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: 

Beachcombers: A Novel by Nancy Thayer

Published as: Beachcombers in June 2010

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Birth Name: Nancy Patton

Born: 14 December 1943 in Emporia, Kansas

Canonical Name: Nancy Thayer

Pseudonyms: None

Beachcombers: A Novel by Nancy Thayer was the fifty-first book that I read in 2013. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since June 11, 2013 and it took me one day to read. It is definitely a keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Hillary Waugh - The Glenna Powers Case

57. The Glenna Powers Case by Hillary Waugh (1981)
Simon Kaye Series Book 1
Length: 218 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 28 June 2013
Finished: 29 June 2013
Where did it come from? It came as the third Hillary Waugh book in a package that I bought over the Internet from Augustine Funnell Books in Canada.
How long was it on my TBR pile? Since 1 March 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by the same author in the past.

She went looking for help - and all she found was death. She was one woman who singlehandedly faced down the ruthless drug dealers who were ruining the town's young people - and she did it alone. She had appealed to investigator Simon Kaye for help; but he had been unable to prevent her murder. Racked with guilt, he swore to avenge her.

He searched for her killers in the mean streets and greasy bars where the drug dealers plied their trade. But there was one thing investigator Simon Kaye didn't realize; drugs aren't only confined to the slums. Heroin can also be found behind the closed doors of the fanciest mansions in town. And so can murder!

I must say that this book wasn't really my cup of tea. I have read and enjoyed two previous books by this author, however I just don't enjoy gritty, drug-fueled plots all that much. I think that I will give this book a B+! 

B+! - (89-85%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Norah Lofts - A Rose For Virtue: The Very Private Life of Hortense, Stepdaughter of Napoleon I, Mother of Napoleon III

56. A Rose For Virtue: The Very Private Life of Hortense, Stepdaughter of Napoleon I, Mother of Napoleon III by Norah Lofts (1971)
Length: 278 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 25 June 2013
Finished: 28 June 2013
Where did it come from? I bought a hardcover copy of this book from a Library Book Sale in January of 2001 and then I acquired a paperback copy of this book from Paperback Swap in March of 2009.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 January 2001 as a hardcover; Since 28 March 2009 as a paperback.
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.

Hortense Beauharnais finds herself rubbing shoulders with royalty when her mother remarries to become the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. As Napoleon struggles for power on the battlefields of Europe, so Hortense navigates her way through the French court - a precarious chessboard world where the motivations are jealousy and greed and the prizes are the thrones of conquered countries.

Despite attempts to retain her individuality, Hortense soon finds herself married to Napoleon's younger brother Louis - who is later crowned King of Holland. However, Hortense's heart belongs to Charles de Flahaut, a gallant young officer. Unwilling to cross her stepfather, Hortense must bide her time and wait and see whether time will take her to her lover.

I absolutely loved this book! It seems to be almost a forgone conclusion with me that I'll really enjoy any book written by Norah Lofts, I know, but that's just the way it has to be, I guess! :) In my opinion, she really captures the nuances of any particular historical period that she writes about.

Also, I find that the historical people who she writes about truly come alive - at least for me. I truly began to care for the characters as actual people, and not just as dry, historical symbols from a bygone era. I will certainly give this book an A+! and I definitely look forward to reading - or rereading - more books by this author in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Nancy Thayer - Moon Shell Beach: A Novel

55. Moon Shell Beach: A Novel by Nancy Thayer (2008)
Length: 309 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 23 June 2013
Finished: 25 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and had read and enjoyed Beachcombers: A Novel by the same author in the past.

Lexi Laney and Clare Hart grew up together and lived an idyllic life in picturesque Nantucket. As children, they were forever sharing wondrous adventures and spending time together as best friends. And when it was time to share intimate secrets and let their imaginations run free, they escaped to their own private hideaway: Moon Shell Beach. But nothing ever stays the same. Once the complicated pressures of adulthood encroach, their intense bond of friendship becomes frayed, hurtful words are exchanged, and Lexi flees Nantucket for a life of luxury while Clare stays behind.  

