Beat Up A Cookie by Denise Dietz

Ellie Bernstein is at it again. Murder seems to follow her around even 7 years later. She is frustrated but Lt. Peter Miller tries to keep her on a short leash. Being a MASH lover, she never knew how it would be for someone to kill look alikes of the actors on that show. Now she feels like she must figure out what is going on before she is next.

Ms. Dietz definitely improved the depth of the characters in this one. I felt a little bit better yet was still a little too gory for a cozy mystery. There were more characters to play around with and a better glimpse into their lives. The flash backs were done well and flowed smoothly through the book. I never felt like any of it was out of place. It all made sense at the end.

Ellie was still a little bit of a snoop. Yet I really started to care for her. She finally seemed to be happy where her life was at. Her ex Tony drove me up the wall. The man didn't seem to know who or what he wanted in his life. Peter, on the other hand, was straight forward and always laid it all on the table. There was no question what he wanted and who he wanted in his life. Mick, her son, came to play more in this story than the previous one. I enjoyed seeing the depth of Ellie's character.

This book was far better than the last and not nearly as gruesome or detailed. I know it is classified as a cozy but sometimes it just didn't have that feel for me. I enjoyed it a lot more and may continue the series at another time. I am curious to see what happens next in Ellie's life and how she gets wrapped up in the next murder to solve.

Denise Dietz/Cozy Mystery/Dieting/253 pages/4 out of 5

Onto the next challenge book, so excited to read something. I will watch Pride and Prejudice next month!

A Mountain of Crumbs by Elena Gorokhova

Elena Gorokhova presents her world growing up in Russia. Her world is only one side but she does show how each side works a little bit by the people she meets and the friends she has in her life. The rules she follows are ingrained in her from childhood. It encompasses a lot of time and some of it is skipped. Yet I felt that the main part of her life was covered and all the important things are shown. I was blown away with how things are so regimented. Maybe this is only one point of view but that is not how it came across to me.

I had some difficulty believing how things are for them. Yet when dealing with kids from other countries they had the same reactions that I had while reading the book. So it helped me understand just the outside experience with the country. The repetitiveness got to me after awhile but as the story went along, it just seemed that is how they were taught to express themselves. So it fit in her world while it doesn't always fit in mine.

I was proud of Elena and all that she went through. And for the most part, she stayed as true to herself as possible. It wasn't always easy and she knew she might butt heads with her mother in some respects. But she still kept plugging along even if she had to keep secrets from her mother. I didn't agree with that, but then her life is different than mine. The one other thing I didn't agree with is the comparison to Angela's Ashes. While the book was very readable, I never had trouble eating while reading this book unlike Angela's Ashes. I was pleased to see that Mr. McCourt had liked the book. I never noticed it till I finished the book so that helped me like it a little more in the end. If you don't mind a little repeating of things and sometimes feeling a little left out, this is a good book for you. I enjoyed it for the most part and it gave me a great glimpse into a world I don't know a whole lot about. I would love to read more about this time through other people's eyes.

New Author/ Non-Fiction/Memoir/308 pages/Russia/3.5 out of 5

I am going to be posting a giveaway for this book since it is an ARC and I don't believe I'll read it again!

The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne

A question always nagged at the back of Betsy's head. Twenty-seven years ago, she was left on the door step of The Phillimore Academy for Young Ladies. Raised by the owners Lord and Lady Phillimore has been wonderful. Returning to the place she loved, she finds it in disarray and Lord Phillimore desperate to save the lasting piece of history his family has carried on for a long time. Betsy is given the chance to update the curriculum and make it more modern for the times. Though coming back to London also means facing her crush she had when she was younger. She also wants to solve the mystery of her parents who abandoned her.

Ms. Browne does it again! I loved the Little Lady Agency series. This one brought me back to the UK and I couldn't get enough. The characters are pretty one dimensional but I needed something with a little growth development but not piles of it. There was a nice balance and it was just what I needed. I loved seeing all the aspects of current high society life but making it relevant for anyone. Skills we all could use even me!

