment Ms. Dunant relayed that comment to us I thought, “Yes! That is exactly how I felt.” I did feel that there was not much going on yet I needed to keep reading. I kept finding myself thinking of the story after each reading. I found myself full of curiosity and wanting to know more.

Sacred Hearts is a story that has a lulling sense of peace and calmness. Yet, at the same time, there is a foreboding sense of turbulent water lying below the surface. Through these lulling senses, I felt myself gradually pulled into the story of Zuana and Serafina. I found myself pulled into the world of the convent.

Ms. Dunant also shared with us that at one point during her writing of Sacred Hearts she need to stop. The reason was that she felt a deep sense of anger towards the treatment of women during the 15th-16th century. She shared with us that women truly did not have any freedom of choice. Actually, most decisions were made for them by their fathers or other men in their lives. Most notable, families could only marry off one daughter as their dowries, at this time in history, were very expensive. What was a family to do with the other daughters? The solution was to marry them off to the church – they were placed in convents. Women did not have freedom of choice at all. Ms. Dunant went on to explain that she was able to put her anger aside once she realized that she needed to stop thinking as a 21st-century woman and that she should think as a 15-16th century woman Once she was thinking from this point-of-view she then was able to understand the women of the 16th-century. She was able to understand that the convent life could offer women of that time far more independence than women outside of the convent could ever expect to achieve. They could be writers, artists, doctors, politicians, etc. Convent life could be a blessed opportunity for women.
The same thought process applies to readers. When I stop thinking of how life is now (21st century thinking) and try to put myself into how life was for the “now time” of the character I am reading about, I have a far greater appreciation for the character. I tend to understand instead of fight the whys of how life is for the character(s), The stories tend to make better sense to me.
Keeping in mind that the 16th-century is the “now time” for Zuana and Serafina (the future has not happened for them yet) has allowed my eyes to be opened with more understanding to the story of Sacred Hearts.

Almost each and every character spoke to me in one way or another. Heart strings were pulled while at times my mind was in a fury over some ill-ways of thinking. I most assuredly identified with Zuana and Serafina. They along with a few other characters offered depth and color to the story of Sacred Hearts.

Zuana has been in the convent for 16 years. She seems content yet still struggles on some levels with life in the convent. Her saving peace is that she has been allowed the position of the dispensary mistress. In other words, she is able to practice medicine which is a passion of hers. I found Zuana’s work as a dispensary mistress to be incredible intriguing. Her knowledge and confidence with medicine absorbed me into her world. I found this part of Zuana to be gratifying as I was pleased that she was allowed to accomplish so much with a passionate area in her life .
I admire Zuana as she exudes a sense of calm, peace and reason. While some nuns are strict in their beliefs,thinking and actions- Zuana finds compassion and understanding towards others. She is accomplished and has strength of character.
She is a force within the convent.

Serafina is a young 16 year old girl who is forced to reside in the convent. She is most certainly in the midst of a very turbulent time of her life. Serafina is an intelligent girl who is unwilling to accept her fate without a fight. She has spirit, determination and courage. I was immediately intrigued by her. I became absorbed in her plight.

The story itself was written beautifully. The intertwining of details and emotions gave depth and flavor to the story.

At first the girl’s resistance is palpable, her moods as storm-tossed as the weather: one day rage and rolling thunder with much slamming and crashing about, the next a hunched and haunted sadness, her shaking body turned defiantly away over the worktop, silent tears like unstoppable rain.

While the characters are fictional, the author notes that the history within the story are all factual. During the reading, I did not feel like I was sitting in on a history lesson as the the historical details were written seamlessly into the story.
I have gained insight into the lives, culture and history of the convent during the 16th-century.

Sacred Hearts is a very intriguing , moving and worthy read!

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thanks to Elizabeth of As Usual, I Need More Books for hosting the BBAW Assorted Fiction Giveaway that I won. This assortment included the paperback ARC of Sacred Hearts.

Other Reviews:
Royal Reviews
The Burton Review
Rhapsodyinbooks’s Weblog
Books and Movies

Other Stuff:
Sarah Dunant

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win one of four books that I am excited about reading in November.
Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details. Open Worldwide.

