Reading Wrap-up For October 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 October with 1,062 books lying around the house and ended the month with 1,062 books unread. Apparently, I had a horrible month reading wise. Yep, not a word read, not a page turned! All 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

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- The Wednesday Daughters: A Novel by Meg Waite Clayton 

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))

- The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi
- The Rector’s Wife by Joanna Trollope

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, not a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 0
Pages Read: 0
Grade Range: 0

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had a better reading month than I did; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

October’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. October's Book of the Month is:

The Brownstone by Ken Eulo

Published as: The Brownstone in September 1980

Publisher: Pocket

Birth Name: Ken Eulo
Born: 17 November 1939 in Newark, New Jersey

Canonical Name: Ken Eulo

Pseudonyms: None

This will be a slightly different Book of the Month post for me because I didn’t actually finish reading the book that I’m reviewing. The Brownstone by Ken Eulo would have been the twenty-fifth book that I’d have read in 2017. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since October 5, 2015 and started reading it October 2, 2017. I quit reading it on October 18, 2017 - after sixteen days.

The book was not all that bad, actually - the plot just reminded me a little too much of Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin, which I read over three days in July of 2011. I sent this book off to another good home on May 19, 2018.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Finishing Lots of Sudoku Puzzle Books!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it is getting closer and closer to Halloween so I am staying hopeful. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well as the occasional movie.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for almost a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Tuesday, October 24th - I’ve finished 102 puzzles in the first book and 44 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. Despite having read just over half of The Brownstone by Ken Eulo, I’m not sure if I actually want to finish the book.

I can’t really pinpoint the exact reason why. This story is very intriguing and full of just the sort of elements that I normally enjoy reading about, but I’m just not entirely connecting with something about this book. I don’t know what it is.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Haven’t I Read Something Like This Before?

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it is getting closer and closer to Halloween so I am staying hopeful. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well as the occasional movie.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for almost a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Saturday, October 21st - I’ve finished 99 puzzles in the first book and 41 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. Despite having read just over half of The Brownstone by Ken Eulo, I’m not sure if I actually want to finish the book.

I can’t really pinpoint the exact reason why. This story is very intriguing and full of just the sort of elements that I normally enjoy reading about, but I’m just not entirely connecting with something about this book. I don’t know what it is.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Trying to Catch up on Some Seriously Backlogged Posts!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it’s only eighteen days into October. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for almost a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Wednesday, October 18th - I’ve finished 96 puzzles in the first book and 38 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I started reading sixteen days ago - on Monday, October 2nd. According to Goodreads - as of Wednesday, October 18th - I've read 219 pages out of 332 or 66 percent of the story.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

We Haven’t Been to the Library in Quite a While!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it’s only fifteen days into October. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for almost a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Sunday, October 15th - I’ve finished 93 puzzles in the first book and 35 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I started reading thirteen days ago - on Monday, October 2nd. According to Goodreads - as of Sunday, October 15th - I've read 182 pages out of 332 or 54 percent of the story.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Actually, I am Still Reading, Just Not as Fast!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it’s only twelve days into October. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for about a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Thursday, October 12th - I’ve finished 90 puzzles in the first book and 32 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I have been reading for about ten days.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m a Number Puzzle Fanatic!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I have been watching a lot of television along with everything else, and have caught a number of horror movies. There have not been that many on like in past years, but it’s only nine days into October. I’m fascinated by true crime stories and true ghost stories and there have been a number of those shows being broadcast as well.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for about a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Monday, October 9th - I’ve finished 87 puzzles in the first book and 29 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I have been reading for a week.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I Seem to be Getting Back Into Reading With a Vengeance!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

Well, the second episode of season two of 'The Exorcist' will be shown tonight. It was quite a start to the show and I’m loving the premise of this story already. I am curious to see how the second season develops.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for about a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Friday, October 6th - I’ve finished 84 puzzles in the first book and 26 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I started reading four days ago - on Monday, October 2nd. According to Goodreads - as of Friday, October 6th - I've read 77 pages out of 332 or 23 percent of the story.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’ve Finally Found a Book to Read!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. Last month, I actually read a total of three books; then I fell into a slight reading slump. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

Well, the first episode of season two of 'The Exorcist' premiered on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. It was quite a start to the show and I’m loving the premise of this story already. I am curious to see how the second season develops.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well. I managed to completely finish two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. Since I have only been working through this particular book for about a month, I’m happy to say that I am almost finished with it. I also started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Tuesday, October 3rd - I’ve finished 81 puzzles in the first book and 23 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I have been trying to find something else to read for the past few days, and not having much luck. I finally chose a horror novel that I have never read before called The Brownstone by Ken Eulo; which I started reading yesterday - Monday, October 2nd. This is actually the first book in a trilogy that looks really interesting, at least so far.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up For September 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 September with 1,063 books lying around the house and ended the month with 1,060 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Paperback Swap.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Rereads
- Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom
- The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- The Conscience of the Rich by C. P. Snow
- The Concubine: A Novel by Norah Lofts

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))

- All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab
- Sleeping Tiger by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
- Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash
- In Love and Friendship by Hilary Norman
- Deadly Whispers by Ted Schwarz
- The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom

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

Books Read: 3
Pages Read: 868
Grade Range: A+! to A!