Betsy is such a sweet heart of a character. I couldn't get enough of her. Yes, she had her doubts and she had to learn to work through them. I kept cheering her on! Her best friend Olivia is a good balance of reality and naive. She had a lot to learn but was able to take it all in thanks to Betsy's help. They were such a good match in friendship. I enjoyed all the time that they spent together. The four girls that were in the school were so much fun. They even got to play a part in restructuring the new school.

This was a fantastic book from beginning to end. I couldn't get enough. I finished it fairly quickly yet didn't want to see it end as well. I would love to see a sequel from Olivia's point of view. That would be fun! I highly recommend it if you need a good chick-lit book that has heart.

Hester Browne/ Chick-Lit/England/New beginnings/Friendship/ 411 pages/ 5 out of 5

Off to a non-fiction book next. :)

July Stats and Reads

Sorry a little slow, but here they are finally!

Reads:
1.The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (Another Favorite) 06-28-10 through 07-01-10 A+
2.Persuasion by Jane Austen 07-06-10 through 07-15-10 A
3.A Climate for Change by Katherine Hayhoe and Andrew Fairley 07-19-10 through 07-25-10 A+
4.Throw Darts at a Cheesecake by Denise Dietz 07-28-10 through 07-31-10 C

Stats:
Total Books Read: 4
New Authors: 2
Fiction: 3
Non-Fiction:1
Mystery:1
Children's: 0
Romance: 0
Chunkster:1
From the Stacks: 3
Books for Review:0
Books I bought: 0
Total Pages Read:1,245

Challenges:
Cozy Mystery: 2/6
Everything Austen II: 2/6

I hope to read a non-fiction book next but not sure what that will be. :)

Throw Darts at a Cheesecake by Denise Dietz

Ellie Bernstein is the leader of a Weight Winners group. But one by one, her members are getting attacked and some of them are dead. Lt. Peter Miller comes to investigate and tells Ellie to keep her nose out of things. That is better said than done. She needs to know what is going on. But could it cost her everything?

Ms. Dietz has a good story plot line through out. I just was less than awed. I felt for the characters and wanted to get through it. There were times that I couldn't put it down. Yet there were times that classified as a cozy, things were a little too detailed from other cozy mysteries that I have read. She kept all the character story lines seperate and I was impressed.

Ellie was learning to get over things that had happened in her life. She was looking out for the people she helped lose the weight to get healthy. She has a good heart and had the right motives. Peter Miller was human in this book as well. He had a case to solve but he made sure all the people in the group who had been attacked or could be next had protection. I also loved Wanda. She was there and stuck through it even though her husband was less than supportive. She kept plugging along and brushed it off.

This mystery was interesting but some of the minor characters drove me bonkers. If someone were to go on this kind of endeavor of losing weight, support is something that is needed throughout the whole journey. I was less than impressed with some of the minor characters. I don't want to say a whole lot just because well the book fell flat in parts. Humor is needed but Tubby and Lulu seemed to take it to the negative extremes. Yeah, not sure I want to pick up the next one. I am hoping it is better. It was an interesting mystery and had no clue who was behind it all. The clues were there once it was revealed. Like I said previously, things were a little over the top.

Denise Dietz/Cozy Mystery/Dieting/251 pages/ New author/ 3.5 out of 5

Off to another book on my shelf. I hope to start it today. I'll post my stats for the month of July tomorrow.

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

Everything Austen II Challenge

I saw a post about this challenge off a friend of mine's blog. I realized I owned a Jane Austen novel that I got as a gift that I have never read as well as an author sent me one of her books as well which I found incredibly sweet. So here is my list which is to be completed over a six month period.

1. Read Persuasion by Jane Austen
2. Read Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding
3. Read Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
4. Watch Bridget Jones's Diary on DVD
5. Watch Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth
6. Make Sally Lunn Buns.

