June'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. June's Book of the Month is: 

Duma Key by Stephen King

Published as: Duma Key: A Novel in January 2008

Publisher: Scribner

Birth Name: Stephen Edwin King

Born: 21 September 1947 in Portland, Maine

Canonical Name: Stephen King

Pseudonyms: Richard Bachman and John Swithen

Duma Key was the thirty-fifth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since December 1, 2009 and this was actually a reread for me. The first time that I read this book was in May of 2009 - it took me ten days to read this book, and then I returned it to the library.

Unbeknownst to me, Mareena picked up a second copy for me from Paperback Swap in December of 2009. I read this book again in June of 2010 - this time it took me six days to read and is definitely a keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Judith Guest - Ordinary People

38. Ordinary People by Judith Guest (1976)
Length: 263 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 16 June 2010
Finished: 17 June 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 contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

The Jarrets are just a typical American family. Forty-one year old Cal is the loving husband and father - a determined, successful provider for himself and his family. Thirty-nine year old Beth cherishes her husband and family; organized and efficient, Beth is the backbone of the family. Cal and Beth have two wonderful sons: Eighteen-year-old Jordan - nicknamed Buck - is an extrovert and the perpetual risk-taker in the family. Seventeen-year-old Conrad is the introvert of the family; he is more focused on his future - highly studious, yet extremely shy and reserved.

To all their friends and acquaintances, the Jarrett family is the epitome of perfection. Cal and Beth have a marriage to envy, they are living the type of life that all their friends aspire to lead as well. Buck and Conrad are the type of sons that any parent would be proud to have; two fine, upstanding young men who each have such a bright, promising future ahead of them. Then, tragedy strikes...

When Buck drowns in a boating accident, Cal, Beth and Conrad are left utterly devastated. Cal and Beth's combined grief threatens to overwhelm them both, and Conrad's own feelings of grief and guilt over his older brother's death are practically immeasurable. His growing misperception of his inability to save Buck's life, leads Conrad to do something desperate and suicidal. Ultimately, will the Jarretts be able to grieve the loss of their eldest son, help their younger son cope with his guilt, and heal their own relationship?

I must say that I absolutely loved reading this book. I found that this was a poignant and well-written story; an intriguing look at the dynamics of a grieving family. This is a moving and memorable portrait of each family member's personal, emotional and intensely private journey toward healing and acceptance. I would give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Margaret Drabble - A Summer Bird-Cage

37. A Summer Bird-Cage by Margaret Drabble (1962)
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 10 June 2010
Finished: 16 June 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 May 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Margaret Drabble is a new author for me.


Sarah has come to be a bridesmaid in her older sister's summer wedding. This is the story of Sarah and Louise's rocky adult relationship; told from Sarah's perspective as she comes to terms with her sister's new marriage. Sarah had idolized her sister as a child, and goes through a year of self-discovery as she finds her new place in her relationship with Louise. I liked this story, although it did drag in parts. I give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Andrew Young - The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down

36. The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down by Andrew Young (2010)
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 8 June 2010
Finished: 10 June 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2010
Why do I have it? I like knowing about political scandals

This is an in depth view of the John Edwards scandal as seen through the eyes of Andrew Young, his political aide. I really enjoyed this book although I didn't like all the Republican backstabbing that went on. Personally, I couldn't have stood what Andrew Young did to his family as part of John Edwards' scandal. I don't usually get involved in politics but I was riveted to the personal toll of the scandal and wanted to read this book very much. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Stephen King - Duma Key

Re-read: Duma Key by Stephen King (2008)
Length: 769 pages
Genre: Horror
Originally Read: 12 May 2009
Re-read Finished: 7 June 2010
Where did it come from? I originally got this out of the library, returned it; then Mareena got me a copy from Paperback Swap

I read this last year and enjoyed it so much that I had to reread it the next year. I very rarely read overly long books but just couldn't help myself this time.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up for May 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 May with 653 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 648 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 :))
- Fatal Vision by Joe McGinniss
- Wither by J. G. Passarella
- Under Gemini by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Sleep Long, my Love by Hillary Waugh
- The Tarnished Eye: A Novel of Suspense by Judith Guest


Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- A Summer Bird-Cage by Margaret Drabble
- The Millstone by Margaret Drabble
- The Seven Sisters by Margaret Drabble
- Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D.
 
Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- The Blue Corn Murders by Nancy Pickard
- What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist: The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England by Daniel Pool
- The Girl on the Beach by Velda Johnston
- The Covenant by James A. Michener
- Accident by Danielle Steel
- An Accidental Woman by Barbara Delinsky
- Moment of Truth by Lisa Scottoline
- Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
- The Unfinished Clue by Georgette Heyer
- The Three Theban Plays: Antigone/Oedipus the King/Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles and Robert Fagles

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: 1,977
Grade Range: A+! to A!

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