February'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. February's Book of the Month is:

666 by Jay Anson

  Published as: 666 in March 1980

Publisher: Pocket Books

Birth Name: Jay Anson 
Born: 4 November 1921 in New York 
Died: 12 March 1980 in Palo Alto, California

Canonical Name: Jay Anson
Pseudonyms: None

666 by Jay Anson was the eleventh book that I read in 2015. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since February 2, 2015 and it took me two days to read. This book is definitely a keeper for me. 

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Mary Stewart - The Stormy Petrel

16. The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart (1991)
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 25 February 2015
Finished: 28 February 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 9 April 2014
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

When Rose Fenemore travels to the island of Moila off the west coast of Scotland, she is looking forward to spending a quiet holiday with her brother Crispin in a paradise filled with seabirds and wild flowers. Remote and lonely, the secluded island seems to Rose to be the perfect place to relax and get away from it all. In fact, the isolated cottage she has rented - advertised as an "ivory tower" - promises to be the ideal retreat where Rose can finish writing her novel, and Crispin can commune with nature - walking, fishing and indulging in his passion for photography.

However, things don't turn out quite so idyllically. Her brother's arrival is delayed, and the island's peace is shattered by the arrival of two men, seeking shelter during a violent summer storm. Each man tells a remarkably different story - conflicting narratives that draw Rose into a web of menace and suspicion.

Rose's discovery of the stormy petrels - the fragile, elusive seabirds that nest ashore but spend the majority of their lives flying just above the waves - comes to symbolize for Rose her confusion about Ewen Mackay, the man known as the island's prodigal son, as well as the man who calls himself John Parsons - someone whose account of himself Rose has every reason to distrust.

I enjoyed reading this book - it was certainly interesting and a remarkably quick read for me. However, I must say that I didn't really find the plot all that suspenseful - at least not as suspenseful as some of Ms. Stewart's other work that I've read. Although I wouldn't say that this book is Ms. Stewart's absolute best - compared to some of her other books that I've read in the past - it still was quite good. I would give The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Cammie McGovern - The Art of Seeing: A Novel

15. The Art of Seeing: A Novel by Cammie McGovern (2002)
Length: 283 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 19 February 2015
Finished: 25 February 2015
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 16 February 2015
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed Neighborhood Watch: A Novel by this author in the past.

Ever since they were children, Jemma has looked up to her older sister, Rozzie, seeing her as a star. Flamboyant, brooding and beautiful, Rozzie may be destined to go far in her life, but for Jemma, Rozzie is still her sister - deeply loved and admired, and bound to be successful in whatever career she chooses. When Rozzie takes up acting and, as a teenager, lands a role in a major motion picture, life changes irrevocably for both sisters.

Rozzie is catapulted into the adult world of celebrity, a world that brings with it constant attention, but not always comfort. Jemma, feeling somewhat directionless in her own life, is swept along in her sister's shadow: following Rozzie to various movie sets, befriending other actors, relishing her sister's fame, but never really seeing the strain that constantly living in the spotlight puts on Rozzie. For Jemma, living such a life may be fun, but she still can't quite banish the feeling of being out of her element around her sister.

It is only when Jemma begins to develop her own artistic ambitions as a photographer and Rozzie is forced to reveal to her family that she is suffering from a rare degenerative eye condition which threatens her vision - something that she has managed to keep from them for years - that Jemma begins to realize the truths about herself and her sister that could threaten the delicate balance of their relationship.

In this poignant debut novel, Cammie McGovern crafts an intimate portrait of two sisters, each intrinsically defined by the realm of celebrity; but equally entwined in the powerful and enduring bond of sisterhood. I must say that I really enjoyed reading this book; it took me a while to get into the story, but once I did I found myself wondering what would happen next. I think Cammie McGovern is an excellent writer; in my opinion, she really gets into the reality of the characters and I loved the various interactions between Jemma and Rozzie. I give The Art of Seeing: A Novel a definite A!

