The Kitchen Daughter - A Review

The Kitchen Daughter - Jael McHenry (publisher)

Synopsis:

After the unexpected death of her parents, painfully shy and sheltered 26-year-old Ginny Selvaggio seeks comfort in cooking from family recipes. But the rich, peppery scent of her Nonna’s soup draws an unexpected visitor into the kitchen: the ghost of Nonna herself, dead for twenty years, who appears with a cryptic warning (“do no let her…”) before vanishing like steam from a cooling dish.

A haunted kitchen isn’t Ginny’s only challenge. Her domineering sister, Amanda, (aka “Demanda”) insists on selling their parents’ house, the only home Ginny has ever known. As she packs up her parents’ belongings, Ginny finds evidence of family secrets she isn’t sure how to unravel. She knows how to turn milk into cheese and cream into butter, but she doesn’t know why her mother hid a letter in the bedroom chimney, or the identity of the woman in her father’s photographs. The more she learns, the more she realizes the keys to these riddles lie with the dead, and there’s only one way to get answers: cook from dead people’s recipes, raise their ghosts, and ask them.

My Thoughts:

I really liked this book. Matter of fact I read it in one afternoon. I have been in a slump as of late and with one turn of a page of this book, the slump melted away and I was drawn into Ginny's world. 

Watching Ginny transform from a scared woman with Asperger's, who just lost her parents, to a strong independent woman facing her fears and life, was amazing. I really enjoyed how food and cooking were brought into the book. Being someone who doesn't enjoy cooking, this book made me wish I did. Jael made cooking look so cathartic and made me want to go bake some bread or soup. 

There were other great characters in the book. Gert, David, the ghosts. Even Ginny's sister, even if I was never sure of her angle. To be honest even though these characters were great. This book really, for me, was all about Ginny and watching her evolve. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a character that will reach out and grab your heart and attention. 

Author's Website: Jael McHenry

Shadow City - Blog Tour December 19, 2011

Shadow City - Diana Pharaoh Francis (Blog Tour)

Overview

The world is falling apart. The magical apocalypse has come. Now is the time to guard the covenstead against both raiders and refugees. But Max has been stolen by a powerful demi-god who is determined to force her to find a way to use a magical power she never knew she had—even if it kills her. Meanwhile, back in Horngate, a Fury is birthing. When the creature breaks free of the fragile bonds that enclose her, her rage will scour the covenstead from the earth.


Max finds herself in the Shadow City, a place of mysteries and magic, where she must battle for her freedom or become a slave to creatures of dreadful greed and power. Back in Horngate, Alexander must swallow his anger and pride if he hopes to defeat the Fury, a creature that no one has ever successfully fought before. 


In the end, it will be courage, friendship, faith and loyalty that win the day. Or else so one will live to see tomorrow.


My Thoughts:


I haven't quite finished up this book but another great addition to this series! Diana brings such life to her books. Max is one tough character. If I could have just an ounce of her determination and grit lol. Matter of a fact all of the characters are fantastic. 


I really like the dual storyline going on in this one. Max in Chadare trying to save Scooter's life and Alexander trying to save Horngate from a fury. I'm liking this new addition in the book, Ilanion and I hope to see more of his character as the book continues on.


Less than 100 pages to go and I can't wait to finish it tomorrow. A definite must read if you're a fan of this series and if you haven't tried the series, give it a shot. 


Author's Website: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser this week:

Bad things come in threes. My father dies. My mother dies. Then there's the funeral.

The Kitchen Daughter - Jael McHenry pg. 1

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is being hosted by Let Them Read Books.

I got one book this week:

The Kitchen Daughter - Jael McHenry (publisher)

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Nada another slow week for me.

Books I am reading this week:

Stephen King - 11-22-63

Harbor - John Ajvide Lindqvist

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Hopefully Stephen King - 11-22-63

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser this week:

So there they were: Sarah Palin, Superman and Lois Lane in a makeshift press room, setting the record straight about Katherine Guthrie. Back to the limelight.

The Yoga Club - Cooper Lawrence pg. 4

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is being hosted by Let Them Read Books.

I got one book this week:

The Yoga Club - Cooper Lawrence (Blog Tour)

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Nada another slow week for me.

Books I am reading this week:

Stephen King - 11-22-63

Harbor - John Ajvide Lindqvist

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Harbor John Ajvide Lindqvist

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser this week:


A couple of things made that day stand out more than any other: it was my sixth birthday, and my mother was wielding a knife.  Not a tiny steak knife, but some kind of massive butcher knife glinting in the light like in a bad horror movie.  She definitely wanted to kill me.


Switched - Amanda Hocking pg. 1

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is coming full circle and it being posted by

The Mailbox Monday Tour Blog.

I got a couple books this past week.

