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: 

 Every Last One: A Novel by Anna Quindlen

Published as: Every Last One in April 2010

Publisher: Random House

Birth Name: Anna Marie Quindlen

Born: 8 July 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Canonical Name: Anna Quindlen

Pseudonyms: None

Every Last One: A Novel by Anna Quindlen was the one hundred and ninth book that I read in 2013. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since November 21, 2013 and it took me two days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Janet Dailey - Green Calder Grass

111. Green Calder Grass by Janet Dailey (2002)
The Calder Saga Book 6
Length: 345 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 27 November 2013
Finished: 29 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Janet Dailey is a new author for me.

Headstrong and proud, with her roots planted deep in Calder soil, Jessy Niles Calder isn't the sort of woman to lead a man or be led by him. She has always known that Ty Calder was the man for her, even if she had to wait for him to leave behind his loveless marriage to glamorous, poor little rich girl, Tara. Now, as Ty's wife, Jessy finally has everything she's ever wanted - the strong bonds of family, a thriving ranch, and the long-awaited promise of a new life growing within her...proof of her love for Ty.

And then Tara returns. As manipulative as she is beautiful, Tara has never brought anything with her but trouble, so Jessy can only wonder what her agenda is this time. But when Tara's powerful father dies, she seems genuinely grief-stricken and relies on Ty and his sister, Cat, for comfort and strength. Soon, Tara's back on the land and involved in their lives, and nothing is the same.

As days give way to months, Tara's very presence there divides the ranch, replacing long-held bonds of trust between employer and employees, friends and relatives, husband and wife - with seeds of suspicion and simmering jealousies that endanger Jessy's happiness and the Calders' claim on their land.

With everything at stake - from the ranch she loves to the name she proudly calls her own - Jessy Calder is in for the fight of her life. And when the Calders fight for what they love, they fight to win. But with Tara's return, a deep-seated desire for revenge has been stirred from an old danger...a secret link to the past that will test the fabric of the Calder clan, threatening their very lives - and culminating in a loss more heartbreaking than any of them could possibly imagine.

To my knowledge, I have never read anything by Janet Dailey before, although I may have several of her books hidden away somewhere on my bookshelves downstairs. Anyway, I absolutely loved reading this book! It was extremely well-written and the plot captured and held my attention strongly until the very end. This is the sixth book in the Calder Saga, but for all intents and purposes, it can be read on its own - which is something that I very much appreciated. I give this book an A+! and am looking forward to reading more from Janet Dailey in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Giving Thanks For All Our Blessings This Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Pictures

I hope that all my blog readers in the United States have a very happy Thanksgiving! May your Thanksgiving be filled with great food, wonderful friendship and all the family ties that you may wish for. :) I have to say that Mareena and I will not be having the usual Thanksgiving turkey today - it will be smoked ham for us all the way. After that, we will kick up our feet and read books for the entire day! :)

May all of you have a wonderfully safe and blessed Thanksgiving. Be sure to find some quiet time for yourselves and count your blessings today when and if you can. I know that I'm incredibly thankful for my continued health and happiness, my daughter's continued health and happiness, that we are both comfortable and love each other as much as we do, and that our family is as well as they are. We are also incredibly thankful for our three kitties - Ruby, Leila and Lollipop.

I also hope that everyone who is away from their families at this time, will know that they are sorely missed, truly loved and deeply appreciated by all! God bless all of you, may you have a very happy and wonderful Thanksgiving! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Arthur Herzog - Heat

110. Heat by Arthur Herzog (1977)
Length: 277 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 24 November 2013
Finished: 27 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 5 April 2001
Why do I have it? I like horror and Arthur Herzog is a new author for me.

Somewhere in a secret underground laboratory, Lawrence Pick - an engineer who predicted and analyzed large-scale calamities that might affect the national security of the United States - gathers startling evidence that the world's weather may be rapidly changing, as a prelude to a fundamental alteration in global climate. They call him an alarmist - a gloomy, anxious pessimist. Lawrence resented the label, but for himself and a team of equally skilled scientists, the evidence is irrefutable.

When the evidence of a carbon dioxide buildup was first brought to his attention, the idea seemed ludicrous, too far-fetched. Until nature itself breathed life into the theory. Now, as freakish weather conditions prevail: extraordinary tornadoes and hurricanes, droughts, violent hailstorms and windstorms, as well as savage waterspouts - Lawrence's various 'over-reactive' weather predictions become a stunning reality.