November Giveaway: Your Choice out of 4 Books

November is upon us and I am finding myself in a eclectic mood for reading. I also have found myself with the desire to read favorites from years ago.
I have decided to giveaway a book from my “Four B00ks That I Want To Read In November List”.

You choose the one book you would like to win, please let me know your choice in your comment.

Angel Time by Anne Rice
I have read a few books by Anne Rice and have enjoyed the reads.
This new release, Angel Time has piqued my curiosity.

From Goodreads:
Anne Rice returns to the mesmerizing storytelling that has captivated readers for more than three decades in a tale of unceasing suspense set in time past—a metaphysical thriller about angels and assassins.
The novel opens in the present. At its center: Toby O’Dare—a contract killer of underground fame on assignment to kill once again. A soulless soul, a dead man walking, he lives under a series of aliases—just now: Lucky the Fox—and takes his orders from “The Right Man.”
Into O’Dare’s nightmarish world of lone and lethal missions comes a mysterious stranger, a seraph, who offers him a chance to save rather than destroy lives. O’Dare, who long ago dreamt of being a priest but instead came to embody danger and violence, seizes his chance. Now he is carried back through the ages to thirteenth-century England, to dark realms where accusations of ritual murder have been made against Jews, where children suddenly die or disappear . . . In this primitive setting, O’Dare begins his perilous quest for salvation, a journey of danger and flight, loyalty and betrayal, selflessness and love.

The Bastard by John Jakes
I read first read this series back in highschool. John Jakes quickly became my favorite author for which I devoured all of his books. I distinctly remember loving not only The Kent Family Chronicles but also the North and South Trilogy.
I have decided it is high time for me to re-read this series.

Side Question: Would anyone be interested in reading this series along with me?

Back Cover::
The illegitimate son of the Duke of Kentland, Phillipe Charboneau has been denied his birthright by his father's family. So he flees to London, where he learns the printing trade . . . but his journey truly commences when he falls under the influence of Benjamin Franklin and travels to America. After changing his name to Philip Kent, he finds work at a printing house and discovers the radical writings of Sam Adams. He has a new identity and a new passion. And soon he will become a soldier, fighting alongside the colonists in the turbulent adventure that would be called the Revolutionary War. . . .

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
A new release book that I have been interested in reading for months.

From Goodreads:
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she’s struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps, and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.
Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town’s oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.
In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

When You Went Away by Michael Baron
I just recently read a guest post of this book at J.Kaye’s Book Blog and knew that I wanted to read this story.

Back Cover:
Only a few months ago, Gerry Rubato had everything he thought he needed from life. He was passionately in love with his college sweetheart after nearly twenty years of marriage, he had a bright, independent-minded daughter, and he had the surprising addition of a new child on the way. Then everything changed with stunning rapidity. With little explanation, his daughter ran away with her older boyfriend. Then, only a month after giving birth to their son, his wife died suddenly.
Now, Gerry needs to be everything to his infant child while he contends with two losses he can barely comprehend. And when a woman walks into his life as a friend and their relationship verges on something more, Gerry must redefine all that he knows about himself, about love, about loyalty, and about his dreams.
An emotionally charged novel filled with warmth, humor, wisdom, and unforgettable characters, When You Went Away is a novel you will take to your heart.

Guidelines:
* 1 winner – 1 book
* Open International
* Contest ends on Nov. 30th at 11:59 CST
* Include your email in the comment. No email means no entry.
* All entries can be in one comment
* Winner will be announced on this blog.

How to Enter:
Leave a comment with the title of the book you would like to win

You must be a follower of my blog. If you are not, then become a follower.

For Extra Entries:

Blog – post or sidebar link – about the giveaway.

Become a follower on Twitter. If you already do, thanks and mention it in your comment along with your twitter username.

Tweet this post on Twitter – please leave a link with Twitter username.

