Friday, December 31, 2010

December's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. December's Book of the Month is: 


 False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak
Published as: False Witness in August 1981
Publisher: Simon and Schuster



Birth Name: Dorothy Goldstein
Born: 24 April 1930 in New York City, New York
Died: 8 July 2006 in Greenport, New York

Canonical Name: Dorothy Uhnak
Pseudonyms: None

False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak was the sixty-third book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since November 20, 2009 and it took me four days to read. I sent this book off to another good home on May 16, 2012.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Daphne du Maurier - Mary Anne

66. Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier (1954)
Length: 351 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 29 December 2010
Finished: 30 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like Daphne du Maurier as an author.


Mary Anne was Daphne du Maurier's great-great-grandmother. This is a novel about Mary Anne's life. She married a ne'er do well and later became mistress to a royal duke. She became part of a scandal that shocked England's staid Victorian society. I truly enjoyed this book although it became very legal towards the end. I give this story an A!


A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Lee Mather - The Green Man

65. The Green Man by Lee Mather (2010)
Length: 27 pages
Genre: Short Story
Started/Finished: 28 December 2010
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Lee for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 December 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and Lee Mather is a new author for me.

Peter is going on a plane trip when he receives a frantic phone call from his mother begging him not to go. She has seen a vision of the 'Green Man' and is worried about him. Peter's relationship with his mother has become strained since his father's death and he categorically doesn't believe in the 'Green Man'. What follows is a journey in faith, love and forgiveness. I enjoyed this story because I grew up in Manchester and it reminded me of several things. This story was a little hard to follow in areas but I enjoyed it for the most part. I give it a B+!

B+! - (89-85%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, December 27, 2010

David Lavender - Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party

64. Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party by David Lavender (1948)
Length: 96 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 25 December 2010
Finished: 27 December 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 30 November 2010
Why do I have it? Mareena gave me this book as a Christmas present.


This is a children's book of the story of the Donner Party - a party of settlers who were traveling to California and got trapped in a snowstorm. It is a story of greed, heroics and tragedy. I love history and trivia books, and my daughter knows that the history that I like to read is usually contained in children's books. I found this story was heartrending and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dorothy Uhnak - False Witness

63. False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak (1981)
Length: 314 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 10 December 2010
Finished: 14 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and I had read and enjoyed The Ryer Avenue Story by the same author many years ago.


A beautiful talk show host is brutally attacked and injured in her apartment. This book is about the shocking accusation of who did it. I enjoyed the twists and turns of a very interesting plot and that justice was meted out in an unusual way. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Judith Henry Wall - Blood Sisters

62. Blood Sisters by Judith Henry Wall (1992)
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 1 December 2010
Finished: 5 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Judith Henry Wall is a new author for me.


Made blood sisters in the 1950's, when they were school girls, Jen, Helen, Bonnie and Libby take many different paths toward love, success, tragedy and heartbreak as they grow toward womanhood. I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more by this author. I give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for November at Moonshine and Rosefire


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out November with about 648 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 647 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and Paperback Swap.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
- Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party by David Lavender
- The Summit Sojourners by William Ridley
- Cities of the Dead by Linda Barnes
- Neighbors by Maureen S. Pusti
- Great Irish Tales of Horror: A Treasury of Fear by Peter Haining
- Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror by Douglas E. Winter 
- Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham
- Erica Wilson's Children's World by Janet Wilson

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Rabbit Redux by John Updike
- The Uninvited by John Farris
- How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong
- The Way Through the Woods by Colin Dexter
- Perry Mason Solves the Case of the Lucky Loser by Erle Stanley Gardner
- Sudden Mischief by Robert B. Parker
- Plague Ship by Frank G. Slaughter
- Small Vices by Robert B. Parker
- Mr. Murder by Dean R. Koontz

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, not a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 1
Pages Read: 289
Grade Range: A+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was November. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

November's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. November's Book of the Month is: 


One True Thing: A Novel by Anna Quindlen
Published as: One True Thing in 1994
Publisher: Random House



Birth Name: Anna Marie Quindlen
Born: 8 July 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Canonical Name: Anna Quindlen
Pseudonyms: None

One True Thing: A Novel by Anna Quindlen was the sixty-first book that I read in 2010. I have had two copies of this book on my TBR shelf since March 5, 2010 and it took me ten days to read. I sent the paperback copy of this book off to another good home on August 10, 2011. Although, I'm planning to keep the second copy of the book for a little while longer and maybe read it again at some point in the future.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, November 26, 2010

Anna Quindlen - One True Thing: A Novel

61. One True Thing: A Novel by Anna Quindlen (1994)
Length: 289 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 16 November 2010
Finished: 26 November 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and I read and enjoyed Blessings by the same author in the past.