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

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: 

The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom

Published as: The Kitchen House in February 2010

Publisher: Touchstone

Birth Name: Kathleen Doepker

Born: in Annaheim, Saskatchewan, Canada 

Canonical Name: Kathleen Grissom

Pseudonyms: None

The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom was the twenty-fourth book that I read in 2017. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since June 1, 2015 and it took me eight days to read. I sent this book off to another good home on September 25, 2017.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I Think That I’m Beginning to Get Another Bout of Reader’s Block!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading was picking up appreciably and then I hit another reader’s block. So far this month, I’ve read one book that was a reread for me from about four years ago, and two others that have been on my TBR pile for several years. Mareena is still determined to locate some books for me, even though I keep telling her that I’m sure that they will turn up eventually. She has told me that she just wants to find them for me because it’s frustrating for her to know that they are in my collection somewhere, yet hidden away

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. I must say that I have been doing this particular puzzle book for a little bit over a month, then I started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Thursday, September 28th - I’ve finished 76 puzzles in the first book and 18 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I’m not sure what I want to read next, but I’m leaning towards a horror novel or something that I have already read before. Wish me luck!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Four Days and Counting!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. Granted, my reading pace is not quite where it once was, but I’m beginning to think this is going to be my regular pace from now on. Not that I’m really complaining, because the books that I have been reading have been really good. So far this month, I’ve only read one book that was actually a reread for me from four years ago, and two new books that have been on my bookshelf for several years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. I must say that I have been doing this particular puzzle book for a little bit over a month, then I started a fresh book on Wednesday, September 20th! As of today - Monday, September 25th - I’ve finished 73 puzzles in the first book and 12 in the new one that I just started.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi, which I finished reading on Saturday, September 23rd. I’m not sure what I want to read next, but I’m leaning towards a horror novel or something that I have already read before. Wish me luck!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Ursula Hegi - The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel

25. The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi (2007)

Length: 260 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Started: 15 September 2017

Finished: 23 September 2017

Where did it come from? From Christmas Tree Shops

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 25 December 2011

Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Ursula Hegi is a new author for me.

Tonight, as she has done so many times before, Annabelle is driving between the North Sea and Montauk and back again. She is listening to talk radio and eating junk food; stifling her own rage and pain as she listens to the anonymous callers pour out their various tales of woe. This has been a part of Annie’s nightly routine - her own personal ritual - one that she has done ever since her husband Mason challenged everything that she once believed about herself and about their marriage. However no matter what she does, Annie can never seem to silence Mason’s urgent voice within her - it’s as desperate as some of the callers who confess their misery to the radio psychologists.

To so many of the people who know them, Annie, Jake, and Mason have always had a tremendously close friendship. Since early childhood, the three of them have had such a special bond with each other, and those ties have only strengthened for them over time. However on a day that should mark the happiest time of their lives, the initially tight friendship begins to warp into something else entirely. Something so emotionally charged and dangerous that nobody knows what to expect.

Their friendship begins to take a turn for the worse on of all days - Annie and Mason’s wedding day. Unfortunately that same night, Annie’s parents are killed in a tragic automobile accident, leaving their newborn daughter Opal an orphan. Although Annie is devastated by the loss of her parents, she must somehow find a way to put aside her own grief and tend to her newborn sister’s needs. So she and Mason take custody of Opal, and invite Jake to move in with them to help raise the child together.

Annie struggles to find a proper balance between all the responsibilities and relationships in her life and family: she is both a sister and a mother to Opal, a wife to Mason, and a friend to Jake. Perhaps inevitably, this already unique relationship grows increasingly more intense - becoming almost smotheringly close and dangerously entangled. Until that fateful night, when these three friends miss the precise moment in time that could have helped them all to take a step back from a crumbling precipice.

Instead, they continue goading each other to step across a line which ultimately leads to a series of shocking and unforeseen consequences. Set on the East End of Long Island, The Worst Thing I’ve Done is an incandescent novel of love, friendship, and marriage; of joy and betrayal; of an artist’s struggle to reconnect with her work; and of how we can sometimes choose our mothers, our families. This is a beautifully written story, brilliantly vivid and tremendously poignant; a stunning exploration of resilience and courage in the face of uncertainty.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not quite sure what to say about this book. Actually, I can’t really pinpoint what it was that disturbed me specifically, but I definitely found this to be extremely difficult reading for me. Having said that, I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the premise of the story; I found it to be very intriguing and well-written. I found myself wavering slightly on how to rate this book, but eventually settled on giving it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Only Nine More Days to Go Until ‘The Exorcist’ Comes Back!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. Granted, my reading pace is not quite where it once was, but I’m beginning to think this is going to be my regular pace from now on. Not that I’m really complaining, because the books that I have been reading have been really good. So far this month, I’ve only read one book that was actually a reread for me from four years ago, a new book that has been on my bookshelf for a little over two years; I’m currently reading a book that has been on my TBR pile for just over six years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Wednesday, September 20th - I’ve finished a total of 68 puzzles in this book.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom, which I finished on Thursday, September 14th. I immediately started reading The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi on Friday, September 15th. According to Goodreads - as of Wednesday, September 20th - I've read 184 pages out of 260 or 71 percent of the story. In my opinion, this is a great book with an extraordinary premise.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Doing Very Well With my Reading!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. Granted, my reading pace is not quite where it once was, but I’m beginning to think this is going to be my regular pace from now on. Not that I’m really complaining, because the books that I have been reading have been really good. So far this month, I’ve read two books - one that was actually a reread for me from four years ago, and another that has been on my TBR pile for just over two years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Sunday, September 17th - I’ve finished a total of 62 puzzles in this book.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom, which I finished on Thursday, September 14th. I immediately started reading The Worst Thing I’ve Done: A Novel by Ursula Hegi on Friday, September 15th. So far, the premise of the story is very intriguing, but I’m not quite sure how it is going to work out.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Kathleen Grissom - The Kitchen House: A Novel

