Garden Spells Charms June 27, 2008

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Fiction, Published 2006

Read June 2008

4/5

From the Cover:

In a garden surrounded by a tall fence, tucked away behind a small, quiet house in the smallest of towns, is an apple tree that is rumored to bear a very special sort of fruit…

Review:

Set in North Carolina, the Waverley family is known for their peculiar ways with flowers and herbs grown from the garden in their backyard. Claire is no exception and she has created a profitable catering business from it. Claire lives alone in her grandmother’s house, pretty much apart from the outside world except for her customers and her crazy eighty-year-old distant cousin Evanelle. Claire uses flowers from her garden in all of her recipes to enhance or change the mood of the person eating.

“…all the locals knew that dishes made from the flowers that grew around the apple tree in the Waverley garden could affect the eater in curious ways. The biscuits with lilac jelly, the lavender tea cookies, and the tea cakes made with nasturtium mayonnaise the Ladies Aid ordered for their meetings once a month gave them the ability to keep secrets. The fried dandelion buds over marigold-petal rice, stuffed pumpkin blossoms, and rose-hip soup ensured that your company would notice only the beauty of your home and never the flaws. Anise hyssop honey butter on toast, angelica candy, and cupcakes with crystallized pansies made children thoughtful. Honeysuckle wine served on the Fourth of July gave you the ability to see in the dark…”

And if you eat an apple from the apple tree, that is if Claire allowed you anywhere near it, you would see the most significant event that would happen to you in your life, good or bad. The tree was a life force all its own and if it wanted you to see the future, it would throw apples until you got the hint.

I really enjoyed Evanelle’s character. She’s very eccentric and always knows what to give people before they ever actually need it. But fate is on her side and the random items she gives people always help them in
some unforeseen circumstance.

Claire has become set in her ways and only leaves the house for business. Then suddenly the fates turn the tides and upset Claire’s stable, yet isolated, world. First it’s her new next door neighbor, Tyler. He is very interested in getting to know Claire, but she doesn’t want anything to do with him. Then, her long-lost sister, Sydney, shows up with a daughter and upsets the entire town. Claire is constantly afraid of being left again by Sydney and her new love interest Tyler. But Claire has to learn to open her heart and let them in if she ever wants to find what the apple tree has in store for her.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a fairly quick read and the “magical realism” aspect of the novel was really enchanting. The different recipes Claire describes sound purely scrumptious. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a charming, uplifting read.

Reviews to Come… June 24, 2008

From the Shelf… June 20, 2008

Taken from the shelf’s depths - July 2005:

Mom brought home a stuffed Go, Dog. Go! dog! (They are sold for charity.) He is so cute and looks like the dog here on the book’s cover.

Fun trivia: This dog is not in the actual book.

But, there are blue dogs, green dogs, white dogs, yellow dogs, tall dogs, short dogs, all going to the dog party!

Katherine - Historical Fiction Reading Challenge #1 May 30, 2008

Katherine by Anya Seton

Historical Fiction, Originally published 1954

Read April-May 2008

4.5/5

From the Cover:

This classic novel tells the most romantic love story in British history - the true love tale of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the ancestors of much of the British royal family. It is set in the vibrant 14th-century England of Chaucer, when magnificent pageantry was confronted by the Black Death, when knights went to battle in expensive foreign wars while peasants struggled to survive, and when the magnificent but despotic Plantagenets - Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II - ruled over the court rotten with intrigue. In this era of danger and passion, John of Gaunt, the king’s son and the proudest of the Plantagenets, fought for power and fell desperately in love with the already married Katherine. Their well-documented romance persisted through decades of war, adultery, murder, loneliness, and redemption.

Katherine is a young girl fresh from the convent when she first meets the Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt. She arrives at the Queen’s castle to visit her sister Phillipa, one of the women caring for the Queen and later married to Geoffrey Chaucer. After a few days of being at the castle, Katherine is accosted by one of the Duke’s knights, Sir Hugh Swynford. Since Katherine is poor with only her sister, the Duke and his wife, Lady Blanche, think it a good idea for Katherine to marry the knight. He has a great estate and this way he gets Katherine and she will become part of society. But Katherine does not love Hugh and she struggles to become the lady of his manor Kettlethorpe. One day the Duke shows up to see Katherine and thus begins their friendship and ultimately a life-long love affair. Katherine soon settles into a life of considerable luxury with the Duke, having four illegitimate children with him. But life with the Duke is not without its consequences and her children as well as her reputation are often the sacrifices she makes to stay with him.