A decade later, a newly divorced Lexi returns to make amends with those she left in her wake - particularly Clare, who still simmers with resentment toward her friend. Their emotional reunion is beset with challenges, as Lexi's return sets off a series of startling events. And as Clare's life takes an abrupt detour, Lexi wonders if the happiness and peace they once knew on Moon Shell Beach will, in the end, prove to be as fleeting as time and the tide.

I wish that I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. For the most part, it was very enjoyable, and I think Nancy Thayer is a wonderful writer. However, in my opinion, the plot began to derail slightly towards the end. The book certainly started off very strongly, but certain plot twists just didn't seem all that plausible to me.  

As a result, I had to give Moon Shell Beach: A Novel by Nancy Thayer an A! I'm very glad to have read this book, and will certainly read more from this author in the future. However, I think that I will hold off on that for a short while.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Susan R. Sloan - Guilt by Association

54. Guilt by Association by Susan R. Sloan (1995)
Length: 529 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 20 June 2013
Finished: 23 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and had read and enjoyed An Isolated Incident by the same author in the past.

December 22, 1962: A pretty young coed is found brutally beaten and sexually assaulted by her date - a handsome, wealthy Harvard law student. No one sees him do it and the police don't believe her story. Her life is entirely ruined while his flourishes. Now thirty years later, Senator Robert Drayton Wilmont has succeeded in becoming a suave, self-assured politician with aspirations of being America's next president, unless America learns the truth. 

Karen Kern has suffered more than enough. Thirty years after she was brutally raped, beaten and left for dead by Bob - a charming Harvard law student whom she innocently allowed to escort her home from a friend's Christmas party - she is still tormented by nightmares, trapped by fear and rage, and held prisoner by her shame. It was ultimately her word against his, and as the privileged son of an affluent and extremely powerful family, his claims were believed. Justice was denied to her, and Karen's life was completely altered from its original course.

Fueled by three decades of horrific memories, secrets and lies, Karen will do what most victims never do. She will get even. Justice delayed won't be justice denied for much longer if Karen Kern has her way...

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was an excellent plot with a very satisfying twist at the end. In my opinion, Susan R. Sloan is a brilliant writer. I give this book a definite A+! and am eagerly searching for more books to read by this author.

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

Anita Shreve - The Last Time They Met: A Novel

53. The Last Time They Met: A Novel by Anita Shreve (2001)
Length: 313 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 18 June 2013
Finished: 20 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 April 2009
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

At a literary festival in Toronto, poet Linda Fallon encounters a face from her past: Thomas Janes, the famous poet, had once been at the center of Linda's life. Since last seeing him, she has married, given birth, and been widowed. Thomas' appearance rocks Linda, raising questions she had long since abandoned and inspiring new dreams. 

The Last Time They Met: A Novel moves backward in time to explore Linda's life years earlier. To age twenty-six, when an affair with Thomas shattered her life. And to age seventeen, thirty-five years earlier, when a chance first meeting on a rocky beach binds them fatefully together.

In my opinion, this was an absolutely excellent book. It did take several pages for me to get into the plot, but once I did, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It may be because I had read The Weight of Water before this book - several characters from The Weight of Water were also in this book, although it can be read as a standalone - so the characters truly came alive for me and I became invested in their lives. I enjoyed The Weight of Water just as much as I did this book, and I will give The Last Time They Met: A Novel a definite A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Brooke Leimas - The Eighth Day

52. The Eighth Day by Brooke Leimas (1983)
Length: 284 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 15 June 2013
Finished: 18 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 6 March 2013
Why do I have it? I like horror and Brooke Leimas is a new author for me.