Actually, I was surprised but delighted to learn recently that Cammie McGovern is, in fact, the younger sister of actress Elizabeth McGovern. She plays the role of Cora, Countess of Grantham in the British drama, 'Downton Abbey'. I think Mareena and myself are just the tiniest bit obsessed with this particular show, but then we thoroughly enjoy watching any period dramas on 'Masterpiece Theater', so I don't suppose 'Downton Abbey' should be any different. Having just learned that Cammie McGovern is the younger sister of Elizabeth McGovern, I found that The Art of Seeing: A Novel was written with a measure of unexpected insight and grace that I could very much appreciate.

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

'Puzzle Mania' - Three Days Into the Fever!

Hello everyone! I hope that you're all just fine this morning - I certainly am! :) Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update on how I'm doing so far. At the moment, I'm trying to figure out which book I want to read next. I just may start reading The Art of Seeing: A Novel by Cammie McGovern, I'm not quite sure.

I usually start off my search with a vague idea of the author who I want to read; or perhaps the genre I may want to read next. I haven't read that many books by Mary Stewart in quite a while, so I might pick something by her to read. Mareena has also told me that she knows that she has several books by Philippa Gregory on her bookshelf that she doesn't think I've read yet. She's promised to look them out for me and let me read them if and when I want.

I've also been doing quite a bit of Sudoku as well. The version that I'm doing is actually called Sumdoku. I started doing a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle on Monday afternoon, February 16th -  of three cats stretched out on an extremely cluttered desktop. The scene seems remarkably familiar to me - although I can't for the life of me figure out why. LOL!!!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

As I Warned, so it Came to Pass - 'Puzzle Mania' Has Struck!

Hello everyone! I hope that you're all just fine this morning - I certainly am! :) Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update on how I'm doing so far. First of all, I had to set aside Naked Once More by Elizabeth Peters. I'm sure it is a great reading experience for someone, unfortunately that reader is not me. I did give it my best shot, but I ended up having to post this book on our swapping websites. Maybe someone else will want to read it.

Anyway, I received The Art of Seeing: A Novel by Cammie McGovern on Monday, February 16th. I think that I'm going to really enjoy reading this book. It looks interesting.

I was struck with 'Puzzle Mania' on Monday, February 16th, and it started off rather benignly for me - by doing crosswords and sudoku puzzles, I was able to cool the fever slightly, but only temporararily. I can feel that the 'Puzzle Mania' will escalate again soon.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Puzzles, Puzzles of Every Kind!

Hello everyone! I hope that you're all just fine this morning - I certainly am! :) Anyway, I just wanted to give you an update on how I'm doing so far. On Friday, February 13th, I started reading Naked Once More by Elizabeth Peters. I decided to continue reading mysteries, although in this case it's an Historical Mystery. I had just finished Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark on Thursday, February 12th.

So far, I'm not that far into the story; but it's not really capturing my attention and I'm not quite sure why. Elizabeth Peters is just one of two pseudonyms for the American author Barbara Mertz, the other is Barbara Michaels. I've read and enjoyed several books by Barbara Michaels, so it seems slightly strange for me to have trouble reading something by Elizabeth Peters. Anyway, I'll give it a bit longer; but to be honest, this mystery is more difficult to get into than I was expecting.

Mareena's laptop crashed on Thursday, February 12th, so we sent it to get it fixed. The repairmen said it would take them at least a week to fix - just to reinstall the Windows Operating System - so I went out on Friday, February 13th and bought her an Apple IPad. Mareena seems to love her new piece of technology - LOL!!!

In between choosing what to read next, I've been getting significantly strong urges that a bout of 'Puzzle Mania' is about to strike! :) I have no idea what form this mania will take - Sudoku, Jigsaw or Crossword - but I think I'll be able to deal with it just fine, when and if it strikes me. Not to worry! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Mary Higgins Clark - Daddy's Little Girl

14. Reader's Digest Select Editions, Volume 5: Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark (2002)
The Reader's Digest Select Editions Series Volume 5: 2002 - (Daddy's Little Girl/Without Fail/Flight Lessons/Three Weeks in Paris)
Length: 131 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 10 February 2015
Finished: 12 February 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 October 2007
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. I also love to read Reader's Digest Select Editions from time to time.

Then, from somewhere in the big room, she was sure she heard someone breathing - harsh, heavy, sucking-in breaths that broke off in a kind of giggle.

Terrified, she tried to get up, but her knees slid in the blood and she fell forward across Andrea's chest. Her lips grazed something smooth and cold - Andrea's gold locket. Then she managed to scramble to her feet, and she turned and began to run.

Ellie Cavanaugh was seven years old when her older sister Andrea disappeared and was later found murdered near their home in Westchester County, New York. As a matter of fact, it was young Ellie's tearful testimony that eventually put nineteen-year-old Rob Westerfield, the scion of a prominent family, in jail despite the existence of two other viable suspects. And for the past two decades, Rob Westerfield has stayed behind bars, although he has always proclaimed his innocence of Andrea's murder.

Twenty-two years later, Rob, who still maintains his innocence, is paroled. Determined to thwart his every attempt to pin the crime on another person, Ellie, now an investigative reporter for an Atlanta newspaper, returns home and starts writing a book that will conclusively prove Rob Westerfield's guilt - beyond a reasonable doubt. As she delves deeper into her research, however, Ellie begins to uncover some horrifying facts that shed a whole new light on her sister's brutal murder. And with each new discovery, Ellie creeps closer to finally solving her sister's murder, and putting herself in a dangerous situation - into a direct confrontation with a desperate killer.

I must say that after I read All Through the Night: A Suspense Story back in April of 2014, I wasn't all that sure if I wanted to read another book by Mary Higgins Clark for some time. I decided to end my self-imposed hiatus by reading this particular book, though. I'm so glad that I chose to give Ms. Clark a second chance as I enjoyed this story quite a bit. I found it much more intriguing than I expected, and I would give Daddy's Little Girl by Mary Higgins Clark an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Patricia Gaffney - Flight Lessons

13. Reader's Digest Select Editions, Volume 5: Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney (2002)
The Reader's Digest Select Editions Series Volume 5: 2002 - (Daddy's Little Girl/Without Fail/Flight Lessons/Three Weeks in Paris)
Length: 129 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 9 February 2015
Finished: 10 February 2015
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 10 October 2007
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. I also love to read Reader's Digest Select Editions from time to time.

She might have to go as a grownup, not a mortal besieged by capricious gods, not a fierce, romantic, suicidal poet. An adult. If not capable of forgiving old sins, then at least willing to pretend, for the sake of peace, that they'd never been committed.

Clever Rose. Anna hadn't given her credit for so much cunning.

Growing up, Anna Catalano had deeply admired and tried her best to emulate her unmarried aunt Rose, someone who led a much more exotic and glamorous life than her mother. Rose was the woman who Anna loved most in the world - the person she had at one time believed understood her best. However, as her mother lies dying, Anna discovers that her aunt Rose has betrayed Anna and her mother, Rose's own terminally ill sister in the worst way possible.

In the sixteen years that have passed, Anna has done her best to build another life for herself far from her hometown on Maryland's eastern shore, but she still can't forgive or forget Rose's shocking betrayal. Yet, it is a faithless lover's betrayal of her which eventually brings Anna back home - seeking an escape from her pain in the one place that she never expected to see again. So, Anna returns to her family's faltering restaurant, where Rose needs her estranged niece's help - and trust - more than ever before.

Determined to leave as soon as the struggling business is back on its feet and her own hurt is healed, Anna reluctantly joins her aunt in the kitchen of 'Bella Sorella', where values clash and generations collide - and also in the outside community, where their personal lives become entangled in surprising ways. Although Rose realizes that her niece has come home, it's clear that Anna doesn't plan to stay, despite Rose's many attempts to regain her niece's trust. Yet, as mistrustful as Anna is - her resolve to remain unaffected by Rose's longing to undo past mistakes - may just blind her to a true and unexpected love that's reaching out to grab her by the heart. Moving, funny, and ultimately reassuring about life and love, Ms. Gaffney's novel is just the thing her readers have been waiting for.

