Avery Corman - Prized Possessions

75. Prized Possessions by Avery Corman (1991)
Length: 325 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 11 August 2014
Finished: 14 August 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2001
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Avery Corman is a new author for me. 

The Masons are a perfect family, with every piece of their family portrait firmly in place. They have high hopes for their children's success, and the money to give them the world. Elizabeth Mason grew up with every advantage in life, her parents sparing no expense on her education and upbringing. Now, on the verge of starting her freshman year at prestigious Layton College, Elizabeth has blossomed into a brilliant and compassionate young woman; if a little entitled and naive. 

However, one shattering night will throw Elizabeth Mason's once-tranquil life into spiraling chaos. At a campus party during freshman orientation, she meets Jimmy Andrews - a handsome, athletic senior; and a popular tennis phenom. That night, the one thing that Elizabeth never expects to happen to her, does. She is raped. 

At first, she tells no one. She numbly slips through her first months of college, keeping her humiliation and shame to herself. Eventually, Elizabeth's self-imposed isolation becomes too much for her and she reports the assault - a decision that launches her on a personal crusade; determined to bring Jimmy to justice, by any means necessary. 

In this powerful and emotionally poignant novel, Avery Corman explores the devastating repercussions - both private and public - of campus date rape and the double standard that surrounds sexuality for both young men and women. In my opinion, this book deals with a subject which is just as topical and significant now as it was at the time that this book was written. 

As I've said before, Mr. Corman is a new author for me, and this is the first book of his that I've ever read - although, Mareena and I did see the movie adaptation of his 1977 book Kramer vs. Kramer when it was broadcast on television about four years ago. I give this book a definite A+! and I am eagerly looking for more books by this author to put on my Wish List.  

A+! - (96-100%) 

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Rosamunde Pilcher - Sleeping Tiger

74. Sleeping Tiger by Rosamunde Pilcher (1967)
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 10 August 2014
Finished: 11 August 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 March 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

As a child, whenever Selina Bruce would ask about her late father, the grandmother who raised her would always quickly change the subject. Then, the chance discovery of a photograph gave Selina hope that her father was still alive. It also turned her world on its axis. For the first time in her life, Selina didn't know what tomorrow would bring.

She leaves her lawyer fiance behind in London and impulsively flies alone to San Antonio - a tiny island off the coast of Spain - brimming with the hope that she will finally meet the father she's never known. What she discovered instead was an unexpected truth about herself and the man she planned to marry. For exotic San Antonio offered Selina more than a lush paradise and glorious days spent under the penetrating brilliance of the noonday sun. It offered her the mysterious George Dyer, a writer who would help her solve the mystery of her past...and who might just hold the key to her future happiness.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The story was gentle and sweet, and not too earth-shatteringly serious. In my opinion, Rosamunde Pilcher has always been a good story-teller; and the plots of her stories have always interested me. I must say though, that this book seemed slightly different from most of Ms. Pilcher's other works - somehow lighter and frothier than I was expecting. I give Sleeping Tiger by Rosamunde Pilcher an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)
        
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Luanne Rice - Sandcastles

73. Sandcastles by Luanne Rice (2006)
The Star of the Sea Academy Series Book 1
Length: 441 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 7 August 2014
Finished: 9 August 2014
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 22 August 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Painter Honor Sullivan once believed that she had the perfect home, the perfect life, the perfect love. Then her husband, a renowned photographer and sculptor, shattered their little family and her heart. John Sullivan's passionate nature had led him into disaster many years ago, and left his wife and family reeling under the consequences. Since then, Honor has struggled to make a safe haven for herself and their three daughters - Regis, Agnes and Cecelia - at Star of the Sea Academy on the magical Connecticut shore. 

Here she teaches art at the convent school's beautiful seaside campus - under the benevolent and ever-watchful eye of her sister-in-law, mother superior Bernadette Ignatius - cultivating young minds to appreciate and to foster the artistic talent that Honor once had in abundance. No one could have foreseen the day rebellious Regis would come home with the stunning news that she was engaged. Nor could anyone have guessed how that sudden announcement would soon change all their lives forever.

Now, years later, a mysterious letter written in a familiar hand hints at John's return. Hearing of Regis' impending marriage, John has ended his self-imposed exile and returned to the family he's always loved; more than anything on earth. What awaits him is a family wounded by the past: a daughter still despondent over his abandonment; one who barely remembers him; and a third who may be in more trouble than anyone knows. And then there is Honor herself - and a passion that may have been interrupted but that has never waned.

Some things, like sandcastles, don't survive the changing tides. But love, family, and friendship - things just as fragile - have a way of withstanding tremendous challenges. It will take nothing short of a miracle to heal the rifts between father and daughter, husband and wife, the past and the present - but the miraculous is what is always at work at Star of the Sea Academy. The only question is: Do you have faith strong enough to face such adversity?

For the most part I enjoyed this story, although it was slightly longer than it needed to be. The story could probably have been wrapped up about one hundred pages earlier and still have been told well - at least in my opinion. Luanne Rice is certainly a prolific author - and I have read several of her books that I've enjoyed immensely - however, I must give Sandcastles a B+! I have several other books written by Ms. Rice sitting on my bookshelf, and I'm sure I'll read another book by this author sometime soon; however, perhaps not right away.

B+! - (89-85%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Karen Young - Kiss and Kill

72. Kiss and Kill by Karen Young (2000)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 5 August 2014
Finished: 6 August 2014
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 28 May 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Karen Young is a new author for me.