The horror began without warning...The babies stillborn, monstrously deformed...The adults dying, one by one. Then, just as suddenly as it began - without cause or reason - it stopped. The beautiful New England town forgot. Once again healthy children skipped and played along its tree-lined streets. Everything was as it had been before. Except for eight children set apart from all the rest. Angelically beautiful...devilishly smart...unnaturally secretive. To get too close to them...to ask too many questions about them was to die. Horribly. Inexplicably.

One young doctor was willing to risk his career, his very life to know why. One beautiful woman, a child already growing within her womb, unknowingly held the answer. But time was running out. Soon no one would be safe. First Cayoga Falls, then the world, would witness the dark and terrible dawning of...The Eighth Day.

I'm not sure if the horror of the plot would be considered dated or not - at least by today's standards - however I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. In my opinion, the plot was unusual and gripping. 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

Nancy Thayer - Beachcombers: A Novel

51. Beachcombers: A Novel by Nancy Thayer (2010)
Length: 351 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 14 June 2013
Finished: 15 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and despite having three or four books by this author on my bookshelf, Nancy Thayer is a new author for me.

Abbie Fox hasn't seen her father or two younger sisters in almost two years, during which she has jetted around the world and experienced life, if not love. But now Lily, the baby of the family, is sending Abbie urgent emails begging her to return home to Nantucket. Their middle sister, Emma, has taken to her bed, emotionally devastated both by the loss of her high-powered stockbroker's job and a shockingly unexpected break-up with her fiance. Also, Lily is deeply worried that Marina, the beautiful, enigmatic woman currently renting their guesthouse, has set her sights on the sisters' widowed father, Jim. The Fox girls had closed ranks many years ago after the haunting, untimely death of their mother, but seeing their dad move on with his life forces each of them to take stock.

Over the course of the summer, the sisters' lives grow as turbulent as the unpredictable currents which encircle Nantucket. When Abbie encounters an incredibly appealing married man, she breaks her own rules in the name of love, fearing all the while that she'll regret it. Meanwhile, type-A Emma learns a new definition of success, and strong-minded Lily must reconcile her dreams with reality. Even Marina, who came to Nantucket to forget heartbreak and betrayal, faces an astonishing turn of events that will find her torn between fate and freedom. At summer's end, these unforgettable women will face profound choices - and undergo personal transformations that will surprise even themselves.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was immediately drawn into the plot of a story that, in my opinion, was told by a born storyteller. I may have five books - perhaps several more than that - by Nancy Thayer already sitting on my bookshelf, however I think that Beachcombers: A Novel is the first book that I've read by this author. I may have read another book by Nancy Thayer in the very distant past, but I can't really remember. Anyway, I give this book a definite A+! and am placing it on my 'Bookshelf of Keepers' to read again at some point. 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Richard Bausch - In the Night Season: A Novel

50. In the Night Season: A Novel by Richard Bausch (1998)
Length: 326 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 12 June 2013
Finished: 13 June 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 May 2001
Why do I have it? I like horror and Richard Bausch is a new author for me.

Nora Michaelson and her eleven-year-old son, Jason, are both going through a difficult adjustment after the accidental death of Jason's father, during a time when the family's small business was failing. The loss of Jack Michaelson has left his wife and son nearly destitute. It has also placed their lives in jeopardy from several people who it is very dangerous to cross. This is a story of terror, and resourcefulness in the face of terror, from a master storyteller.

I really enjoyed this book; it was such a good read for me. I liked the plot and the characters, and got sucked into the story so that I had to find out what happened next. The tension was palpable, and I gave this book an A+! I must say that Richard Bausch is a new author for me - In the Night Season: A Novel is actually the first book that I've ever read by this author, but I will certainly be on the lookout for more books by Richard Bausch to read in the future.