A young woman sits in jail accused of murder. While she claims that she is in fact innocent of the charges against her, she also says that the crime was actually an act of mercy. She tells everyone who will listen that she may know who committed the crime.

When Ellen Gulden first learns that her mother, Kate, is suffering from cancer, the disease has already become far advanced. Actually, she has always held a special place within her family. As the oldest of three children, Ellen has always been seen as the high achiever of the family; her father's intellectual match, and the person who is most caught in the middle between her parents. So, when her father insists that Ellie quit her job and come home to care for Kate, she feels obligated to fulfill her father's wishes.

However, while everyone else sees Ellen's role in the family as that of the dutiful daughter, she sees herself as very different from her mother. Kate Gulden was always the talented homemaker, the family's popular center, its one true thing. Ellen secretly believes that she will never truly measure up to her mother, no matter what she does. Yet as she begins to spend more time with Kate, Ellen learns many surprising things, not only about herself but also about her mother, a woman she thought she knew so well.

As the days progress for Ellen and Kate, the life choices both women have made are reassessed in this deeply personal and poignant novel, a work of fiction which is inbued with richly detailed and profound insights into the complex lives and relationships of men and women. I have to say that while this book dealt with a very heavy subject, it was still very well-written. In my opinion, Ms. Quindlen treated such a difficult subject with a certain amount of tenderness and sympathy for all involved.

To be perfectly honest, while I came to understand the main character by the end of the story, I would have to say that she didn't have the most appealing personality to start with. I found her to be somewhat annoying and self-absorbed; although she became a more sympathetic character to me the further that I read. I would also say that my initial impressions would perhaps have to be deliberately created by the author. I would give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, November 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for October at Moonshine and Rosefire


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out October with about 651 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 646 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon
- The Architect by Keith Ablow
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman
- The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain 

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Random Winds by Belva Plain
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Brain by Robin Cook
- The Advocate's Devil by Alan M. Dershowitz
- Denial by Keith Ablow
- Immoral Certainty by Robert K. Tannenbaum
- Houses of Stone by Barbara Michaels
- The Body in the Bouillon by Katherine Hall Page
- His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelley
- Julia by Peter Straub

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1,683
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 31, 2010

October's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. October's Book of the Month is: 


 The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain
Published as: The Sight of the Stars in December 2003
Publisher: Delacorte Press




Birth Name: Belva Offenberg
Born: 9 October 1915 in New York City, New York
Died: 12 October 2010 in Short Hills, New Jersey

Canonical Name: Belva Plain
Pseudonyms: None

The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain was the fifty-sixth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since February 24, 2010 and it took me five days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Sidney Sheldon - Memories of Midnight

60. Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon (1990)
The Other Side of Midnight Series Book 2 
Length: 399 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 28 October 2010
Finished: 30 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Set in London and Greece, this is Sidney Sheldon's sequel to The Other Side of Midnight. Greek tycoon Constantin Demiris likes his revenge ice cold. Months after he had Catherine, his mistress, and the lover she betrayed him with executed, he decides to tie up loose ends by having everyone who can link him to the not entirely successful crime killed off.

Catherine is currently suffering from amnesia and Constantin can't stop toying with her, as she is basically the only one who knows enough to sink the shipping magnate. I enjoyed this book but found it slightly farfetched. I give it a B+!

B+! - (89-85%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Keith Ablow - The Architect

59. The Architect by Keith Ablow (2005)
Frank Clevenger, M.D. Series Book 6
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 18 October 2010
Finished: 28 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I do enjoy contemporary mysteries and Keith Ablow is a new author for me.

West Crosse is a brilliant, handsome architect with a love of ideal beauty and a commitment to creating it at all costs. But the rich, powerful families who employ him don't realize that he has a dark side: Crosse can't stop at designing their homes, he must make their lives beautiful as well.

