Thursday, December 1, 2016
"The Mistletoe Secret" Has Me "Tied Up In Tinsel!"
As usual, I managed to finish off a Richard Paul Evans book in a matter of days. "The Mistletoe Secret" was pretty good, though slightly predictable. There were no characters that really deserve to be hated. I will say that the "LBH" that Alex Bartlett was looking for wasn't who he expected her to be. I will also say that, in some ways, "The Mistletoe Secret" was reminiscent of one of Evans' previous novels, "The Christmas List." Nevertheless, reading the book was an overall enjoyable experience. Now, I am ready to move on and perhaps FINALLY finish reading Ngaio Marsh's "Tied Up In Tinsel" without losing it! Holed up at Hilary Bill-Tasman's manor estate for Christmas, Troy Alleyn is to paint the man's portrait and, while she's there, view the Druid Christmas pageant. Along with a pack of eccentric guests, Troy enjoys the festivities-- until one of the pageant's players mysteriously disappears into the snowy night. Did the hired help-- each a paroled murderer from the nearby prison-- have a deadly hand in this Christmas conundrum? Inspector Roderick Alleyn arrives to join his wife in finding the lost man- and unraveling the glaring truth from the glittering tinsel. I will finish this book this year, and I will not lose it!
Saturday, November 19, 2016
"The Book Thief" Knows "The Mistletoe Secret"
I finished reading "The Book Thief" last night (Friday, November 18). It was actually a very good book.. Because it was set during WWII in Nazi Germany, there were parts of the book that were a little intense. However, the intensity of the novel is what made Death the perfect and obvious choice for the role of Narrator. Most of the characters were likeable, though Frau Hubermann--the Book Thief's adoptive mother--was definitely generous with the verbal and physical abuse. She often referred to Liesel as "Saumensch," or pig. Frau Hubermann often heaped similar verbal abuse upon her husband Hans. I felt sorry for some of the minor characters: The mayor's wife (whose son had been claimed by Death) and Max, the Jew who hid in Rosa's & Hans' basement. I even felt a little sorry for Rudy Steiner--The boy with hair "the color of lemons" who was always trying to get a kiss from Liesel. I'm pretty sure he got one in his final moments in the arms of Liesel. Oops! I've just spoiled part of a fantastic story! Before I say anything else that may ruin the story, it's time for Richard Paul Evans to confide in me and reveal "The Mistletoe Secret"!
The master of the holiday novel presents the moving story of two people who brave loneliness and loss to find love.
Dear Universe,
Is anyone out there?
Thinking no one is reading, a blogger who calls herself LBH writes about her most personal feelings, especially her overwhelming loneliness. She goes from day to day showing a brave face to the world while inside she longs to know how it would feel if one person cared about her.
Alex Bartlett cares. He’s reading her posts in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nursing his own broken heart and trust issues, he finds himself falling for this sensitive, vulnerable woman whose feelings mirror his own. Following a trail of clues LBH has inadvertently revealed, he discovers that she lives in the small town of Midway, Utah. He makes his way there just after Thanksgiving, determined to find LBH. Maybe she’s a Lisa, Lori, or a Luanne. Instead, he finds a woman named Aria, a waitress at the Mistletoe Diner, who encourages Alex in his search while serving his pie along with some much-needed sympathy and companionship.
Alex finally finds his LBH, a woman who is as beautiful and kind as he imagined she would be. How can he tell her that he knows her secret? What’s holding him back? Could it be his feelings for Aria?
I'm hoping it will be more intriguing than its predecessor, "The Mistletoe Inn." I was disappointed in the predictable plot of that particular novel. However, I hope that doesn't discourage anyone reading this blog post from checking out any of the books discussed in the aforementioned blog post! Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!
The master of the holiday novel presents the moving story of two people who brave loneliness and loss to find love.
Dear Universe,
Is anyone out there?
Thinking no one is reading, a blogger who calls herself LBH writes about her most personal feelings, especially her overwhelming loneliness. She goes from day to day showing a brave face to the world while inside she longs to know how it would feel if one person cared about her.
Alex Bartlett cares. He’s reading her posts in Daytona Beach, Florida. Nursing his own broken heart and trust issues, he finds himself falling for this sensitive, vulnerable woman whose feelings mirror his own. Following a trail of clues LBH has inadvertently revealed, he discovers that she lives in the small town of Midway, Utah. He makes his way there just after Thanksgiving, determined to find LBH. Maybe she’s a Lisa, Lori, or a Luanne. Instead, he finds a woman named Aria, a waitress at the Mistletoe Diner, who encourages Alex in his search while serving his pie along with some much-needed sympathy and companionship.
Alex finally finds his LBH, a woman who is as beautiful and kind as he imagined she would be. How can he tell her that he knows her secret? What’s holding him back? Could it be his feelings for Aria?
I'm hoping it will be more intriguing than its predecessor, "The Mistletoe Inn." I was disappointed in the predictable plot of that particular novel. However, I hope that doesn't discourage anyone reading this blog post from checking out any of the books discussed in the aforementioned blog post! Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
"Irresisistible Forces" Lead Me To "The Book Thief"
I was in a minor fender-bender on Saturday. I'm OK, but I was a little sore and didn't feel like moving around much, so between Sunday and yesterday, I was able to finish Danielle Steel's "Irresistible Forces." It was OK. A little predictable, but a good read nonetheless. The ending wasn't exactly what I expected it to be, but I still enjoyed the story overall. Now that I'm done with "Irresistible Forces," I'm looking forward to reading "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. I've seen the movie, and I wonder if it does the book justice. Though, in my experience, the book is usually better than the movie!
The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that is now a major motion picture, Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.
I confess to being confused as to who was narrating the movie until I talked to someone. It made sense after it was explained to me. Knowing this will undoubtedly make the book easier to understand. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, based on my love of the movie! Time to steal away on a "journey" with "The Book Thief!"
The extraordinary #1 New York Times bestseller that is now a major motion picture, Markus Zusak's unforgettable story is about the ability of books to feed the soul.
It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.
Liesel Meminger is a foster girl living outside of Munich, who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement.
In superbly crafted writing that burns with intensity, award-winning author Markus Zusak, author of I Am the Messenger, has given us one of the most enduring stories of our time.
I confess to being confused as to who was narrating the movie until I talked to someone. It made sense after it was explained to me. Knowing this will undoubtedly make the book easier to understand. I'm sure I'll enjoy it, based on my love of the movie! Time to steal away on a "journey" with "The Book Thief!"
Friday, April 29, 2016
Danielle Steel Is In "The House!" with "Irresistible Forces!"
2016 has gotten off to a slow start from a literary standpoint. I recently read "The House," by Danielle Steel. I can honestly say that it is the best Danielle Steel book I have read in a very long time!
The restoration of a majestic old home provides the exhilarating backdrop for Danielle Steel’s 66th bestselling novel, the story of a young woman’s dream, an old man’s gift, and the surprises that await us behind every closed door….
Perched on a hill overlooking San Francisco, the house was magnificent, built in 1923 by a wealthy man for the woman he adored. For her and for this house, he would spare no expense and overlook no detail, from the endless marble floors to the glittering chandeliers. Almost a century later, with the once-grand house now in disrepair, a young woman walks through its empty rooms. Sarah Anderson, a perfectly sensible estate lawyer, is about to do something utterly out of character. An elderly client has died and left her two gifts. One is a generous inheritance. The other, a priceless message: to use his money for something wonderful, something daring. And in this old house, surrounded by crumbling grandeur, Sarah knows just what it is.
A respected attorney and self-described workaholic, Sarah had always lived life by the book. With a steady, if sputtering, relationship and a tiny apartment that has suited her just fine, Sarah cannot explain the force that draws her to the mansion and its history–to the story of a woman who once lived in the house, then mysteriously left it, to a child who grew up there, and a drama that unfolded in war-torn France…and to a history she never knew she had.
Taking the biggest risk of her life, Sarah enlists the help of architect Jeff Parker, who shares Sarah’s passion for bringing the exquisite old house back to life. As she and Jeff work to restore the home’s every detail, as one relationship shatters and another begins, Sarah makes a series of powerful discoveries: about the true meaning of a dying man’s last gift…about the extraordinary legacies that are passed from generation to generation…and about a future she’s only just beginning to imagine.
In a novel of daring and hope, of embracing life and taking chances, Danielle Steel brilliantly captures one woman’s courageous choice to pour herself into a dream–and receive its gifts in return.''
It was a great story and very well-written, but I will say that when it came to Phil, Sarah's "weekend boyfriend" of 4 years, Sarah was stupid. A weekends-only relationship is the kind of game high school boys play, not men in their 30s and 40s! At least she wised up and dumped him eventually. (I won't spoil the story by telling you the reason why!)
Having finished what turned out to be an amazing story from Danielle Steel after steering clear of her for the past few years, I am eager to once again dive into her world. Therefore, my next "journey" will take me through her book, "Irresistible Forces."
For fourteen years, Steve and Meredith Whitman have sustained a marriage of passion and friendship – despite the demands of two all-consuming careers. Meredith, an investment banker, has achieved partnership in one of Wall Street’s top firms. Steve A gifted physician, chose an urban trauma ward over the big money he could have earned elsewhere. The only thing missing in their lives is children. Steve longs for them. But Meredith keeps putting off motherhood, saying she isn’t ready and doesn’t have time. Not yet. Especially now that she has been offered an extraordinary opportunity, a chance to reach for the brass ring – in San Francisco, three thousand miles away. Meredith is thrilled and surprised when Steve urges her to accept a top position at an exciting young high-tech company. Traditionally, men’s careers forces families to move to new cities, compelling their wives to abandon friends, home, and lives to follow. But Steve is more than willing to uproot himself. Saying he’ll join her as he can find a new job himself, they can begin their family at last.
Neither Steve nor Meredith had reckoned on the frustrations of a bi-coastal marriage, as Steve’s job keeps him in New York for months longer than planned. Weekends together, their lifeline, fall prey to their hectic schedules. Alone in San Francisco, Meredith is spending long hours at the office with her boss, charismatic entrepreneur Callan Dow. Steve working late shifts at the hospital, grabbing an occasional dinner with a new colleague, a doctor raising a daughter on her own. Almost unnoticed, Steve and Meredith have begun living separate lives in increasingly separate worlds. And despite the best of intentions, irresistible forces begin to tear their lives and hearts apart.
It sounds like a real page-turner, and I have an "irresistible" impulse to immediately begin my "journey" to find out just what Danielle Steel's "Irresistible Forces" are!
The restoration of a majestic old home provides the exhilarating backdrop for Danielle Steel’s 66th bestselling novel, the story of a young woman’s dream, an old man’s gift, and the surprises that await us behind every closed door….
Perched on a hill overlooking San Francisco, the house was magnificent, built in 1923 by a wealthy man for the woman he adored. For her and for this house, he would spare no expense and overlook no detail, from the endless marble floors to the glittering chandeliers. Almost a century later, with the once-grand house now in disrepair, a young woman walks through its empty rooms. Sarah Anderson, a perfectly sensible estate lawyer, is about to do something utterly out of character. An elderly client has died and left her two gifts. One is a generous inheritance. The other, a priceless message: to use his money for something wonderful, something daring. And in this old house, surrounded by crumbling grandeur, Sarah knows just what it is.
A respected attorney and self-described workaholic, Sarah had always lived life by the book. With a steady, if sputtering, relationship and a tiny apartment that has suited her just fine, Sarah cannot explain the force that draws her to the mansion and its history–to the story of a woman who once lived in the house, then mysteriously left it, to a child who grew up there, and a drama that unfolded in war-torn France…and to a history she never knew she had.
Taking the biggest risk of her life, Sarah enlists the help of architect Jeff Parker, who shares Sarah’s passion for bringing the exquisite old house back to life. As she and Jeff work to restore the home’s every detail, as one relationship shatters and another begins, Sarah makes a series of powerful discoveries: about the true meaning of a dying man’s last gift…about the extraordinary legacies that are passed from generation to generation…and about a future she’s only just beginning to imagine.
In a novel of daring and hope, of embracing life and taking chances, Danielle Steel brilliantly captures one woman’s courageous choice to pour herself into a dream–and receive its gifts in return.''
It was a great story and very well-written, but I will say that when it came to Phil, Sarah's "weekend boyfriend" of 4 years, Sarah was stupid. A weekends-only relationship is the kind of game high school boys play, not men in their 30s and 40s! At least she wised up and dumped him eventually. (I won't spoil the story by telling you the reason why!)
Having finished what turned out to be an amazing story from Danielle Steel after steering clear of her for the past few years, I am eager to once again dive into her world. Therefore, my next "journey" will take me through her book, "Irresistible Forces."
For fourteen years, Steve and Meredith Whitman have sustained a marriage of passion and friendship – despite the demands of two all-consuming careers. Meredith, an investment banker, has achieved partnership in one of Wall Street’s top firms. Steve A gifted physician, chose an urban trauma ward over the big money he could have earned elsewhere. The only thing missing in their lives is children. Steve longs for them. But Meredith keeps putting off motherhood, saying she isn’t ready and doesn’t have time. Not yet. Especially now that she has been offered an extraordinary opportunity, a chance to reach for the brass ring – in San Francisco, three thousand miles away. Meredith is thrilled and surprised when Steve urges her to accept a top position at an exciting young high-tech company. Traditionally, men’s careers forces families to move to new cities, compelling their wives to abandon friends, home, and lives to follow. But Steve is more than willing to uproot himself. Saying he’ll join her as he can find a new job himself, they can begin their family at last.
Neither Steve nor Meredith had reckoned on the frustrations of a bi-coastal marriage, as Steve’s job keeps him in New York for months longer than planned. Weekends together, their lifeline, fall prey to their hectic schedules. Alone in San Francisco, Meredith is spending long hours at the office with her boss, charismatic entrepreneur Callan Dow. Steve working late shifts at the hospital, grabbing an occasional dinner with a new colleague, a doctor raising a daughter on her own. Almost unnoticed, Steve and Meredith have begun living separate lives in increasingly separate worlds. And despite the best of intentions, irresistible forces begin to tear their lives and hearts apart.
It sounds like a real page-turner, and I have an "irresistible" impulse to immediately begin my "journey" to find out just what Danielle Steel's "Irresistible Forces" are!
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