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: 

Eden Burning by Belva Plain

Published as: Eden Burning in 1982

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

Eden Burning by Belva Plain was the forty-seventh book that I read in 2011. I have had this book on my TBR bookshelf since December 4, 2010 although I didn't actually read it until August of 2011. It took me four days to read this book and it is definitely a keeper for me.  

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Edith Wharton - Ethan Frome

48. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton (1911)
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 5 September 2011
Finished: 15 September 2011
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 May 2011
Why do I have it? Mareena and I were watching the movie version with Liam Neeson when I asked her to find a copy for me to read.

A farmer in turn-of-the-century New England struggles to survive and to make his farm successful. First he is tethered to the land by his helpless parents; then by his ailing wife. When Ethan's wife's alluring cousin comes to stay, she and Ethan become trapped in a hopelessly passionate love affair. Trapped by fear of public condemnation and the bonds of a loveless marriage, Ethan starts down a path which could eventually lead to tragedy for all involved.

I had originally wanted to read this book after seeing the movie with Liam Neeson. Mareena and I caught the last part of the movie and were shocked at how sad it was. I love a sad book and Mareena loves the classics. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)\

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Belva Plain - Eden Burning

47. Eden Burning by Belva Plain (1982)
Length: 480 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 31 August 2011
Finished: 5 September 2011
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 December 2010
Why do I have it? I love Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

She was a girl as innocent and beautiful as her family's lush Caribbean plantation - until she learned about dark desire and became a woman. Banished from paradise, Teresa Francis was swept into marriage and motherhood in opulent New York - a world away from her beautiful St. Felice island. But eventually, the secrets that refused to stay buried would draw her back again to paradise. A paradise now in the throws of revolution, which forces Teresa to confront her past and watch her future unfold.

I loved this book. I think that Belva Plain is perhaps one of my favorite authors. I particularly enjoyed how the characters interacted together and the writing was wonderful, in my opinion. If I had one dislike of this book, it was that it was slightly too long. I find that I can't really read long books anymore. Overall, though, I give this book an 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 649 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 644 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and Paperback Swap and a library book sale we went to on the 27th; I have bought books though the library book sale this month (50 cents for paperbacks, $1.00 for hardcovers. The money goes to help our library's upkeep and stocking some latest releases.) We generally try to go to the library once a month if we can.

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 A. B. C. Murders by Agatha Christie
- The King of Lies by John Hart
- Testimony by Anita Shreve
- Preacher's Girl: The Life and Crimes of Blanche Taylor Moore by Jim Schutze
- Storyville by Lois Battle

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- Boneman's Daughters by Ted Dekker
- Almost Sisters by Nancy Anderson, Leal Littke and Carroll Hofeling Morris

- Southern Women by Lois Battle

- The Spanish Bridegroom by Jean Plaidy
- Bright River Trilogy by Annie Greene
- The Return Journey by Maeve Binchy
- Where or When by Anita Shreve

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
- The Best of Friends by Joanna Trollope
- The Black House by Paul Theroux
- Godplayer by Robin Cook
- Mutation by Robin Cook
- Peter Lawford: The Man Who Kept the Secrets by James Spada

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: 1,729
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