To Crosse, that means murdering abusive spouses, a toxic lover, predatory business partners or anyone else who doesn't fit with his ideal of perfection. As Crosse begins his master work, the FBI's Frank Clevenger begins the ultimate cat and mouse game. I enjoyed this book and give it an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Scott Smith - The Ruins

58. The Ruins by Scott Smith (2006)
Length: 319 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 7 October 2010
Finished: 17 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and Scott Smith is a new author to me.


Six friends are exploring a Mexican archeological dig. What sets out to be a fun exploration of the Mayan ruins turns into a nightmare beyond imagination. I loved this story but it is not for the squeamish. It was the perfect horror story for me and I give it an A+!


A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman - Still Talking

57. Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman (1991)
Length: 285 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 October 2010
Finished: 7 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and have always been curious about Joan Rivers' life.

This is the story of a woman who had - and then lost - everything. The story of a woman who worked for three decades to finally reach the top. What subsequently happened to Joan Rivers had more to do with being a woman than with being a star. In a business that is notoriously harsh to women, Joan Rivers struggled to carve out a niche for herself that for the past several decades, has marked her as one of the gutsiest comediennes working in the business today.

Ultimately, Joan was forced to choose between her husband and her career. In the titanic confrontation between her husband and the boss of her television network, Joan stood with her husband and was out of a job. Far worse, Edgar, her husband of twenty-two years, took his own life.

In the face of such awful tragedy, where did this controversial star find the inner strength to continue on and survive without the protection of her husband? With her trademark combination of biting humor and fragility, tough-minded ambition and traditional values, Joan Rivers tells a story of tragedy and eventual triumph. Not only has she learned to survive the trials and tribulations of life, but she has ultimately thrived.

I must say that while I don't enjoy Joan Rivers' style of comedy, I certainly enjoyed reading her autobiography. She has gone through so much tragedy; things that would quite possibly torpedo another person's career for good. However, Joan Rivers has somehow risen above and triumphed over such sadness and still has managed to be successful. In my opinion, she is a very strong woman; a woman who is to be admired for her fortitude. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Belva Plain - The Sight of the Stars

56. The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain (2003)
Length: 342 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 28 September 2010
Finished: 3 October 2010
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 February 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Dressed in a new suit with 150 dollars in his pocket, Adam Arnring says goodbye to his family and boards a train for the West. The year is 1907. Adam is nineteen years old, a young man with stars in his eyes who has dreams of a bright future in the wide open spaces of America. Far from his New Jersey roots, Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town. He is taken with the beautiful and untouchable Emma Rothirsch who inhabits a world whose doors are forever closed to him. But Adam is determined to fight for what he wants.

One is Emma, another is to build a lasting empire to pass on to his children and grandchildren. But just when Adam seems to be able to attain what he wants, fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events which will have reprecussions throughout the years.

Adam, now the head of a growing family and a prosperous department store, succumbs to a moment of weakness culminating in an ultimate act of betrayal - one that is unforgivable. Now as a new generation of the family is born, a secret from the Arnrings' past reaches forward to shatter their lives.

Surprisingly, this is one of very few books by Ms. Plain that is completely new to me. Somehow, it never even registered on my radar that she had written a new book until this one had been out for almost a decade. I have always thought Belva Plain was a wonderful author - in my opinion, she was a natural born storyteller, able to develop the type of characters that readers could really relate to and plots that were incredibly realistic.

The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain is just such a book - I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story, and was completely swept away by it; avidly wanting to know what would happen next. I would definitely give this book an A+! and would whole-heartedly recommend it to others who enjoy reading historical family sagas.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, October 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for September at Moonshine and Rosefire


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out September with 657 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 650 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts
- Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D.
- Treasures by Belva Plain
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Whispers by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- No Mercy by John Walsh
- Another View by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Flowers in the Rain and Other Stories by Rosamunde Pilcher
- The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Under Gemini by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
- Halfway Home: My Life 'Til Now by Ronan Tynan
- The Passion of Molly T. by Lawrence Sanders

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 7
Pages Read: 2,733
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was September. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, September 30, 2010

September's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. September's Book of the Month is: 

 The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts
Published as: Afternoon of an Autocrat or The Devil in Clevely  in 1956
Publisher: Doubleday and Company



Birth Name: Norah Robinson
Born: 27 August 1904 in Shipdham, Norfolk, England
Died: 10 September 1983 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England

Canonical Name: Norah Lofts
Pseudonyms: Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis

The Deadly Gift by Nancy Thayer was the fifty-fifth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since April 4, 2009 and it took me eight days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Norah Lofts - The Deadly Gift

55. The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts (1967)
(Originally Published as: Afternoon of an Autocrat) (1956)
Length: 317 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 20 September 2010
Finished: 28 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 April 2009
Why do I have it? I like Norah Lofts as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

As the patriarch of the all-powerful Shelmadine family, Sir Charles Augustus Shelmadine was known by all to be a benevolent autocrat. He ruled his little village 'kingdom' with a gentle but firm hand, and was genuinely liked and respected by his tenants for his warm demeanor. He kindly instructed his tenants on the best way to grow their crops; raise their children and handle their love affairs. However, when Sir Charles passed away rather suddenly and unexpectedly, the village stirred uneasily.

The villagers main unease grew from the arrival of the new Squire, Sir Richard Shelmadine. As Sir Charles' son, Sir Richard had recently returned from overseas and seemed quite ready and more than eager to take over his father's title. However, Sir Richard was an unusually secretive man; and the new squire had some very strange ideas. He also surrounded himself with even stranger friends - friends like the mysterious Mr. Mundford.

The strangest thing about Mr. Mundford was that he never seemed to age, and his name was linked to the terrible and infamous Hellfire Club. Mr. Mundford was also very interested in many things that shouldn't ever have interested him. His interest bordered on obsession, really - an almost unholy fascination...with the ruins of an ancient Roman temple; with what happened in the village on All-Hallow's Night; and most especially with a silent and somber young woman with amber eyes called Damask Greenway.

I have always loved Norah Lofts as an author, and despite finding the plot slightly more intricate than I was expecting, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would definitely give this book an A+! and will certainly be keeping it on my bookshelf to read again.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Stephen B. Seager, M. D. - Psychward

54. Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D. (1991)
Length: 251 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 September 2010
Finished: 19 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 May 2010
Why do I have it? Mareena got this as a surprise gift for me and Stephen B. Seager, M. D. is a new author for me.


Psychward is the true story of the first years in psychiatry of Stephen B. Seager, M. D. It covers the sometimes funny, sweet and horrific stories of the patients of the psychward where Dr. Seager worked for a year. I thought it was a very easy read and give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, September 17, 2010

Belva Plain - Treasures

53. Treasures by Belva Plain (1992)
Length: 517 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 11 September 2010
Finished: 17 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Sweeping from a small midwestern town in Ohio to Manhattan's Wall Street; all the way from elegant Fifth Avenue to a starkly cramped prison cell...Treasures is the story of a simple family - united by blood but torn apart by vastly different dreams. The Osborne family had always been incredibly close, yet with the deaths of Vernon and Peg Osborne; their grief-stricken children - Lara, Connie and Eddy - soon decide to go their separate ways. However, while their dreams of success, and the separation of time and distance may very well take its toll - will the strength of their family bonds ultimately keep the Osborne siblings together?

The eldest child is twenty-eight-year-old Lara, the self-styled 'mother hen' of her family. Having cared for her siblings from a relatively young age, Lara has become something of a homebody - happily married and still living in her childhood hometown. Although Lara is ostensibly a contented young wife, married to a loving and successful husband, she still holds a secret longing deep within her heart: she dreams of having a family of her own one day; a child to ultimately make her feel complete - a child that will make herself and her husband's life together wholly worthwhile.

Vernon Edward Osborne, Jr. is the financial wizard of the family. While the twenty-five-year-old middle child of the family may prefer to be called Eddy by his friends and family - he soon begins to realize that when it comes to the business of making money, personal preferences matter very little. Eddy is bright and ambitious, and is dedicated to making a name for himself as the rising star of Wall Street. Yet even though Eddy is ready to seize all that life has to offer, does Wall Street's own 'wonder boy' ultimately have the qualities that he needs in order to make millions - or the ruthlessness to use his family and friends to become successful in life.

The youngest child is twenty-year-old Connie, a wild and lovely young woman whose vibrant personality is much closer in temperament to her brother Eddy, rather than her sister Lara. Connie's dreams may be similar to those of her sister, yet she doesn't feel that she can be as patient as Lara when it comes to achieving those dreams: she is ultimately looking for wealth - either to make it for herself or to marry into it. However, will Connie's choices in love and life make her truly happy?