Killing Rites - M.L.N. Hanover (publisher)

Switched - Amanda Hocking (Library Thing)

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Nada. I had all this time off of work and I barely read at all. Found I was too busy with other stuff this week.

Books I am reading this week:

Harbor - John Ajvide Lindqvist

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Harbor John Ajvide Lindqvist

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope you all have a holiday full of laughter and love. Eat well and enjoy your festivities!!

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser this week:

His gaze moved between the dead cat and the coffee cup. It was an ironic twist of fate that Dante should find a Spiritus for him, and die as a result.

Harbor - John Ajvide Lindqvist pg. 35 (note: from ARC subject to change)

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is coming full circle and it being posted by

The Mailbox Monday Tour Blog.

It has been a slow month for book. Nada this past week. That's okay though, It gives me a chance to get through some of the humongous pile I have at home to read.

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

The Dressmaker - Kate Alcott

Kiss of Death - Rachel Caine

Books I am reading this week:

Harbor - John Ajvide Lindqvist

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Harbor John Ajvide Lindqvist

The Dressmaker - A Review

The Dressmaker - Kate Alcott (NetGalley)

Synopsis:

Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat. Tess’s sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon’s questionable actions during the tragedy. Others—including the gallant Midwestern tycoon—are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumors about the survivors begin to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic. Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period's glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love.

My Thoughts:

This book was almost just like watching a movie play in my head. The writing was so vivid that I could see the majestic Titanic and watch in horror as she sank. I envisioned New York as it had been during that period. Everything the author wrote about, she brought to life.

This wasn't a book just about the Titanic and the aftermath. This was a book with several story lines all weaved seamlessly into a great read. You had Lucille and Cosmos's story with Tess. You had Tess's relationships with Jack, Jim and Pinky. You had Pinky, an independent working woman, fighting for fair wages and the top headlines for the next day. You had the hearings in the aftermath of the tragedy.

What I really liked was the realism the author brought to the book. Bringing real people from the tragedy and real stories and building her story of fiction around them. I found it hard to put this book down and am glad I got the chance to read it.

Saving June - A Review

Saving June - Hannah Harrington (NetGalley)

Synopsis:

Everyone's sorry. But no one can explain why.

Harper Scott's older sister, June, took her own life a week before high school graduation, leaving Harper devastated. So when her divorcing parents decide to split up June's ashes, Harper steals the urn and takes off cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going—California.

Enter Jake Tolan, a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession…and an unknown connection to June. When he insists on joining them, Harper's just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanor and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what Harper needs. Except…Jake's keeping a secret that has the power to turn her life upside down—again.

My Thoughts:

This was a very touching read of trying to learn to cope with the suicide of a sibling. I found Harper's tough exterior to be something I can relate to. Never fully wanting the world to know how fragile she feels inside. I felt the same way about Jake and Laney. All very different characters yet they all were very much alike in their own little ways.

I loved all the music in this book. I know next to nothing of the songs in it but it sure made me want to go listen to the mix Cd's and was very happy to have a list of each CD at the end. You can bet I'll listen to at least one of these just to mentally go back to the book.

If you're looking for a book to reach out and make you feel something, this will do it for you. Might want to have a tissue or two handy just in case.

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is coming full circle and it being posted by The Mailbox Monday Tour Blog.

I got one book this week and a Yummy pizza gift card.

1) All Wounds - Dina James ( won over at My

World in Words and Pages from the lovely Melissa)

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Fade Out - Rachel Caine

Saving June - Hannah Harrington

Books I am reading this week:

The Dressmaker - Kate Alcott

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

The Dressmaker - Kate Alcott

Something. I hope I finish at least one if not two.

Bad Girls Don't Die - A Review

Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender (own)

Synopsis:

When Alexis's little sister Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, Alexis thinks nothing of it. Kasey is a weird kid. Period. Alexis is considered weird, too, by the kids in her high school, by her parents, even by her own Goth friends. Things get weirder, though, when the old house they live in starts changing. Doors open and close by themselves; water boils on the unlit stove; and an unplugged air conditioner turns the house cold enough to see their breath in. Kasey is changing, too. Her blue eyes go green and she speaks in old-fashioned language, then forgets chunks of time.

Most disturbing of all is the dangerous new chip on Kasey's shoulder. The formerly gentle, doll-loving child is gone, and the new Kasey is angry. Alexis is the only one who can stop her sister — but what if that green-eyed girl isn't even Kasey anymore?

My Thoughts:

This was a one day read for me. I love a great ghost story and this one delivered. I was sucked in very quickly and it kept me reading until it was over. That doesn't happen very often.

It's really hard to review this book without giving away the story which i hate to do. So I will just say if you see this book and love a great ghost story, pick this one up. It's a great read for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Author's Website: Katie Alender

Tempest - A Review

Tempest - Julie Cross (Library Thing)

Release Date: January 17, 2012

Synopsis:

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! It was fast paced, and full of action. I never quite knew what to expect with each page turn. Definitely one of the things that makes a book stand out to me.