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

Luanne Rice - Last Kiss

49. Last Kiss by Luanne Rice (2008)
Hubbard's Point/Black Hall Book 6
Length: 306 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 9 June 2013
Finished: 11 June 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

A face on a poster, a name in the news, an inexplicable tragedy. A promising young man goes out one warm summer evening and is found dead - murdered - less than twenty-four hours later. No motive; no clues; no answers. Most people might reflect briefly on the disturbing headlines, perhaps say a prayer of safely removed sympathy, but ultimately will move on with their lives. But what if the young man was your son? Or your true love?

Nearly a year after the death of eighteen-year-old Charlie, singer-songwriter Sheridan Rosslare still hasn't played a note of the music that was once her life's passion. Tucked away in the beach house where she raised her only child, she lives with her memories of him and a grief still too fresh and pervasive to even share  with her beloved sisters or her dear friend Stevie Moore. Nor can Stevie comfort Charlie's heart-broken girlfriend, Nell Kilvert, whom Stevie regards as a daughter. Nell won't rest until she finds out what really happened to the boy she loved. Out of the past she summons a man she believes cares enough, and is tough enough, to uncover the truth - Sheridan's long-ago soul mate, Gavin Dawson.

Now Gavin's boat, the Squire Toby, sits anchored in the harbor within sight of the window of the woman he once loved, still loves, and will always love. Sheridan, too, had once fervently believed in the miraculous power of love and healing, forgiveness, connection, and reconnection. But her faith died along with her son... 

New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice returns to Hubbard's Point, Connecticut, and to characters from her beloved Beach Girls, to tell the haunting story of a close-knit community grappling with a heart-breaking mystery, and of a woman rebuilding her world and reclaiming a love she believed lost a lifetime ago.

In my opinion, reading Last Kiss by Luanne Rice was just slightly annoying. The story itself was certainly alright - perhaps more attention was paid to the romantic entanglements of characters than I would have liked, but the story was otherwise intriguing to me. However, being the sixth book in a series, there was quite a bit of catching up for me to do in Last Kiss. To me, covering the plots of five previous books in only a few pages, is not really enough. Granted, I had read The Perfect Summer - which is the fourth book in this series - back in February of 2010, however, there were still large portions of this book's plot which didn't make sense to me.

Overall, I give Last Kiss by Luanne Rice a B+! I will certainly read more from this author in the future, but I think that I will stick to reading her standalone novels rather than books from her series from now on.

B+! - (89-85%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Anne Bird - Blood Brother: 33 Reasons my Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty

48. Blood Brother: 33 Reasons my Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty by Anne Bird (2005)
Length: 211 pages
Genre: True Crime
Started: 7 June 2013
Finished: 8 June 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2013
Why do I have it? I like true crime and had heard that Scott Peterson's half sister had written a book, and I wanted to read it.

The story no one else can tell...except perhaps a family member. What happens if, after being given up for adoption as a child, you reestablish contact with your biological family - only to discover that your true brother is a killer? Anne Bird, the sister of Scott Peterson, knows firsthand. She gives her account of her brother's marriage and his disturbing behavior - and tells how she realized that her brother was capable of murder.

Soon after her birth in 1965, Anne was given up for adoption by her mother, Jackie Latham. Welcomed into the well-adjusted Grady family, she lived a happy life. Then, in the late 1990s, she got back in contact with her birth mother - now married - and her family, including Jackie's son, Scott Peterson, and his wife, Laci. Anne was welcomed into the family, and over the next several years she grew close to Scott and especially Laci.

Together they shared holidays, family reunions, trips to Disneyland. Anne and Laci even became pregnant at roughly the same time, and the two quickly became confidantes. On Christmas Eve 2002, Laci Peterson went missing, and the happy facade of the Peterson family began to crumble. Anne immediately rushed to the family's aid, joining in the search for Laci, even allowing Scott to stay in her home while the police attempted to find his pregnant wife. Yet Scott's behavior grew increasingly more bizarre as the search for Laci intensified, and Anne grew suspicious that her brother knew more about the situation than he was telling. She began keeping a list of Scott's disturbing quirks. And by the time Laci's body - and that of her unborn son, Conner - were found, Anne was becoming convinced: Her brother Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and unborn child in cold blood.

