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?”

Happy Father’s Day to my Favorite Reader!

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I think one of the things that makes me so happy about the relationship I have with my Dad, (and there are many), is that I can buy him books, and he does not roll his eyes at me. I buy him books for Christmas, of series that I have read, and I know he will enjoy. And since we get hard winters here in Michigan, he has a lot of time to read.

Last Christmas it was Percy Jackson. He tried to give the books back to me, but I had to explain to him that I already had all of those books. So he donated them to the library in his very small town, and the Librarian was so happy, she hugged him 🙂 Which makes me feel even more happy!

So this year it is Harry Potter. I already told him he was getting them, and that once he starts, he will not put them down.

They get snowed in; a lot; so they have weeks at a time where they know they are not getting out of their driveway. He seemed a little intimidated when I told him each successive book is longer than the last, but I know he will love them.

And then I get to look forward to the phone conversations, and the visits, and the conversations about all things books, which makes me more happy than anything!

So here’s to you Dad, and our future Harry Potter conversations. And well beyond that, Thank You for ALWAYS being my rock, my support, my ear to bend, my bail-her-out-of-whatever-jam-she-got-into.

I am truly Blessed, and love you for it!

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!

Do You Still Read “Real” Books?

Angela25 Comments

At least, that is what I was asked. I am pretty sure that they were referring to e-books versus physical books, but I did have to chuckle. I always swore I would never have an e-reader, and only read “real” books.

I also could not count the number of books; really, really good books, that I have read that were only in an electronic format. I would not have had the opportunity to read those books if I completely relied on printed books.

Now, I also still have every intention of having a library in my home when I have the spare room available for it. I could think of nothing I would enjoy more than a comfortable chair, a soft light, fluffy rug, warm fireplace, and every wall full of bookcases stacked with books. My favorite books, the classics, and books I have not read yet.

One of my favorites!
One of my favorites!

I certainly have a good start on the bookcases and books. Now I just need the room.

Where do you keep all of your books? Or have you decided to go the e-reader way to save yourself some room?

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!

B&N Can See Me Coming From A Mile Away!

Angela5 Comments

I did not realize that the sequel to Mr. Mercedes was out, so I had to go to Barnes and Noble today.

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If you missed my review of Mr. Mercedes, you can catch it here: https://booksandopinions.com/2015/01/17/mr-mercedes-stephen-king/

Have you started buying your summer reading books?

I absolutely had to buy “From a Buick 8”. It is my favorite Stephen King book, hands down. I have taken it out from the library so many times it is ridiculous, and I finally bought it! I dare you to read this book and tell me you did not love it!

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I also got another book by Mr. King, which I have never heard of. It is pretty small, and I am betting that I can get it read in a day. Any takers? A 9 year old girl gets lost in the woods with nothing but her walkman (yes, dated). Are you familiar with Tom Gordon? Me either. I will be reading this on Sunday.

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And then as I love shopping the bargain shelves, and this is where I find my favorite books, I found this little history book, which I will be reading right away. I love history anything and everything, and I cannot wait to tell you what is in this book!

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Desperate Chioces – Jeanette Cooper

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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

Constructed of Magic: (Poetry) – Louis Alan Swartz

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Constructed of Magic and Other Poems on the Immortality of the Human Spirit by Louis Alan Swartz has a variety of chapters on subjects we can all probably relate to, such as death, love and marriage, children, sanctity, and hope, among others. I do not usually read very much poetry, but when I find poetry that I like, it tends to stay with me.

Such is the case with this book.  It is filled with moving poetry that you can relate to, and understand, and truly feel. An excerpt from a poem titled “You Should Have Been Here Tonight”:

You should have been here tonight.

In truth you were here.

In the last light of sunset

There was a laughing presence

Unmistakable at the gardens edge.

Filled with beautiful imagery and positive energy, these poems paint a picture in the mind’s eye of the way things used to be, the way things could be, and the way things should be.  You will easily find comfort from the poems on these pages.

Why Is This So Difficult?

Angela6 Comments

I am still fine tuning some things using WordPress.com for Business. I am pleased with the variety of things I can do with my theme, and I have access to all of the WordPress themes. Which is way more options than anyone needs!

But for some reason I was able to get my store attached and functioning before I switched my theme. I found a theme I like that has multiple menus and also allows me to post videos and have a store; everything I am looking for. But I am having some issues navigating around, and I hope it is strictly due to me being a bit tired today.

Because I only have about 6 more free days of figuring out if I want to keep the Business account before I get hit with the hefty yearly fee they are going to charge me for using their Business platform.

So I think it is time to get my cat, turn on Netflix, and watch Once upon a Time reruns in my bedroom and hope for a good night’s sleep. I will be back at it tomorrow, hopefully with more success than I have had today.

I am currently without a book to read, so I am going to go through the list of books you all suggested for my summer reading and start getting some of them.

More to come, and thanks for your patience! You are likely to see a different theme or two on a daily basis until I find just the right one!