From arriving from the nunnery in the beginning of the novel to pilgrimaging alone barefoot, Katherine grows more self-assured as time passes. She becomes confident and discovers she contains great power over those around her. Katherine’s position in the Duke’s life was widely considered to be scandalous but he ultimately proves to both Katherine and his people the meaning of true love.

The Plantagenets are a new subject for me. I love history and I’ve read reviews that this is one of the best written historical novels. However, this was a hard book for me to finish for some reason. The last 150 pages or so I just had to keep reminding myself only 100 pages to go. It seems that about 3/4 the way in, the language just becomes too much. In between the time where Katherine is officially the Duke’s mistress and is living comfortably at the Savoy while the Duke is away for battle and then with his wife the Duchess Costanza, the book just dragged on. However, I’m certainly glad I didn’t put the book away for good because the last five chapters or so were just excellent!

I’m interested in reading the upcoming nonfiction (and much shorter) account by Alison Weir entitled Katherine Swynford: The Story of John of Gaunt and His Scandalous Duchess to compare what was Seton’s fact from fiction.

Recommended to: Anyone interested in reading about the Plantagenets and the great love affair between the Duke John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford.

For more info

Check out my Review at the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge Blog

Lottery wins big May 28, 2008

Lottery by Patricia Wood

Fiction, Published 2007

4.5/5

“My name is Perry L. Crandall and I am not retarded.”

At 32, Perry says his IQ is 76, and he read in Reader’s Digest that your IQ must be less than 75 to be retarded. Perry was raised by his grandparents since his mother and brothers are embarrassed by his slowness.

“Gram always told me the L stood for Lucky.”

I think Perry is really lucky in that he has a few people watching is back, making sure no one takes advantage of him. Gram was the best. At school, Perry has always been the butt of everyone’s jokes. (Yes, Perry, ‘butt’ is not a nice thing to say.) He only had one teacher that really understood him and believed he could really learn.

Gramp taught Perry everything about boats and now even though he is gone, Perry loves sailboats and works for Gary Holsted, the owner of Holsted’s Marine Supply in Everett, Washington. Perry has a very strong work ethic and enjoys making other people happy. Gary has known Perry since he was little and came to live with his grandparents. He seems to try his best to help Perry out and even lets him live in the apartment above the store after Gram dies and he’s forced to live on his own for the first time.

“I write things down so I do not forget.”

Gram makes Perry read the dictionary, a few words a day. Gram teaches him to write things down, to think things through, to not “be smart” and to know who and who not to trust. Perry trusts his two friends at work, Gary Holsted and Keith.

“When a person dies, their body goes away, but their voices stay.”

Once Gram dies, Perry has to learn to make it on his own. His own family comes and takes everything valuable out of Gram’s house and then practically steal the house from Perry. All he has left are his few friends and his job. Perry overcomes the adversities of his family trying to take advantage of him. He hears Grams thoughtful words telling him to not be so “suggestible.”

“Gram says life is difficult.

“Life is tough, Perry. It’s full of rude surprises and obstacles to overcome. Sometimes misfortune just smashed you upside the head. It’s difficult. Most things in life are difficult.” She tells me this while she picks tiny balls off her wood sweater and throws them into the trash. They stick to everything, those little balls.”

Life is difficult for Perry after Gram dies but once he wins the lottery, it becomes even more difficult. Many people that Perry does not know come at him wanting his money and Perry happily tries to help anyone and everyone he can because after all, it’s nice to help others. Even though his family is obviously taking advantage of Perry and his money, Perry continues to believe that they need the money more then he does and that’s true, because to Perry he has everything he needs.

There are times when I forget I am slow. When I am riding my bike to Holsted’s. When I scrub teak on the deck of a sailboat with Keith. When Gary lets me fill out paperwork in the office. When I am by myself. Without other people. They are the ones who are fast. They talk and think faster.

“Turning themselves into butter!” Gram thinks regular people are too speedy. “Around and around and around they turn…”

Gram is right.