"Condition Green" is no longer a theory as destruction runs rampant, but still neither the government of the United States nor the people will listen. Too late, the results of man's indifference is everywhere...with only one hope for survival.

I must say that while I ultimately ended up enjoying this book, I found reading it was a bit of a slog for me in certain places. In my opinion, the writing was too technically involved - the author used a little too much scientific jargon - and as a result, reading the story was slightly beyond me at times.

It was still a very good book, but for me, the thing that saved Heat by Arthur Herzog being rated a B+! or even a B! was that the action picked up appreciably towards the end. I give this story an A! This is certainly a book that makes you think - and worry!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Anna Quindlen - Every Last One: A Novel

109. Every Last One: A Novel by Anna Quindlen (2010)
Length: 299 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 22 November 2013
Finished: 24 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 21 November 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

For Mary Beth Latham, the loving mother of three children and wife of a very successful eye doctor, nothing is more important to her than her family and their well-being. She is first and foremost a mother to three teenaged children - daughter Ruby, and fraternal twin boys, Alex and Max. Her own career as a gardener and landscaper, and to a certain extent, even her marriage to her husband, Glen, tends to take a backseat to her role as a mother for Mary Beth.

Caring for her family and preserving their day-to-day happiness in life is paramount. So, when one of her sons, Max, becomes severely depressed, Mary Beth focuses on getting him the help he needs - so much so, that she is completely blindsided by a shocking act of violence - the explosive consequences of what seem to be inconsequential actions.

What follows afterwards is a testament to the power of a woman's love and determination, and to the invisible line of hope and healing that connects every human being, one to another. Ultimately, Every Last One: A Novel by Anna Quinlen, is about facing every last one of our deepest fears, about finding a way to navigate roads we never intended to travel, and to live a life we never dreamed we'd have to live but must be brave enough to try.

I've read only three books by Anna Quindlen in the past, but am quickly beginning to think of her as one of my favorite authors. I must say that I absolutely loved Every Last One: A Novel. The plot was enthralling - capturing my attention from page one with likeable characters and heart-stopping drama. The story was also incredibly poignant for me. In my opinion, Anna Quindlen is a terrific author, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

I give Every Last One: A Novel by Anna Quindlen an A+! This book is a definite keeper for me, and is perhaps my favorite book of the month.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Maeve Binchy - Circle of Friends

108. Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy (1990)  
Length: 596 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 18 November 2013
Finished: 22 November 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 January 2001
Why do I have it? I love Maeve Binchy as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

The circle began with Benny Hogan and Eve Malone, growing up, inseparable, in the tiny village of Knockglen. Benny - the only child, yearning to break free from her adoring parents. Eve - the orphaned offspring of a convent handyman and a rebellious blueblood, abandoned by her mother's wealthy family to be raised by the nuns. Eve and Benny - they knew the sins and secrets behind every villager's lace curtains...except their own.

The circle blossomed in Dublin, to the university where Benny and Eve met beautiful Nan Mahon and Jack Foley, the handsome son of a doctor. But heartbreak and betrayal would eventually bring the sheltered world of Knockglen and Dublin together in an explosive collision. Long-hidden lies would surface to test the meaning of love and to try the strength of bonds created within the fragile gold bands of a Circle of Friends...

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; as I have enjoyed so many of Maeve Binchy's books that I've read in the past. I originally thought that I read it about fifteen or twenty years ago, but I was mistaken. I don't believe that I've ever read this book before. However, I do remember watching the movie starring Chris O'Donnell and Minnie Driver, when it came on television about seven months ago. 

I loved both the book and the movie, but they were each so different that I was slightly confused over whether I had actually read the book before. I give Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy an A+!  

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

Our Library Visit For November

Hello Everyone! How are you on this fine Thursday? I'm doing just fine. :) Well, today being Thursday, this is the day that I usually run my errands. I still ran my errands, but before I did, Mareena and I went to our local library and raided the library book sale! :)

It was absolutely wonderful! We spent about an hour and a half - from 11:45 A. M. to 12:30 P. M. - at the library, and had agreed before hand that this was to be our Christmas visit. The books that we bought at the library book sale would be kept as Christmas gifts for us both - we'll see how long that promise lasts! LOL!! :)

Between us, we bought 36 hardcovers, 61 paperbacks as well as 4 jigsaw puzzles . We spent a whopping $65 for a total of 97 books. A pretty good haul, if I do say so, myself. :)

At the moment, I'm reading Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy, which I started on Monday, November 18th!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight