book review

Go Set a Watchman: Chapter One – Harper Lee

Angela1 Comment

Am I the only one anxiously waiting for this new book to come out on Tuesday? It has been a long time since I waited for a book release. Like Harry-Potter-midnight-lines long time.

The Guardian has published the first chapter to this new story, and you can read it here: Go Set a Watchman Chapter One.  (If my link will not work for you, like it is not working for me, copy and paste this: http://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2015/jul/10/go-set-a-watchman-read-the-first-chapter )

photo courtesy of http://pastemagazine.com
photo courtesy of http://pastemagazine.com

There is a major spoiler, or update from To Kill a Mockingbird, right from the start of this story. So if you do not want to know what that is until you have the book-in-hand, avoid anything online related to this story.

Hoping your Saturday is full of good weather, good memories, and great stories!

In The Unlikely Event – Judy Blume

Angela4 Comments

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I think it has been about 20 years since I have read a book by Judy Blume. As always, she did not disappoint. I will be honest and say it took a few chapters before I really began having a vested interest in the characters and plot, but once I got to that point, it was difficult to put it down.

This is a fictional story, with the main action of the story revolving around real events that happened in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where Mrs. Blume grew up. There were 3 airplane crashes within a span of 58 days during the 1951-1952 school year, and Judy was an 8th grade student at the junior high school when these crashes took place.

She easily pulls together a story that spans 35 years, and many characters are introduced that play a significant role from beginning to end. The main characters are Miri, Henry, Natalie, Mason, Rusty, Irene, and Corinne, just to mention a few. Okay; just to mention several.

There is drama, suspense, romance, fighting, and all of the struggles that boys and girls go through as they become adults. No spoilers as usual, but it is definitely a story worth investing a few days of reading on.

Have you read it already? Let me know what you thought!

Do You Like Your Editor?

Angela7 Comments

I hope you love your editor 🙂

I have been seeing some posts and discussions about people who have been led astray by their editor.

I have a few simple rules for books I edit.

1) We speak the same language

2) We understand the same dialect and slang (different from #1)

3) I will correct all of your English-Language-Rule mistakes, but when you get mad at me because your 6th grade English teacher taught you nothing; I am out

4) I will always provide proof to the correct way of saying/stating something, if you require it

5) We are friends! You want to publish the best book ever, and I want you to do that

So if you feel your editor is a bit harsh on you; it may be okay.

If you absolutely cannot get along and your editor stresses you out; absolutely find a new editor

Chapter and Hearse – Lorna Barrett

Angela2 Comments

I believe this is book 5 of the 7 books I bought in the “Booktown Mystery” series of books. I enjoyed it as well as the others, but there were a couple of things that I read that just did not sit well with me.

Chapter and Hearse Lorna barrett cover Image

Tricia Miles again is caught up in a murder mystery of her own, while trying to run her bookstore, “Haven’t Got a Clue”. There are many who really wish she would just mind her own business: mostly the people killing other people. Her sister, Angelica, is on a book tour promoting her new cookbook, so Tricia is watching her employees at her restaurant and bookstore. Throw in her love-life-going-down-the drain, and some sketchy behavior by her employees, and you will certainly keep turning the pages.

I am switching it up and starting a different type of genre to read next, so be on the look-out for that.

A fun cartoon from Lorna's website! Be sure to visit it at http://lornabarrett.com
A fun cartoon from Lorna’s website! Be sure to visit it at http://lornabarrett.com

I have yet to hear from anyone who has read this series, and am curious on how you liked it if you have indeed read some of these stories?

1000 Followers! Thank You So Very Much!

Angela5 Comments
There are no words!
There are no words!

After over 2 years of running this blog, I have reached 1000 followers. It is a milestone I was determined to reach by Christmas of 2014, but opted to spend a bit more time enjoying the holidays and my family and less time blogging. I am thankful to each and every one of you for your likes, your comments, and your suggestions. I have a tweak (or two), to do with my new theme and menus, and I think I can stop playing with how it looks, and start enjoying it. Unless, of course, I find that one theme that is absolutely perfect for what I am looking for. The current one I have chosen is a little difficult to edit.

So I think I need to set a goal for myself to reach by Christmas 2015, and then make it happen!

Thank you Thank you Thank you

What’s Next?

Angela1 Comment

I am about set on getting my blog where I need it, and setting up my store for all things book! There is nothing like a couple of family emergencies to make you lose your focus!

So I will be set up to edit books, which I have been doing for quite some time now; on the side. I also have personalized book bags, key chains, bracelets, and all things book.

Most of all, I am so thankful to those of you that choose to follow me. I am all about book reviews. Most of the time they are professional; but sometimes, I just have to throw out there what I thought immediately, (first impressions, right?), So I am always good for a laugh. Straight-forward, but tell-it-like-I-see-it.

But most of all… Thank you for your patience.

You are about to see a bigger-and-better Books and Opinions that will make you stand up and say…”What took you so long?”

Finders Keepers – Stephen King

Angela2 Comments

Another brilliant book by Stephen King. He is in fine form with this sequel to “Mr. Mercedes”. The way this story ended has me nothing but hopeful that there has to be a third installment.

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These books have the classic Stephen King feel to me. Fright, suspense, and a touch of paranormal and unexplainable things happening quietly in the background.

Bill Hodges is enjoying his retirement from Detective, and quite successful in his private detective business. This story picks up where “Mr. Mercedes” ended, but the focus has turned to one of the families that was devastated by the actions of Mr. Mercedes.

photo courtesy of www.liljas-library.com
photo courtesy of http://www.liljas-library.com

If you have read “Mr. Mercedes”, then some of these names will be familiar to you. If you have not read it, yet, I cannot recommend it enough. In this installment, we get more of Holly, now Hodges assistant. Jerome and Barbara are still in this story, and we get to meet Pete and Tina Saubers. Their father was seriously injuring in the City Center Massacre, and Pete finds a way to help them with their financial struggles. Although he does nothing illegal, per-se, what he does do has serious consequences for his family. It is up to Bill to save all of them.

If you have gotten to read this as well, I would love to here what you thought of it!

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon – Stephen King

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I was told by a few of you that I would love this book, and you were right! This was definitely along the lines of classic Stephen King, and it has set me on a new mission: to read all of the older Stephen King books that are seldom talked about and I have somehow not yet managed to read.

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As a side note; I still like “From a Buick 8” the best. I am going to have to pay close attention the next time I read it, which will be soon, to see if I can figure out what exactly it is about that one story in particular that makes me like it so much!

Trisha McFarland goes from being a normal 9 year old girl, with an irritating older brother, and parents who just divorced, to suddenly fighting for her life when she gets lost in the woods. Having a 10 year old daughter myself, I was often wondering what she would do and how she would handle each new situation that Trisha encountered as she walked for miles, trying to find her way out of the woods.

The one thing that saves Trisha’s sanity, at least for the most part, is listening to the Boston Red Sox on her Walkman, and telling herself that when Tom Gordon gets the save, it means she will get saved. This is classic Stephen King all over the place, but how much of it is in Trisha’s scared, starved, exhausted mind, and how much of it is really out there in the woods, watching her?

If you like Stephen King, you will enjoy this story. At less than 300 pages it is a quick read, and the only thing I did not like about it was that the chapters were so very long! I like to try to stop reading at the end of a chapter, but sometimes I just couldn’t because they were so long. I would have to put it down about halfway through a chapter, and then skim through the page before when I picked it up to refresh myself on what was happening since I was in the middle of something big going on in the story line.

I have already started Stephen King’s new story, Finders Keepers, but this one will be a bit longer of a read. I am still trying to get my blog in top-notch working order so I can attach my store, and I do have to go back to work tomorrow!

May your Sunday be full of great stories!

Desperate Chioces – Jeanette Cooper

AngelaLeave a comment

This is a fantastic book! A quick read, full of suspense, romance, and intrigue. As a note, there is quite a bit of violence against women going on in this book, please be advised before you read.

Rochelle met a wonderful man who she married, and learned about his abusive side after the fact. He is a major king pin in the drug world, and she is a hostage in her home.

It seems predictable at points, and when Michael starts acting like a total ass, it got a bit hard to not skim over. but keep going, it is worth the read. One woman learns what is important, learns a lot about herself, and just may find her happy ending!

Desperate Choices Cover Image