Filled with news-making revelations as well as intimate glimpses of Scott and Laci, the Peterson family, and the investigation that followed the murder, Blood Brother: 33 Reasons my Brother Scott Peterson is Guilty is a provocative account of how long-dormant family ties dragged one woman into one of the most notorious crimes of our time.

I have to say that while I generally enjoy reading about true crime, I prefer reading books about certain crimes told from the family's perspective - about the personal effects of that specific crime on them as members of the family, or of the search for justice for their loved one. I give this book a definite A+! It was well-written and easy for me to read and I truly sympathized with Anne and the difficult position that she found herself in.

Anne Bird went through so much due to her initial support of the Peterson family and her preliminary belief in Scott Peterson's innocence. Her marriage suffered, but as the police investigation revealed more and more inconsistencies in Scott's alibi, Anne eventually had to choose between her burgeoning loyalty to the Peterson family and her lasting loyalty to her husband and two sons - knowing that as her own sons grew up, they deserved to know their mother's thoughts on such a infamous crime.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Betty M. Owen - 11 Great Horror Stories Including "The Oblong Box" and "The Dunwich Horror"

47. 11 Great Horror Stories Including "The Oblong Box" and "The Dunwich Horror" by Betty M. Owen (1969)
Length: 239 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 5 June 2013
Finished: 7 June 2013
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 July 2001
Why do I have it? I like horror and Betty M. Owen is a new author for me.

This book is an anthology of eleven strange and horrific short stories that was compiled by Betty M. Owen in 1969. These are short stories written by such well-known authors as H. P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker, as well as eight stories written by several lesser-known authors. All the stories were written in the late 19th or early 20th centuries - from classic to more contemporary horror. 

In my opinion, each story was certainly very good reading, however none of them actually scared me enough to give me nightmares. I think that I may want to read some more anthologies in the future, and I give this particular book an A! I'm definitely glad that I read it, but I can send this book away to another good home should anyone else want it.

A! - (90-95%) 

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Barbara Delinsky - First Things First

46. First Things First by Barbara Delinsky (1985)
Harlequin Temptation Series Book 87
Length: 219 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 3 June 2013
Finished: 5 June 2013
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 May 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Barbara Delinsky as an author.

Chelsea Ross was devoted to finding missing children. When she is hired by wealthy socialite Beatrice London to locate Beatrice's son, she is initially very surprised. Samuel Prescott London is not Chelsea's typical runaway, he is a forty-year-old business executive! 

Discovering Samuel's hideaway outside Cancun, Mexico, was easy for Chelsea. Dealing with love at first sight was not. Samuel's tanned and muscular physique, his easy-going manner, his unmistakable virility instantly captivates Chelsea. And when he touches her, Chelsea knows she has finally found what she has been looking for all her life. But love is easy...when you're in paradise.

I have to say that I usually like Barbara Delinsky as an author. She is perhaps one of my favorite authors. However, I found that First Things First by Barbara Delinsky was not really my cup of tea. 

I realize that this book was perhaps one of Barbara Delinsky's earlier books, and that it was written under the Harlequin Temptation Series as well - however, the plot was definitely more romantic than I expected. I'm not generally a 'strictly romance' reader - and I've never read any Harlequin romances before - however, I will give First Things First by Barbara Delinsky a strong B+! I will certainly read more by this author in the future, but perhaps not right away.

B+! - (89-85%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Diane Chamberlain - Cypress Point

45. Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain (2002)
Length: 400 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 30 May 2013
Finished: 2 June 2013
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 fiction and Diane Chamberlain is a relatively new author for me.