I am excited about each of the books. I hope you like the choices for this month’s giveaway! I will be purchasing the book for the giveaway winner.
-Deanna-

What Are You Reading On Mondays? Nov. 2, 2009

What Are You Reading On Mondays?

is a fun weekly event hosted by J. Kaye’s Book Blog . For this meme, participants post about books completed last week, currently reading and plan to read for this coming week.

Check out J.Kaye’s Blog to see what others are reading.

Last week was a decent week for reading. I finished two books, one that took me about a week and the other just a couple of days. Beyond reading, I was kept busy with the children and all their mishaps and illness. This week, I am hoping that there will be no injuries. It would also be grand if we were to experience and illness free week. I wish you a healthy week!

Happy Reading!

Last week:

Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant – This is one of the best books I have read this year. A thought provoking read. (review to come)

High Fidelity by Nick Hornby – I am very glad I heeded my BBAW Interview Swap partner – Francesco’s recommendation. High Fidelity was an enjoyable read to say the least. (review to come)

Currently Reading:

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati – I am glad that I have finally started reading this book. Can you guess my interest in this book is piqued?

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater – This is our chosen read aloud book with my girls.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis – I am“reading” this book via the Focus On The Family audiobook. I am reading this series with my daughter EJ.

Up Next:

Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange – This book is on my Everything Jane Austen Challenge. It has been sitting on my piano for over a month. High time I start reading the book.

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen – Another book on my Everything Jane Austen Challenge. I am so hoping that I will like this read.

Angel’s Blood by Nalini Singh – I heard about this book a few months back and it interested me immediately. I saw it in the bookstore this past week and decided to give this one a go.

What are you reading this week?

The October Giveaway Winner is….

The Winner of An Echo In The Bone is …

Katy of A Few More Pages

Congrats Katy!
I hope you enjoy the reading of An Echo In The Bone as much as I did!

Please email me at ibeeeg(at)gmail(dot)com with your address within 48hrs.

Thanks everyone for entering!!

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror
by Chris Priestley
copyright 2007

Back Cover:
Sitting inside a cold and creaky old house, hidden away in a wood of barren trees, young Edward can’t get enough of his uncle Montague’s strange and spooky stories. But as each tale unfolds, it becomes clear that something sinister is in the air. Do Uncle Montague’s creepy tales have something – or someone – in common?

First Sentence:
The way to Uncle Montague’s house lay through a small wood.

I came across this book while reading a review post from Carl of Stainless Steal Droppings. His post convinced me that this book would be a great read aloud book for me with my girls – ED (age 12) and EJ (age 10).

Tales of Terror did prove to be a terrific read aloud. The pace was perfect as this book contained individual stories which were told to Edgar by his Uncle Montague. Each story (chapter) quickly gained our attention, interest and held us with the a bit of a creepy and eerie atmosphere.

While I did find the stories a bit creepy and spooky they were not scary. For my children, the stories were perfect. EJ was the most interested reader in our group. She held onto each story and would read ahead on her own. She feels that “the book is really good. The stories were kind-of scary with good illustrations.” ED who is our resident “I like horror/scary type books” reader did not find the stories scary at all. She listened to each read aloud with interest but beyond that would not pick the book up on her own.

Overall, Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror is our favorite middle-school aged October read.
EJ wants to read this book yearly. I suspect we will.

Rating: 4.5 /5 stars

Other Reviews
Stainless Steal Dropping – check out Carl’s post. His review does this book far greater justice than mine.
Graeme’s Fantasy Book Review

Other Stuff
Uncle Montague’s Tales of Terror

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win:
An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon (signed copy) - Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details

Author Event: Sarah Dunant

About Sarah Dunant (taken from the Sarah Dunant website)
Sarah Dunant is the author of the international bestseller The Birth of Venus, which has received major worldwide acclaim and In the Company of the Courtesan. With the publication of Sacred Hearts, she rounds out a Renaissance trilogy bringing voice to the lives of three different women in three different historical contexts. Sarah Dunant’s tireless research has resulted in vivid reconstructions of womens’ secret histories in the characters of a Florentine Noblewoman, a Venetian Courtesan and with Sacred Hearts the spellbinding and fascinating lives of the Sisters of Santa Caterina.