You're supposed to do something crafty and as much as I would love to make something like a blouse or knit etc. I know that is just not possible so I'll do the next best thing, make something that Jane Austen might eat! :) This one starts next month and runs through January of next year! That way I only have to do one thing a month. So easy to achieve. Here is the link if anyone is interested: http://www.stephanieswrittenword.com/?p=2589

Well off to bed and hopefully reading more of the Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton tomorrow.

The power of a praying parent by Stormie Omartian

Stormie puts into words all the fears and hopes we have for our children. She also puts a nice prayer at the end of each chapter to start the practice of praying for your children if you haven't really done it much before.

This book really truly helps you understand how things need to be for a good life as a Christan for your children. It has definitely made me think about my life more and how I need to work more diligently at being a better example.

This is a must have for all parents no matter the age of your children. I definitely want to read more of her work and check out some of her other books. This woman is down to earth and the fact that she had her children write the preface for the book just made it more real to me.

Stormie Omartian/ New Author/ Christian Non-fiction/ 224 pages/ Prayer/ 5 out of 5

FTC: this book was given to me and my hubby as a gift.

Dark Tort by Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy has a new job making breakfast for the morning meeting at a law firm in town. But the night before, going to do prep work, she trips over something on the way in. It turns out to be the body of her neighbor and the paralegal at the firm, Dusty Routt. She is distraught but has to know the reason behind the death of her friend. The mother also doesn't trust the police and asks for Goldy's help.

Ms. Davidson weaves tales that leave you guessing as well as wanting more. I was blown away by how skillfully she brings back old characters and just makes them seem like they were never gone. Cooking is definitely a stress releaser for me as well. So the character of Goldy is easy to relate to for me in that way.

Goldy is a snoop but she has a good heart behind it all. She makes sure she shares any information she finds out with the police. Her husband Tom makes sure of that since he is on the police force. Those two are so sweet on each other that I cannot get enough of the story. They aren't perfect and it shows which makes the books that much more fun to read. Arch is growing up way too fast. Yet h seems to have a level head on his shoulders so he's enjoyable to read about as well. Julian is a great friend and side kick to Goldy in her catering business. He also makes sure to spend a lot of time with Arch too.

Each book seems to get better than the last and I'm not sure where she could go with the next one. Yet I look forward to cracking open each new book. This is one series that I hope to never see the end of it. But I'm sure that will happen. In the meantime, I enjoy and savor each book and new recipe that is provided in the book.

Diane Mott Davidson/Cozy Mystery/Colorado/Food/ 320 pages/5 out of 5

This will be my last post for awhile. I hope to pick up books by next week at the latest but we'll see how it all goes. I'll be back!

Orange, Pear, Apple Bear

I picked this book up on a whim for my son. He loved being able to read it and wanted to read it multiple times. He is just learning how to read. Definitely going to pick this one up for our collection! The illustrations are gorgeous and I was blown away by how fun this simple book was to read and to look at!

FTC: Got from my local library

Hat Tricks Count: A Hockey Number Book by Matt Napier

The greatest achievements in Hockey are celebrated in this book as well as simple rules. There is additional information on the side bars of each page. And for someone who knows nothing about hockey, this book taught me a lot. It also kept the attention span of my oldest, which is not always easy to do.

Mr. Napier put a lot of information into terms most younger kids could understand. I was impressed as well as how interactive the book was as well. I definitely would love to read more of this author's work.

Matt Napier/New Author/ Children's Non-fiction/ Hockey/40 pages/ 3 out of 5

FTC: Borrowed from my local library

I am hoping to pick up another cozy mystery and after that not sure when I'll read next. :)

May Reads and Stats

Reads:
1.Escape to Santuary by M. J. Conner 04-28-10 through 05-01-10 B
2.The Truly Terribly Horrible Sweater That Grandma Knit by Debbie Macomber and Mary Lou Carney 05-02-10 A+
3.Diving Dolphins by Laura Hamilton Waxman 05-05-10 B
4.The Green Man:Tales from the Mystic Forest Anthology 05-05-10 through 5-21-10 B
5.Double Shot by Diane Mott Davidson 05-23-10 through 05-25-10 A
6.African Rhinos by Kristin L. Nelson 5-26-10 A

Stats:
Total Books I read: 6
New Authors: 20
Fiction:4
Non-Fiction:2
Mystery: 1
Children's: 3
Romance: 1
Chunkster:0
From the Stacks: 2
Books For Review:0
Books I Bought:0
Total Pages Read: 992 pages

I have a library book I want to read to my oldest after that not sure when I'll pick up another book with getting ready to move.