Joelle D'Angelo's best friend, Mara, is left with irreversible brain damage after she suffers an aneurysm during the delivery of her son. Alone and grieving, Joelle turns to the only other person who understands her pain: Mara's husband, Liam. And what originally starts out as simply two friends finding comfort in each other's company gradually becomes something more. Something undeniable.

Torn by guilt and the impossibility of her feelings for Liam, Joelle seeks help from someone she's not even sure she believes in - a healer named Carlynn Kling Shire. Joelle sets out to find Carlynn, knowing that Mara needs something which conventional medicine can't supply. And hoping that when Mara recovers, Joelle's feelings for Liam will end. 

Her search leads her to a mansion in Monterey, California, and into the life of a woman shrouded in mystery. And as Joelle is guided down an unfamiliar path by a woman who is clearly keeping her own secrets, she discovers that some love is doomed, while some love can survive anything. 

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was drawn into the story through the characters and a very intriguing plot. I give Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain a definite A+! I have read only one of Diane Chamberlain's books perhaps a decade or so ago, and enjoyed that one as well. Although I have only read two books by Diane Chamberlain so far, I look forward to reading more by this author in the future. 

A+! - (96-100%)

 Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Our Library Visit For June

Hello Everyone! How are you on this fine Saturday? I'm doing just fine. :) Today is Mareena's birthday, and in honor of that we decided to go to our local library and then brought home a pizza. I told Mareena "sky's the limit" as regards raiding the book sale! :) We came away with three overflowing bags of books - pretty good, considering the last time we went to the library was only two months ago, in April. :)

We had a wonderful time together - as we always do! It has become something of a birthday tradition for Mareena - from 12:30 P. M. to 2:30 P. M. - we go to the library every June 1st. Or at least try to get there on the weekend closest to Mareena's birthday - the weekend before, or the weekend after.

Between us, we bought 15 hardcovers, 31 paperbacks as well as 1 audiobook. We spent a whopping $37.50 for a total of 47 books. A pretty good haul, if I do say so, myself. :)

At the moment, I'm reading Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain which I hope to finish reading soon even though I am enjoying the book very much.

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 713 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 704 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap, a friend, Netgalley, Bookmooch and an author.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Rereads
- Life Lines by Jill Ireland
- The People From the Sea by Velda Johnston

Changes to the TBR pile

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- One Last Dance by Eileen Goudge
- Elsewhere by William Peter Blatty
- His Other Wife: A Novel by Deborah Bedford
- Just After Sunset: Stories by Stephen King
- Salt of the Earth: One Family's Journey Through the Violent American Landscape by Jack Olsen
- Everything Must Go by Elizabeth Flock
- A Room For the Dead by Noel Hynd

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- Blood Beast by Don D'Ammassa
- Dos Santos: A Novel by Fernando de Aragon
- Swimming to Elba: A Novel by Sylvia Avallone
- Chickadee by Deborah Bedford
- Family Matters by Deborah Bedford
- Two Moons: A Novel by Thomas Mallon
- Deadly Impulse by Olga Bicos
- Dying Cheek to Cheek by Diane K. Shah
- Night Terrors by Dennis Palumbo
- After the Fire by Belva Plain
- Don't Say a Word by Andrew Klavan
- First Things First by Barbara Delinsky
- Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain
- Kiss and Kill by Karen Young
- Daddy's Girl by Lisa Scottoline

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Life Wish by Jill Ireland
- Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor
- Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope by Jenna Bush
- The Fifth Vial by Michael Palmer
- Elsewhere by William Peter Blatty
- His Other Wife: A Novel by Deborah Bedford
- The Naked Face by Sidney Sheldon
- The Secret Hour by Luanne Rice
- Everlasting by Nancy Thayer
- Downtown by Anne Rivers Siddons
- Heartbreak Hotel by Anne Rivers Siddons
- Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons
- Salt of the Earth: One Family's Journey Through the Violent American Landscape by Jack Olsen

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

Books Read: 9
Pages Read: 3,170
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