I must say that while this book was very good, it wasn't necessarily Ms. Gaffney's best work - at least in my opinion. It was certainly well-written and poignant, but for me, this story was slightly too wrapped up in the romantic subplot to be fully enjoyable. Although I appreciated that the main characters owned and operated a restaurant - I could completely relate to that aspect of the story, having owned and operated a restaurant myself. Overall, I would give Flight Lessons by Patricia Gaffney an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Barbara Delinsky - The Secret Between Us

12. The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky (2008)
Length: 431 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 7 February 2015
Finished: 9 February 2015
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2015
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

As Deborah Monroe and her teenage daughter, Grace, are driving home from a party that Grace attended; the unthinkable happens. Their car is in an accident; striking a man who is running in the dark. Although sixteen-year-old Grace was the one at the wheel, Deborah sends her daughter home before the police arrive, determined to shoulder the blame for the accident herself.

Deborah's rash decision, made in an attempt to protect Grace, quickly takes on a life of its own. Her decision soon morphs into a deception, one that ultimately threatens the special bond between mother and daughter. In The Secret Between Us, Barbara Delinsky explores the limits of personal responsibility - responsibility of a mother to a daughter, of a daughter to a father, and of a husband to a wife.

Once again, Ms. Delinsky has delivered a riveting, superbly crafted family story. This book was absolutely great. I find that Ms. Delinsky is wonderful at creating nuanced family relationships and dramatic plots. I do like reading books that deal with secrets and deceptions, and how such things can detrimentally affect the family dynamics. I give The Secret Between Us by Barbara Delinsky an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jay Anson - 666

11. 666 by Jay Anson (1980)
Length: 280 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 5 February 2015
Finished: 7 February 2015
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 February 2015
Why do I have it? I like horror and have read and enjoyed The Amityville Horror by this author in the past.

It's the omen of ultimate evil...the sign of the Devil...the number of the Beast...666.

That was the diabolical number on the old house that suddenly appeared on Sunset Brook Lane. Yet, such an beautifully unassuming Victorian-style house couldn't possibly hold something so evil, could it? Perhaps it could...

For stepping inside 666 Sunset Brook Lane could only bring with it eternal damnation. Inside, an infernal red light flickers from an unseen source...Inside, ghostly specters stare down mockingly from the windows in a grotesque mimicry of bloody horrors...Inside, an ancient supernatural relic waits for human hands to lift it, for human eyes to see its ghastly, demonic visions.

For this is no ordinary house. This is a house that appears and disappears, seemingly at will; inexplicably moving from time to time, place to place, to torment the lives of the innocent. This is a house where the same bloody, dreadfully gruesome, eternal crime occurs again and again, delivering its victims to the very brink of hell, straight into the hands of the Devil himself.

And for interior designer, Jennifer Olson - designing her first solo project - and her husband Keith, the house at 666 Sunset Brook Lane has just swung open its door in welcome...

I usually enjoy reading books about haunted houses, and 666 by Jay Anson was no different - I must say that I loved this book from start to finish. For a book written in 1980, I found that the horror held up strongly throughout the entire story. I also appreciated that the story held together until the very end; in my opinion it never fell apart, and the horror never became fanciful or far-fetched as I've noticed with certain horror novels. I would give 666 by Jay Anson an A+!

Actually, I owned a copy of this book in the past, but eventually I sent it to my sister who lives in Australia, for her to read. I had already read it once or twice about twenty years ago, and I hoped that she would enjoy it as much as I had. Several times during the ensuing ten or twelve years since I sent my copy of 666 to my sister, I've found myself wishing that I could read it again.