Jackson is a great character as is Adam. I took a liking to Adam and certainly hope we get to see more of him in the next two books. The rest of the characters were great in their parts as well. Although with them, it was and is hard to tell just who is a good or bad guy. I'm sure more will come out in the other books but what a great way to start a trilogy.

The end kind of made me sad and I hope what happened turns around somehow or at least maybe get more story play. Guess I will have to wait and see.

Author's Website: Julie Cross

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is coming full circle and it being posted by The Mailbox Monday Tour Blog.

Other than a great little Cinder mirror swag I got from the publisher, I had a non existent mailbox this week.

It's Monday. What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Lisey's Story - Stephen King

Tempest - Julie Cross

Bad Girls Don't Die - Katie Alender

Books I am reading this week:

still deciding

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespears (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Something. I hope I finish at least one if not two.

The Future of Us - A Review

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler (Library Thing)

Synopsis:

It's 1996, and less than half of all American high school students have ever used the Internet.

Emma just got her first computer and an America Online CD-ROM. Josh is her best friend.

They power up and log on and discover themselves on Facebook, fifteen years in the future.

Everybody wonders what their destiny will be. Josh and Emma are about to find out

My Thoughts:

If you could know what your life would be like in 15 years, would you want to know or not? That is the main question this book brings to light. I know at one time or another we've each have wondered what it would be like in our future. Who doesn't? But what if you could? Would you look?

I found this book to be a quick, easy read that was light on the drama but yet dealt with such a fun and yet serious idea. Knowing what you're future held and the consequences of it. How one little mind shift could make such an impact. One little add thought to throw a wrench in the idea of something. Crazy heh.

The characters were typical teenage, angst ridden group. A likable bunch. Mostly I just enjoyed the idea that surrounds the book. I liked seeing how each of the main characters dealt with the knowledge handed to them and how they evolved, changed by knowing it.

This would be a great book to take on vacation and spend a lazy day reminiscing of life in the 90's, if you're old enough to remember being a teenager in the 90's lol. So if you get a chance, pick it up and give it a shot.

Author's Websites: Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is hosted by Serena at Savvy, Verse and Wit.

Just one book this week and it was actually a book for last week that I forgot to put on my list:

Tempest - Julie Cross (Library Thing Early Reviewer)

It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Lisey's Story - Stephen King

Books I am reading this week:

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespeare (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

The Future of Us - Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler

Iron Knight - A Review

The Iron Knight - Julie Kagawa (Netgalley)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.


To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

My Thoughts:

Oh I don't even know where to begin. When I read this book I had no idea it was the last in the series. How I missed that little tidbit, I'll never know. So I read with no sadness and thought of several ways any future books could go and several stories I would love to hear. Imagine my surprise when I finished it and realized it was the last one.

My heart broke a little. I really think it did. I can't even begin to say how much I loved this series! From that darn cat Grim, to Meghan so strong and full of will. Let's not forget the boys. Ash, man I love this character. Watching him learn to love and grow throughout the series was a joy. Then of course there is Puck. No way we can forget him. This character reminds me of the bratty little brother that you both love and want to throttle at the same time. I kept thinking through out the book how much he reminded me of Peter Pan.

Those are just the main characters. Then there's all the smaller parts I found enjoyable. I loved the Wolf! He's just awesome and the banter between him and Grim was funny. The city of the forgotten I found to be very haunting and sad. The River of Dreams was cool if a bit freaky lol.

I loved this book. I can honestly say it was my favorite of the series. Each book got a little better than the last one. I am so glad I read this series and won't hesitate to pick up the next book Julie writes.

~EDIT~ I had to come back and add a note. I read the acknowledgement and discovered this hidden gem behind that. How to survive the Nevernever. I LOL'd! It was brilliant tidbit to add to the end of the book.

Author's Website: Julie Kagawa

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted byMizB of Should Be Reading and it asks us to...

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser this week:

It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.

Even under the brightest sun, the frigid autumn sea is all the colors of the night: dark blue and black and brown.

The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater pg. 1

Mailbox Monday & What Are You Reading

Mailbox Monday was originally hosted by Marcia at the Printed page but now it is a traveling meme. This month it is hosted by Serena at Savvy, Verse and Wit.

Just one book this week:

The Scorpio Races - Maggie Stiefvater

It's Monday What are you reading this week? Hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World of Books. This is a meme to list the books completed last week, the books currently being read, and the books to be finished this week.

Books I finished in the last week:

Nada it was a slow week

Books I am reading this week:

Lisey's Story - Stephen King

Romeo & Juliet - William Shakespears (work in progress)

Books to Finish This week:

Lisey's Story - Stephen King