Theirs is a family ultimately caught up in the tides of scandal; alternately rocked by waves of infedelity, betrayal, shame and prison. Although they are torn between conflicting loyalties and devotion to their loved ones - the Osbornes will finally discover what is truly important to themselves and those they love most, as they are all swept toward a fate where dreams must inevitably end or be reborn anew.

Despite already having a copy of this book somewhere on my bookshelf, I seem to have lost track of it, so Mareena recently requested a second copy for me to read. I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, Belva Plain is such a fabulous author; she is so creative and capable of developing such believable characters, as well as remarkably thoughtful and poignant stories. I would give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, September 10, 2010

Danielle Steel - Summer's End

52. Summer's End by Danielle Steel (1979)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 8 September 2010
Finished: 10 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like Danielle Steel as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.


Deanna was eighteen when she married handsome Frenchman, attorney Marc-Edouard Duras. Now, at thirty-seven she should be happy with Marc, her beautiful house in San Francisco and their teenage daughter, Pilar. But one summer changes it all when she realizes that her failing marriage is a trap that she must escape. It's sort of hit or miss for me with books by Danielle Steel. She can be a bit long-winded for me although I found that Summer's End was very good. I give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Lisa Scottoline - Running From the Law

51. Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline (1996)
The Rosato and Associates Series Book 3
Length: 464 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 5 September 2010
Finished: 8 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Lisa Scottoline is a new author for me.

Against her better judgment, Rita Morrone, a smart-mouthed, poker playing, sassy young lawyer takes on the task of defending her lover's father - a respected judge - from sexual harrassment charges leveled by his secretary. Little does she know that Paul, her lover, is involved in the case, the secretary will end up dead, and her and her father's life will hang in the balance. Rita continues to investigate and with the help of her poker playing cronies, discovers that the judge may well have been framed. I really enjoyed this book and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Stephen King - Thinner

50. Thinner by Stephen King (1984)
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 2 September 2010
Finished: 4 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

When heavy-set attorney Billy Halleck accidentally kills an old gypsy woman, his dreams of losing weight turn to nightmares as the old woman's family curses him. The ancient curse slowly forces Billy to lose weight, then more and more rapidly as time goes by. Now Billy must find a way to escape with his life.

I have read quite a number of Stephen King's books and although he is very popular as a writer, I find many of his books a little longwinded and drawn out. However, I found Thinner very scary and was drawn into the story. I give it an A!


A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Belva Plain - Whispers

49. Whispers by Belva Plain (1993)
Length: 475 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 28 August 2010
Finished: 1 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 28 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Robert and Lynn Ferguson are the quintessentially picture-perfect couple with two beautiful daughters and a lovely home in an exclusive Connecticut community. Robert is on the fast track of a major corporation. Lynn is devoted to her family and doing good works. But the Fergusons' ultimate American dream hides a dark painful secret - one that Lynn vows to keep hidden from the world - and her children - at any cost.

When Lynn and Robert first meet, she's a bright, fresh-faced twenty-year-old; he's handsome, slightly older, a charming young business executive; ambitious and determined. From the start they fall deeply in love, thrilled by the discovery of their mutual desire. But as early as their honeymoon the gold begins to tarnish, when Robert's anger erupts into a physical assault, one for which Lynn blames herself.

To all appearances, the Fergusons have kept the facade of an idyllically happy family firmly intact. Not even their closest friends, Josie and Bruce Lehman know the entirety of Lynn's shame. Social worker Josie has seen her bruises, distrusts the overly-ambitious, too-perfect Robert, and suspects the real cause of the children's increasingly disturbed behavior. But not even Josie can pierce Lynn's icy wall of silence, a wall that will not crumble until Lynn is forced to face herself - and the truth - at last.