When Mareena first said that she had gotten this book for me as a 'just because' gift, of course I was delighted. However, I didn't remember reading the book before - or even realized that I had wanted an extra copy to keep for myself - until I had read a couple of pages into the story. Now, 666 by Jay Anson is a definite keeper for me.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Cammie McGovern - Neighborhood Watch: A Novel

10. Neighborhood Watch: A Novel by Cammie McGovern (2010)
Length: 274 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 2 February 2015
Finished: 4 February 2015
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 mysteries and Cammie McGovern is a new author for me.

"Librarian Found Innocent of Crime After Twelve Years in Prison," the newspaper headlines read. The problem is, former librarian Betsy Treading couldn't feel less innocent - even after new DNA evidence irrefutably exonerates her of the murder of her eccentric and noticeably single neighbor, Linda Sue Murphy. True, the evidence may have released Betsy from prison, but she quickly discovers that innocence in court doesn't necessarily redeem her in the eyes of old friends.

The truth is, Betsy will never feel exonerated until Linda Sue's true killer is found, and the murder for which she was wrongfully convicted is successfully solved. Back in her old neighborhood without a job, a car, a place to live, or her husband, Betsy is determined to clear her name and find Linda Sue's murderer at all costs. So, she sets out to unravel the complex web of denial, delusion, and secrets that have seemingly paralyzed the community. But the ultimate question is: will this former librarian be successful in shattering the perfect facade that protects such an idyllic world and has apparently ensnared her community?

Neighborhood Watch: A Novel by Cammie McGovern is an intricately woven, psychologically astute tale that will keep readers guessing until the very last page. This is a riveting and frightening story of false accusations, and of the lengths to which some people will go to to keep their 'white-picket-fence' facade in place. It is also the story of a woman coming into her own, finding her strength, and taking control of her life. It asks readers, what sort of price would you pay for the sake of your reputation?

In my opinion, this was an amazing book. I was immediately sucked into the story; it was an engrossing, nail-biting psychological tour-de-force - filled with all the secrets, lies, and deceptions of life in small-town suburbia. I appreciated that this story was so well-paced; I found it not necessarily over-dramatic, but always flowing and moving.

In my opinion, the plot never became boring or stilted; what drama there was, never slowed or stalled the story. I found this story thoroughly intriguing and I wanted to know what happened next. I would give Neighborhood Watch: A Novel by Cammie McGovern a definite A+! This is the first book that I've read by this author, but it most certainly will not be my last.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up For January 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 January with 1,050 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 1.041 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap and 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 :))
- The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty
- The Piano Teacher: The True Story of a Psychotic Killer by Robert K. Tannenbaum and Peter S. Greenberg
- Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
- The Friends by Rosa Guy
- Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
- The Missing World: A Novel by Margot Livesey
- The Sixth Commandment by Lawrence Sanders
- The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg
- Kramer Versus Kramer by Avery Corman

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- 100 Wicked Little Witch Stories by Martin H. Greenberg, Robert H. Weinberg and Stefan Dziemianowicz
- Behind the Mask: A True Story of Obsession and a Savage Genius by Stella Sands
- Rose Madder by Stephen King
- Criminals: A Novel by Margot Livesey
- The World's Last Mysteries by Reader's Digest
- Ashes to Ashes by Tami Hoag
- The Most Wanted by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Random Hearts by Warren Adler 
- Like Water For Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances, and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel
- The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman
- Blackbird House by Alice Hoffman
- Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag
- No One Left to Tell by Jordan Dane
- The Senator's Wife by Karen Robards
- Grave's End: A True Ghost Story by Elaine Mercado, R. N.
- The Piano Teacher: The True Story of a Psychotic Killer by Robert K. Tanenbaum and Peter S. Greenberg
- The Saving Graces: A Novel by Patricia Gaffney
- Mercy Street: A Novel by Mariah Stewart
- Love Kills: The Stalking of Diane Newton King by Andy Hoffman
- Live to Tell by Lisa Gardner
- Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
- The Missing World: A Novel by Margot Livesey
- Fallen Son by Mike Walsh

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: 2,857
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

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