Her earlier novels include three Hannah Wolfe crime thrillers, as well asSnowstorms in a Hot Climate, Transgressions, and Mapping the Edge, all three of which are available as Random House Trade Paperbacks. She has two daughters, and lives in London and Florence.

On Monday, October 26th, Sarah Dunant made a stop on her tour in my area.
As it turned out, I did not have to work on Monday (I usually work Mondays) and was able to attend the luncheon that was hosted by The Book Stall.

I am so glad that my Mom and I were able to attend. (My Mom is in the photo with me)
The food was delicious and Ms. Dunant’s talk with us was absolutely fantastic. This event was with a small group-there were 10 attendees. At first, I thought that this was a bit small. However, when Ms. Dunant was able to pull her chair up to our table and talk with us as if we all knew each other, I was thankful for the small group.

Ms. Dunant shared with us her love for Florence, Italy in the renaissance time. She shared about how she came about questioning, “Where were the woman in the 15-16th century Florence?” There were so many great things happening yet we only hear of the wonderful things that happened and were created by men. Surly, there were women who were artistic, musically inclined, fabulous writers, intelligent, etc. “Where were they?” She shared that once she started questioning she decided to find the answer. This is how she started her research about the women of the 15-16th century Florence. She detailed to us what was expected of women during this time frame and what they could achieve or not achieve due to society standards, belief and culture. I found her information to be incredibly insightful. We, the attendees, then were able to ask Ms. Dunant questions. The Q&A period was lovely, easy going and comfortable. It truly felt like we were all sitting around chatting with a friend.

Ms. Dunant has gained my admiration. The work she has put into her research is amazing-she will fill and average of 7 notebooks with her research for the one book she is writing. What amazes me most is how seamlessly she is able to bring in all the historical facts and detail into her stories. I am in awe.

Okay, remember several posts back when I said that I am not an autograph hound? Well, it seems that I may need to change that a bit. Yep, I got Ms. Dunant’s autograph on two of the three books that I own. What I did not get was a picture. Why? Well, the setting was so intimate that I felt hesitant about asking for a photo. In retrospect, I should have gone for the photo. Oh well…the experience is etched in my memory.

This was my second author event hosted by The Book Stall.
The first event was with Diana Gabaldon.
I enjoyed both events greatly so I am thinking that I will attend more in the future. Yes, I think I am now a Book Stall Author Event junkie! *smile*

Mom-Musings Blog Note:
This month on Mom-Musings …
You could win:
An Echo In The Bone by Diana Gabaldon (signed copy) - Ends Oct 30th...check this post for details

Out Of The Mouth Of Babes

Last Monday, Oct. 26th, we (“I”, “G” and I) were laying on our bed watching some cartoon on Boom TV. One of the commercials during the program had something to do with snowboarding. Just to put things a bit more in context. Older brother Benji skateboards and snowboards. Both “I” and “G” are well aware of Benji’s x-game sporting activities.

Okay…on with the story. During the snowboard commercial “I” exclaimed over and over again - “Snowboard, Snowboard.” Well…his word for snowboard. When “I” repeats a word over again with a certain tone it usually means he wants it. Sometimes he will even say “wanone” over and over again as well.
”G” does not miss a beat and proclaims to “I”… “NO Iaiah. Snowboard bad for you. You get hurt need band-aid.” She says this to him in complete earnest.
“I”, as usual, ignored her comment and continued with his proclamation that he wants a snowboard and went on to say… “Snowboard garage.” (both words said in his approximation).

The moment was very amusing. “I” showing his “no fear” personality and “G” showing her concern for her brother. This had me thinking, what will these two be like when they are older? I am thinking, this moment may have given me a tiny insight. “I” seems like he will be wanting to try his hand in sports that give a sense of exhilaration with speed, etc. “G” will be the conservative presence in his life, warning him of the dangers and showing her concern for his safety.
It will be interesting to see if this part of their relationship pans out.

Regardless, that moment on Monday was priceless.