For the past twenty years, Anne Atwood has lived a storybook lifestyle under the glare of Washington's political spotlight. As the wife of a prominent and charismatic United States senator from Texas, she's considered one of the capitol's premier hostesses, entertaining in their posh homes and raising their lovely daughter. Then comes the devastating plane crash that leaves Anne a widow - and brings a sinister stranger out of the shadows, determined to collect an old debt.

In order to uncover the stalker's identity, Anne must delve into her husband's past - and she discovers that some secrets are deadly. Desperate to protect herself and her daughter, Anne seeks help from journalist Ian McKay, a man whose own reputation is tainted by tragedy and scandal. Unwilling to trust him, yet with nowhere else to turn, she fears for her life - and her sanity - because ever so slowly, the truth is coming out...

The entire country knows her husband's name; and someone knows his darkest secret. And as Anne Atwood's picture-perfect life unravels, she begins to realize that for the past two decades of marriage, she has unwittingly been living a lie - one that might ultimately kill her.

As I've said before, Karen Young is a new author for me and Kiss and Kill is the first book of hers that I've read. Mareena had gotten this book as a 'just because' gift for me in May of 2013, and it only took me a little over a year to actually read it! Anyway, I thought that this book was well-written and had an intriguing plot - although, in my opinion, it was just the slightest bit simplistic. Overall though, I give Kiss and Kill by Karen Young an A! and would certainly recommend this book to other readers.

A! - (90-95%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Eileen Goudge - The Diary

71. The Diary by Eileen Goudge (2009)
Length: 207 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started/Finished: 4 August 2014
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 August 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

When Elizabeth Marshall's two grown daughters - Emily and Sarah - discover their mother's old diary stored in her attic, they are stunned to learn that their mother's true love wasn't their father. By reading Elizabeth's private thoughts and feelings about her life, a whole host of questions are kindled in their minds: is all as it seems? This is the mystery that Emily and Sarah must unravel as they stay up late reading the words penned by Elizabeth so many years ago.

Unfortunately, Elizabeth can't give her daughters the answers they so desperately seek. After suffering a massive stroke, she now lies mute and near death in a nursing home. Only the pages of her diary can provide clues as to what really happened.

In a richly detailed journey into the past, young Elizabeth Harvey loses her heart to one man while remaining devoted to another. Finally, she must choose between the devoted and steadfast Bob - who represents loyalty and stability...and the electrifying and unpredictable A. J. - who holds Elizabeth's heart, and who spent time in juvenile detention as a teenager. When a suspicious fire in the neighborhood is linked to A. J., Elizabeth faces another dilemma: she's the only one who can clear A. J.'s name, but to step forward would ruin her reputation. Surprisingly, it is Bob who eventually comes to her rescue, forcing Elizabeth to make perhaps the most painful decision of her life...

The Diary by Eileen Goudge is an intricate love story. However, it is also the story of the unshakable bond of love between a mother and her daughters. This is actually the third book by Eileen Goudge that I've read, and I must say that in my opinion, she really is an excellent writer. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, as I like stories about families; and specifically stories about relationships between mothers and daughters. I appreciated that Ms. Goudge's characters were so vulnerable - they each really resonated with me, and I found myself sympathizing with all of them. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from this author in the future. 

A+! - (96-100%)
 
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Susan R. Sloan - Guilt by Association

Reread. Guilt by Association by Susan R. Sloan (1995)
Length: 529 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Originally Read: 23 June 2013
Reread Finished: 4 August 2014
Where did it come from? Originally from Bookmooch, then from my "posted" shelf.

I hadn't read this book in roughly a year and was actually re-cataloging all the books on my "posted" shelf when I noticed it again. Of course, I had forgotten most of the plot of this book, despite Mareena telling me that I'd read it in June of 2013. My first reading of the book was from June 20th, 2013 to June 23rd, 2013, and it took me three days to read this book. The reread took me five days - from July 31st, 2014 to August 4th, 2014!

It was still a very good book, to my mind, but this second time around, the plot seemed just a little far-fetched - at least to me. I still thoroughly enjoyed the story, though.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up For July 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 July with 945 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 940 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap and authors.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
- The Merry-Hearted Boys: Liam Clancy, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem by Ronald L. Leonard
- My Name is Mary Sutter: A Novel by Robin Oliveira
- The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck
- Once in a Blue Moon by Eileen Goudge

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- The Other Queen by Philippa Gregory
- Brood X: A Firsthand Account of the Great Cicada Invasion by Michael Phillip Cash
- The Hanging Tree: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash
- Keep Calm and Ask On: A No-Nonsense Guide to Fulfilling Your Dreams by Michael Samuels

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))  
- Katie: The Real Story by Edward Klein
- The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash
- The Stars Shine Down by Sidney Sheldon
- Capital Crimes by Lawrence Sanders
- Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon
- Up Island by Anne Rivers Siddons
- The Wild by Whitley Strieber
- Fairoaks by Frank Yerby
- A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
- The Chamber by John Grisham
- The Rainmaker by John Grisham
- The Summons by John Grisham
- Heat by Arthur Herzog
- The Clinic by Jonathan Kellerman
- Hide and Seek by James Patterson
- Degree of Guilt by Richard North Patterson
- The Sands of Time by Sidney Sheldon
- Copy Kat by Karen Kijewski

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: 1,753
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was July. 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