Gram is right. Life goes by so fast and it is so easy to get caught up in it all. Perry and Gram both poignantly point this out.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and found myself rooting for Perry to tell his family off and succeed as a businessman. In the end, it seems Perry finally found everything he was looking for, a family to love and to love him back just the way he is.

Read Lottery to find out how Perry spends his lottery money to better himself and his friends.

Bargain Book - 4.99

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler May 20, 2008

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E.

Frankweiler

E.L. Konigsburg

YA Fiction, Originally published 1967

Newbery Medal Winner - 1968

Read May 2008

4/5

From the Cover:

When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn’t just want to run from somewhere, she wants to run to somewhere - to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and, preferably, elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother Jamie has money and thus can help her with a serious cash-flow problem, she invites him along.

Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at auction for a bargain price of $225. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master, Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn’t it? Claudia is determined to find out. Her quest leads her to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue, and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.

My thoughts:

Set in the late 1960s, Claudia and her little brother Jamie run away from home to the art museum in New York City with only $28.61. By the time Claudia finishes planning her adventure, she almost forgets why she wanted to runaway in the first place. She decides to bring Jamie since he is the brother with the most amount of money, plus he is definitely excited to be in on Claudia’s plans.

Claudia and Jamie plan to leave on a Wednesday, the day they have music lessons. They pack all their clothes in their instrument-empty cases. They get on the bus, and wait until everyone gets off and the bus driver parks the bus for the morning. They then leave school and catch a bus to the big city. The children do send a letter home telling their parents not to worry, that they will come back home. But as they are away on their adventures, little thought is given to the parents’ feelings.

The book is written from Mrs. Frankweiler’s perspective in a letter to her lawyer, Saxonburg, to include the children in her will. It isn’t until the end of the mystery that the reader discovers Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler’s role in the story.

Claudia and Jamie live for a week in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They hide out in the bathroom stalls while waiting for the staff to come in in the mornings and lock up at night and sleep in one of the beds in the French and English furniture section. They bathe in a fountain and join other school groups for their museum tours and even lunch.

When Claudia learns about Angel, a Renaissance statue that has just been sold to the museum and is thought to have been sculpted by Michelangelo himself, the real mystery caper begins. Claudia just knows learning the secrets behind Angel’s existence will allow her to return home different from when she left. This finally leads them to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the woman who sold the statue, and her research files that have the answers the children have been looking for.

To find out the secrets awaiting Claudia and Jamie in Mrs. Frankweiler’s files, you’ll just have to read the book! Children of any generation will love the adventure, mystery, and thrill of hiding out in a museum. But if you’re looking for a little adventure, don’t runaway from home. Many museums have sanctioned sleepovers. =)

Children’s Book Week May 12-18 May 14, 2008

So I just saw on Amazon, which I really peruse more than I should, that this week is Children’s Book Week. Even though it’s already Wednesday, I’ve decided to put my other books aside and read a few children’s books that I have on my shelves.

To find out more about it, go to www.bookweekonline.com, but the main premise is for kids and adults to find a book and enjoy!

Here are a few from my shelves that I plan on reading through the rest of this week…

The Twits by Roald Dahl

The BFG by Roald Dahl

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

and possibly finishing Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Catch Me If You Can May 14, 2008

Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake

Frank Abagnale with Stan Redding

NF - True Crime/Memoir, Published 2002

Read April-May 2008

3.5/5

From the Cover:

Frank Abagnale, alias Frank Williams, Robert Conrad, Frank Adams, and Robert Monjo, was one of the most daring con men, forgers, impostors, and escape artists in history. During his brief but notorious criminal career, Abagnale donned a pilot’s uniform and copiloted a Pan Am jet, masqueraded as the supervising resident of a hospital, practiced law without a license, passed himself off as a college sociology professor, and cashed over $2.5 million in forged checks - all before he was twenty-one. A hilarious, stranger-than-fiction account of his sumptuous life on the lam, international escapades, and ingenious escapes, Catch Me If You Can is a captivating tale of deceit.

Why did you choose this book?

I’ve wanted to read this book ever since I saw the movie and I borrowed probably close to 2 years ago from my cousin Mel. I’m pretty sure she’s already read it and has enough books in her own TBR pile that she hasn’t missed it too much since I “borrowed” it. =) Anyway, back to the story…I was really intrigued by the idea that someone so personable and lovable as Frank, at least when viewed as Leonardo DiCaprio, could commit so many crimes and have it come across as fun.

Overall Opinion:

What I found to be the most impressive thing about Abagnale was how he studied for every con. He went in knowing his subject. He studied to be a pilot, a doctor, an attorney, college professor and convincingly pulled it off. Frank never actually had to fly a plane, thank goodness, he just deadheaded from one city to another, staying for free in the payed for pilot amenities. His main scam included cashing checks from real bank accounts, just without the funds, then later cashing Pan Am checks. He also forged his degrees from Columbia and Harvard. He let the nurses and resident doctors handle the patients, and even taught class by the books. And he did all this before he was 21!

After spending only six months in the harsh French prison were Frank says he lost track of time in the dark and dank “hole”, Frank was expedited to Sweden. The Swedish prison system really let Frank off easy. After serving only a few months in the Sweden’s prison system, which Frank described as more than lenient, a judge revoked his American passport so he had to return to the US, without going to any of the other dozen or so countries who wanted him to serve time. He was then sentenced 12 years in the US prison system but only served less than 3 years. Frank is now one of the world’s leading experts preventing bank fraud.

To me, this fun run-about story seems unrealistic, but then again, much of the security and technology was not present during the time of Frank’s scams. Frank really had nerve. He convincingly lied his way through nearly 2.5 million dollars in the late 1960s. And he got off so easy! Even though many of his scams have been made nearly impossible because of today’s technology, it’s amazing how so many people took Frank at face value. I’m definitely going to have to re-watch the movie now to compare.

For more info…

More Reading Challenges! Wind-Up Book Chronicle & 1% May 8, 2008

So a few more reading challenges to help get through that tbr pile of mine…

The Wind-Up Book Chronicle Challenge

What: To participate, you must use books that you’ve read more than 50 pages of BEFORE MAY 1 but never finished. (…haha this is so perfect for me since I already have a list of these! Seriously, I have a problem!)

1. When: May 15 through November 15, 2008.

emmegail’s “Never-ending Books that I’ve Started but Never Finished” list:

1. Katherine by Anya Seton (Historical Fiction Challenge, also on the BBC’s The Big Read list)
2. Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake by Frank Abagnale
3. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Historical Fiction Challenge and 1% Well-Read Challenge)
4. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (why have I never finished this?)
5. Light in August by William Faulkner (started when it was on Oprah’s Book Club…)
6. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (started when it was on Oprah’s Book Club…)
7. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs
8. Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

I know there’s more but I’m limiting my list to these since at this point it’s been so long for the others that I’ll probably have to start over.

********************

1% Well-Read Challenge

What: The goal of this challenge is to read 10 books in 10 months from the 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die list.

When: May 1, 2008 - Feb. 28, 2009

Although we all know this list is only one opinion, I would like to read more classics. I have the entire list on my Challenges/Lists page with the books I’ve read crossed out and the ones in blue that I own and will someday get around to reading.




emmegail’s list:

1. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, Wind-Up Book Chronicle)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (Historical Fiction Reading Challenge, somehow I missed reading this in school)
3. The Once and Future King by T.H. White (Arthurian Challenge)
4. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
5. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
6. The Professor’s House by Willa Cather
7. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner (Wind-Up Book Chronicle)
8. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster
9. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
10. Emma by Jane Austen

emmegail has resurfaced from the geology textbooks… May 8, 2008

So school’s finally out and I’m hoping to catch up on all my reviews soon. Now that studying and finals are out of the way I can finally read about things other than plate tectonics, foreland basins, and seismic interpretation. I love geology, probably much more than the average person, but even I find it hard to wade through some of the articles and textbooks. I spent part of the last few weeks writing a wikipedia article, which I think is pretty cool. I dare you to try it out…it’s not as easy as it may look!

I currently have about 5 books that I’ve been reading through this past month but haven’t quite finished any of them yet.

Reviews to come:

Katherine by Anya Seton - which I’m loving!

Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale - which I borrowed like 2 years ago from mel…i don’t think she’s noticed yet…

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - I’m about half way through this book - so far it’s not as good as I had hoped and I often forget I was even reading it…maybe I’ll try again soon

Giants of Geology by Carroll Fenton - I picked this up at the library while researching for my wikipedia article

and I need to plug my ebook reader in so I can finish that A.J. Jacobs’ book…

=)