Better than a New Years Eve party

Merry Christmas

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

Copyright:  1996
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: fiction
Pages: 196
My rating: 3/5

Simple Description:

It’s a small town in Kansas in the 1930’s.  Hard times are had by all as it’s the Depression and due to no water the crops aren’t growing for this farming town. 
The story is centered around a group of women who get together once a week due to a common interest, quilting.  They might not like each other 100%, they all have faults, but when tragedy strikes they are there to support one another 100%. 

One of the town’s members comes back to live on the family farm because he can’t find a job elsewhere and he brings his wife, Rita.  Rita is a city girl and doesn’t get the country ways.  She also has a dream of being a journalist.  When the bones of a man thought to be missing turn up along side the road, she makes it her mission to figure out who killed him.

The man was one of the Persian Pickle Club’s husbands and she runs in to road blocks while trying to investigate.

My Thoughts:

This author came highly recommended and while I didn’t love this book I’m glad I read it. I did enjoy it, I just didn’t love it.  Yet I can’t tell you what about it makes me say I didn’t love it.  I found the story interesting. I thought the author did a fantastic job painting a picture of the town and the towns folk.  I thought the story itself was interesting too.  I like reading about this era so that had my interest from the beginning.  

I definitely recommend this book to others. While I might not have loved it, I enjoyed it and felt it was a good story and very well written.

Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr

#13 Virgin River
Copyright: 2010
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 352
My rating: 5/5


Simple Description:
Clay Tahoma decides to move from Las Angeles to Virgin River.  He is a veterinary assistant and was in need of a change of scenery so when Nate asked him to come work for his practice he jumped at the chance.

Clay is Navajo and when he see’s Lilly for the first time, a woman who also has Native American roots, he is instantly attracted to her. Not just for her heritage but for her beauty too.
Lilly resists Clay at first, she had a bad experience in the past that has kept her from dating most of her adult life.  However she can’t stay away for long. Not only is she intrigued by Clay, she has also fallen in love with a horse at the stables. 

Meanwhile, there has been a death by a prominent citizen in Virgin River and it turns the town upside for a bit.  There is also an emergency with one of the Riardon brothers.

My Thoughts:

I can’t help it. I just adore this series and this book is no exception. I liked it much better than the last one, to me it’s another perfect (or as close to perfect as you can get) addition.  While we get the story of two new characters, Clay and Lilly, we still get to follow what is happening with our favorite Virgin River citizens.
I read this book pretty fast, it was the perfect book for me at this time.

I am a reader....

John Green Quote

The 13th Day of Christmas by Jason F. Wright

Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
Genre: fiction
Pages: 256
My rating: 4/5

Simple Description: 

 Marva lives in a house near a park/neighborhood for trailer homes.  Her and her husband used to own all the land but sold it.  It's getting close to the holidays when a new family moves in to one of the trailers.  There is a young girl, Charlee.   Charlee is very interested in making friends and spots Marva from across the field.  Soon the two of them become fast friends even though there is a huge age difference, with Marva being in her 80's and Charlee being only 9 years old.

However on Thanksgiving tragedy strikes.  Just when things seem to be getting better, things get worse.  Charlee's wish is that everyone is home for Christmas.

My Thoughts:

It's funny how I often read two books in a row that have a similar thread. In this case it was cancer. I rarely plan this, it just happens.   This book was another sad one but also one with a good message.   I've been happy with Jason Wright's books in the past and this one has not disappointed.   I do love a good sappy Christmas story for the holidays.  This was the perfect one for me. 

Carry on..

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Copyright: 2012
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Genre: young adult
Pages: 336
My rating:  5/5

Simple Description:
Hazel Grace is a teenager with cancer.  The cancer is sever enough that she doesn't attend school, has to be connect to an oxygen tank 24/7, and, as you can imagine, she is depressed.

Her Mom makes her go to a support group every week and it's there that she meets Augustus Waters.

Augustus is heaven to look at and super nice. He is also attracted to Hazel.

This book is somewhat of a love story between them but it's also a cancer story.  It's also a story of how you survive when thinks look bleak.  It's a story of how you try to deal with what life has thrown your way.  

My Thoughts:

I don't want to give too much away in the description.  I think I summed it up pretty nicely though. haha!
I love love LOVED this book.  It's my favorite book of the year.   This book reminded me why I read.  This book brought back my passion for reading.  This book, this book is a must read.   Yes it's sad.  So many people told me to have tissues ready.  It's worth it though.  It's one of those books you end and you say "Nope, not ready to start a new book. I'm not ready to give up these new friends yet."

There are so many good quotes from this book but here is one of my favorites:
"The weird thing about houses is that they almost always look like nothing is happening inside of them, even though they contain most of our lives." P. 139

Cinnamon Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke

#16 Hannah Swenson
Copyright: Publisher: 2012
Genre: Mystery (cozy)
Pages: 304
My rating: 3.5/5


Simple Description:
Hannah and her sister, Michelle, are on their way to the Lake Edin Inn to deliver some cinnamon roll's when they are stopped by a horrible car accident.  They find the bus carrying the band that was going to be playing at the Inn upside down in the snow.   Unfortunately when they arrive they find the driver dead and one of the band members injured.   What is even worse is that once they arrive at the hospital somebody murders the injured band member.

Hannah and her sisters, and her Mom!, try to find who the murderer is.  At the same time they all want to put a stop to Norman's wedding to Dr. Bev because they know he isn't happy.  They just aren't sure exactly how to do it.



My Thoughts:
I admit that I don't read this series for the murder mystery aspect any longer. I read it because I love the characters.  However I have to admit that with this book it seemed to be a little annoying, just how much it's becoming like a formula with things. I don't know, maybe it's just my mood lately.  But I know Hannah is good with grammar and vocabulary but it's beginning to annoy me when she corrects people and gives definitions, etc.  Does that make sense?   Plus the constant need for coffee.  I think that's just me though, I get annoyed with how much our society revolves around coffee. haha!

Regardless, I still really enjoyed this book and it's still one of my favorites.  I still highly recommend this to those who love a good cozy mystery series.