Stella and Dot Giveaway

Natalie of Natalie's Sentiments is hosting a stella and dot giveaway! Check it out!!

http://www.nataliessentiments.com/2010/07/stella-dot-giveaway.html

Girls got to love the jewelry!

More cleaning to be done still and hope to finish up one more book this month! :)

A Climate for Change by Katherine Hayhoe and Andrew Fairley

This thought provoking book takes a look at “global warming”. I don't care for that term so that is the last time you'll see it in this review. Climate change is happening at the earth's core. It's warming lakes and there are changes in the weather. The thing that stuck out to me is that weather is different than what is happening. Yes there are record colds but it's how much the seasons are changing that is being effected. They use charts, graphs, and other facts. They even debunk the myths that people like Al Gore are trying to prove. They take real life examples and show how things have changed around the world.

It's not about politics. It's about the science of things. Looking back at temperature changes for hundreds of years. I was blown away by the detailed record keeping over the centuries. They wanted the straight facts not all the hot air that is blowing around about this topic. They laid it all out, what causes were happening both by nature and by man. We're causing the most problems.

The main problem with most of it is that it is expensive to change how we live. Yes, recycling does help but that is only one thing that can be done. Yet we are creatures of comfort. I loved the honesty of the authors that laid it all out for you. They even admitted that they didn't agree on everything. Statements throughout the book just made my eyes open even more. I may not understand it all. I am still learning but definitely want to read more on the subject.

The final thing that it left me with is something that I have always felt. I want to take care of the Earth that we do have. Yes there will be a new heaven and a new earth as it is stated in the Bible. I am concerned about what we have now. It doesn't mean that we need to trash what we do have left. Comforts are nice but even I get pissed when I see that my old fridge uses CFC's since there was a ban on it. Yeah, things are going to slip under the radar. I even checked our current fridge and it had no such tag. I also liked the fact that they gave you other sources to understand more of what is happening to our Earth. This is one book that will stick with me for a long time.

Katherine Hayhoe/Andrew Fairley/ Non-Fiction/224 pages/ 5 out of 5

Not sure what I'll read next. Got a lot to do at the old place before Saturday. I hope to read one more book but we'll see. :)

A Really Cool Giveaway

Not sure how I found this blog anymore. But she has some of the coolest giveaways. This one is for a personalized necklace. Here is the link to her blog:
http://shane-natalie.blogspot.com/
I absolutely love it! It's a personal one but I look forward to reading it every day or every other depending on how many times she posts and what is going on in my home.The image is of the necklace she bought from this website with her wedding invitation. It has inspired me! We'll see if I can find stuff to frame our wedding invitation. Off to go get something more done and maybe some more reading in A Climate for Change.

Persuasion by Jane Austen

Anne Elliot's family has financial trouble. So the only thing that can be done to save Kelly Lynch Hall is to rent it out. But due to her father's pride, it is not something that they want advertised. They are able to find a husband and wife who will follow their small requests. But the wife's brother happens to be Captain Fredrick Wentworth who was once engaged to Anne. Anne, eight years ago, was persuaded by her mother's friend Lady Russell that the man was not worthy of her. So Anne broke off the engagement even though she still had very strong feelings for the gentleman. Now that they are becoming re-acquainted. She wonders if their love can be rekindled?

Ms. Austen writes a fantastic story for the most part. The gossip was a little much at times. And the stereotypical situations and feelings were accurate even if a little annoying. The story flowed fairly well. I was impressed with keeping all the different characters and traits separate. Just a lot going on and different story lines. I was impressed with how much was in the book and everything was wrapped up neatly. Some things hadn't happened yet but you knew what was going to happen.

I truly felt for Anne. She was trying to follow the influence of a friend since her mother was dead. I understand but she finally had to figure out for herself what was right and stick to it. Things seemed to go better now that she was older. Family and friends didn't fight things for her so much. Of her family members I loved her older sister Mary the best. She had her moments where she would get “sick” or get frustrated with her husband for making plans when plans were already made. But she had to learn to speak up as well. The women just kind of sat back and did nothing sometimes.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. The drama was a little bit overwhelming but I had to find out how it ended. I wanted to know if Anne and Fredrick would end up together. I could see how things would all play out or at least how I hoped it would end up. Ms. Austen is an amazing author and I cannot wait to read more of her work. I only took half a point off cause of the drama. It got down right annoying.

Jane Austen/ Classic Novel/ 247 pages/ Family/ Drama/ 4.5 out of 5

I hope to make a library run tomorrow. We'll see how it goes.

FTC: This book was a gift to me.

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Family secrets come to light in this gripping drama of a story. A little girl is left on a wharf in 1913 and takes the ship to Australia. The little girl grows up and on her 21st birthday, Nell is told the truth, her parents are not her real parents. It sets her world into a tizzy. But never really finds out the truth and so passes it onto her granddaughter Cassandra. It may just be the adventure she needs to take her mind off her grandmother's death.

Ms. Morton does it yet again! Weaving all the different view points was done very well. The time periods really didn't effect a whole lot for the most part but I enjoyed reliving it all. Made all the easier thanks to the little notations at the beginning of most if not all chapters. I was impressed with the range of characters presented and how you truly got to know the ins and outs of each one. Whether it was through the characters' own words or in letters/ journals etc.. Ms. Morton has a way with stories that completely captivate and envelop inside that world. The situations pretain and all is revealed. At times, I found it a little predictable but the twists that came about were still surprises for the reason behind it all.

I loved Cassandra. She truly wanted to help her deceased grandmother. There was a whole world and a side to the story that Nell never got to discover. Cassandra decided to finish it up as she knew it was what was needed to be done. Even her past is shown in the book which I thought was so great. There was a lot of healing that needed to happen. The journey that Cassandra took was the best thing for her.

The stories presented in the story written by the Authoress were fantastic. I could see how they could grab your attention and keep it. I loved the garden aspect and I loved how it was linked to The Secret Garden. This is one book that I didn't want to see the end of though I had figured out some of it. The story swept me away to times I have little knowledge about but couldn't get enough of. I eagerly await Ms. Morton's next novel!

Kate Morton/ Adult Fiction/ Families/ Secrets/Fairy Tales/Garden/552 pages/ 5 out of 5

I wish it hadn't taken me so long to review but I wanted to make sure I didn't reveal anything important. The friendships in here are fantastic between people of the same age, different ages, and different sexes. Now onto my first book of the everything Austen challange II.

FTC: This book is part of my personal collection.

June Reads and Stats

reads:
1.Hat Tricks Count by Matt Napier 06-03-10 B
2.Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson 06-04-10 through 06-07-10 A+
3.Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett 06-10-10 A+
4.The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormi Omartian 06-19-10 through 06-24-10 A+

stats:
Total Books Read: 4
New Authors: 3
Fiction: 2
Non-Fiction: 1
Mystery: 1
Children's: 2
Romance: 0
Chunkster:0
From the Stacks: 1
Books For Review:
Books I Bought:0
Total Pages Read: 608

Challenges
Cozy Mystery Challenge 3/6
Everything Austen II 0/6 (this starts next month)

I am hoping to finish The Forgotten Garden tomorrow. Savoring the last few pages so much. lol