African Rhinos by Kristin L. Nelson

Another great animal book for kids. I love this series of books cause even I learn so much. It is put in very simple terms and the questions get kids to think about other things as well.

Ms. Nelson does such a great job putting all the important information in a way that kids can follow it. It's not overwhelming and such a great teaching tool.

I definitely enjoy things like these books and would love to eventually add them to my personal collection.

Kristin L. Nelson/ New Author/ Children's Non-fiction/ 32 pages/ Animals/ 4 out of 5

FTC: Book acquired from my son's school library.

Double Shot by Diane Mott Davidson

Goldy Bear wakes up on the ground and isn't sure how she got there. That is just the beginning of the book. Goldy must figure out who attacked her, why they were trying to sabotage her catered lunch, and what to do now that her ex-husband is out of jail? It only gets worse once he is found dead. All signs point to her but Goldy only found the dead body. She is frustrated and wants to solve the crime but knows it will be difficult. If only there was more time in a day.

Ms. Davidson creates situations that truly could happen. I wondered who could have really killed John Richard Korman, Goldy's ex-husband. The recipes also are interesting and am curious to try a couple of them. I liked how at least in the hard cover they were all in the back of the book instead of interspersed in between chapters or in the middle of chapters. There is a range of characters in the book as well as some old familiar ones.

Goldy is a stubborn woman but that's what makes her so endearing. Yeah she seems to get beat up in every story which does get old after awhile. Yet she never lets it get her down. Her husband Tom is such a sweetie. He is so good for her and they complement each other very well. Archie, her son, seems to struggle with his dad's death the most. I saw that as understandable and just hoped the kid would work through his grief as quick as he possibly could for a story. I'll have to see how it plays out in the next story.

This story was full of twists and friends Goldy hadn't seen in a long time. Marla was there to help her out. The twist at the end of the story really got me. There was no way I could have seen it coming. Ms. Davidson does it again and I cannot wait to read more in this series!

Diane Mott Davidson/ Cozy Mystery/ Food/Murder/Family/320 pages/ 4.5 out of 5

It'll be awhile before I read my own books. I may make a library run tomorrow to read one more book this month. We'll see.

The Green Man: Tales from the Mythic Forest

Short stories certainly have a place in our society. These particular stories and poems in this anthology focused on The Green Man of lore.

“-the Green Man- the spirit who stands for Nature in its most wiled and untamed form, a man with leaves for hair, who dwells deep within the mythic forest.”

That explains it better than I ever could and that gives you a brief taste of what is to come. The variety of authors, some that I knew of some that I didn't made the book come even more alive. My favorites were Going Wodwo (poem) by Neil Gaiman, Grand Central Park by Delia Sherman, Hunter's Moon by Patricia A. McKillip, A World Painted by Birds by Katherin Vaz, Grounded by Nina Kirki Hoffman, Overlooking by Carol Emshwiller, Joshua Tree by Emma Bull, The Pagodas of Ciboure by M. Shayne Bell, and The Green Word by Jeffrey Ford. There was only one in the book that just didn't seem to fit and that was Fee, Fie, Foe, et Cetera by Gregory Maguire only because it was a re-telling of Jack and the Bean Stalk and I didn't see how it truly fit into the nature category even with the bean stalk.

I loved this book and will definitely be one I am going to keep. The variety was great and it was nice to read a good clean young adult book for a change. The editors did a fantastic job and I might even seek out more of their work! They also did a fantastic job with their illustrator. I was blown away by all the gorgeous pictures!

Off to work on more packing! We are moving but hoping to finish one more book this month! Then not sure when I'll post again!