I thought this book was absolutely excellent. The plot was very believable; I can imagine that such a scenario could, and perhaps does, happen to so many people - domestic abuse is probably much more prevalent than we expect. I give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up for August at Moonshine and Rosefire


Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out August with 648 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 643 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch, Paperback Swap and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st. Quite a number of my books that I read this month left my house to go to new homes so that's something I guess. :)

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Re-reads:
- Blessings by Belva Plain


Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Bride of Moat House by Norah Lofts
- The Midnight Hour by Karen Robards
- Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
Promises by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Missing: Missing Without Trace in Ireland by Barry Cummins
- Dead Air by Bob Larson
- Faithless by Karin Slaughter
- Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard
- Whispers by Belva Plain
- Secrecy by Belva Plain
- Amazing World of Spiders by Janet Craig
- The House of Thunder by Dean Koontz
- The Covenant of the Flame by David Morrell
- Country Kitchen Collection: Fruit Basket by House Regency
- How to Know Wild Flowers: A Simple Aid to Flower Recognition by Alfred Stefferud

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Home Free by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
- Down by the Water by Caroline Upcher
- Blessings by Belva Plain
- Blessings by Anna Quindlen
- You Have the Right to Remain Silent by Barbara Paul
- Martha Stewart Just Desserts: The Unauthorized Biography by Jerry Oppenheimer
- Condor by Graham Masterton
- A Notorious Woman by Malcolm MacDonald
- Nickel Dreams: My Life by Tanya Tucker and Patsy Bale Cox
- That Camden Summer by Lavyrle Spencer
- Rage by Wilbur Smith

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1,918
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was August. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

August's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. August's Book of the Month is: 


  Blessings by Belva Plain
Published as: Blessings in July 1989
Publisher: Dell 




Birth Name: Belva Offenberg
Born: 9 October 1915 in New York City, New York

Canonical Name: Belva Plain
Pseudonyms: None

Blessings by Belva Plain was the forty-sixth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since March 1, 2009, although I gave away that original copy to Mareena's best friend on  August 1, 2010. Mareena reacquired another copy for me from Bookmooch and the reread took me five days. This book is definite keeper for me! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, August 23, 2010

Norah Lofts - Bride of Moat House

48. Bride of Moat House by Norah Lofts (1959)
Length: 208 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 21 August 2010
Finished: 23 August 2010
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 April 2009
Why do I have it? I love Norah Lofts as an author and have read several books by this author in the past.


Richard Curwen met and fell madly in love with Antonia, and she with him. However, they both were penniless and too selfish to live like ordinary mortals. So, Richard married Antonia's frail, wealthy cousin Eloise who looked so much like Antonia that people couldn't tell them apart. Which was what Richard counted on. I liked this book by one of my favorite authors, however it's not my absolute favorite book by Norah Lofts. I give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, August 20, 2010

Karen Robards - The Midnight Hour

47. The Midnight Hour by Karen Robards (1999)
Length: 359 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 17 August 2010
Finished: 20 August 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I love contemporary mysteries and Karen Robards is a new author for me.

For Grace Hart, single mother and Family and Juvenile Court judge, solving other people's problems is easier than solving her own. Her daughter Jessica has just been diagnosed with diabetes, is struggling with maintaining the disease and Jessica begins sneaking out and experimenting with alcohol and drugs as well as running with a fast crowd. When the police are called for a break in at Grace's house that coincides with one of Jessica's sneak-outs, Detective Tony Marino clashes with Grace but eventually moves in to protect them from a still-at-large stalker. I liked this book but thought it was a little bit of an easy ending. I give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, August 16, 2010

Belva Plain - Blessings

Re-read: Blessings by Belva Plain (1989)
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Originally Read: 10 March 2010
Re-read Finished: 16 August 2010
Where did it come from? Originally from a Library Book Sale, then from Bookmooch.

Mareena has told me that I had read this in March, but I don't remember it at all so since I had given away my original copy, Mareena found me another copy on Bookmooch. I still loved it the second time around.


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Maeve Binchy - Heart and Soul

45. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy (2008)
Length: 576 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 7 August 2010
Finished: 12 August 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 29 March 2010
Why do I have it? I like Maeve Binchy as an author and have read several books by this author in the past.


Dr. Clara Casey has been offered the thankless job of establishing an underfunded heart clinic in Ireland. She has quite enough on her plate already with two difficult adult daughters and the unwanted attentions of her ex-husband, but she assembles a wonderfully diverse staff devoted to helping their often difficult patients. There is the infectiously cheerful nurse, the indispensable office manager who can't quite manage her own life, the young Polish girl who came to Ireland to escape a bad love affair, the young doctor who has a special touch with his patients and the physical therapist who takes on a different sort of therapy to deal with a stalker and the local priest.

Together they make the clinic an essential part of the community, and Clara must eventually decide whether or not to leave the heart clinic where lives are saved, courage is rewarded and humor and optimism triumph over greed and self-pity. I truly enjoyed this story and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight