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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

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

Monday, December 19, 2011

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

Monday, December 12, 2011

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

Sunday, December 11, 2011

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:




























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

Monday, December 5, 2011

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

Sunday, December 4, 2011

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:




























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