24. The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom (2010)

Length: 377 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction 

Started: 6 September 2017

Finished: 14 September 2017

Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale 

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2015

Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Kathleen Grissom is a new author for me.

When a white servant girl violates the rules of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the best and the worst traits of the people she has come to call her family.

In 1791, Lavinia McCarten is almost seven years old when she arrives on the steps of a tabacco plantation in Virginia. Having lost both her parents during the voyage from Ireland, she is subsequently placed with the family of the ship's captain - the Pykes - as an indentured servant. As one of the few white members of the household, Lavinia is raised by Captain Pyke's slaves: Jacob, Mama Mae, Papa George, and the master's illegitimate slave daughter, Belle. Soon, she learns to cook, clean, and serve food with the slaves of the kitchen house; all while being guided by the quiet strength and love of her new family.

In due time, Lavinia is also accepted into the world of the big house, caring for Martha, the master's opium-addicted wife and befriending his impetuous son Marshall - someone who is as dangerous as he is protective. As Lavinia attempts to straddle both worlds of the kitchen and the big house, she begins to realize just how much her skin color will always set her apart from Belle and the other slaves.

However, when she is forced to make a choice that she never thought she would have to make; loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk. Ultimately, everything that Lavinia holds dear will be threatened. Through the unique eyes of Lavinia and Belle, Kathleen Grissom's debut novel unfolds into a heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful story of class, race, dignity, deeply buried secrets, and familial bonds.

Actually, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I learned more about slavery than I thought I would. In my opinion, this was a beautifully written but heartbreakingly sad story - poignant and thought-provoking. I would certainly give this book an A+! and will be on the lookout for more from this author in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

How Come I Have Missed Out on Reading so Many Good Books!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. Granted, my reading pace is not quite where it once was, but I’m beginning to think this is going to be my regular pace from now on. Not that I’m really complaining, because the books that I have been reading have been really good. So far this month, I’ve only read one book that was actually a reread for me from four years ago and I’m currently reading a book that has been on my TBR pile for just over two years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Monday, September 11th - I’ve finished a total of 50 puzzles in this book.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash, which I finished on Tuesday, September 5th. I immediately started reading The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom on Wednesday, September 6th. According to Goodreads - as of Monday, September 11th - I've read 171 pages out of 369 or 46 percent of the story. Since my copy of The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom actually has 377 pages in it, reading 171 pages means that I've read 45 percent of the story.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Still Reading up a Storm!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. Last month, I read a total of six books and finished two sum-doku puzzle books. So far this month, I have read one book that actually was a reread for me from four years ago. This was one of the books that I was looking for and Mareena found it for me about two months ago.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I was originally looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books in August. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Friday, September 8th - I’ve finished a total of 44 puzzles in the book.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash, which I finished on Tuesday, September 5th. I immediately started reading The Kitchen House: A Novel by Kathleen Grissom on Wednesday, September 6th. This book has been on my TBR pile for just over two years.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Michael Phillip Cash - Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island

Reread. Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash (2013)

Length: 231 pages

Genre: Horror

Originally Read: 5 July 2013

Reread Finished: 5 September 2017

Where did it come from? Originally from Michael Phillip Cash, then from my "keeper" shelf.

So, I was once again trying to find something to read and actually couldn't locate my first choice. As I've said before, I had about four books on my radar already and Mareena said she would try to help me find them, since I seem to have mislaid at least two of them. I was actually looking through a canvas bag of books, and although I didn't find the book that I was looking for, I did find a whole bag of books that I had completely forgotten about. So, I've picked several of these books to read next.

Mareena told me that she thought that she had seen two of the books that I was initially looking for. She found this particular book approximately two months ago - sometime towards the end of July. It was actually sitting on a bookshelf outside my bedroom door, as was the book that I first read about twenty years ago. Mareena has tried to locate that other book, but it seems to have disappeared again since she last saw it.

Anyway, I received this book from Michael Phillip Cash himself back in July of 2013 - July 3rd, to be exact. I immediately started reading it on July 4th and it only took me a day to read - from July 4th, to July 5th, 2013. My reread of the book took place four years later, over three days in September of 2017 - from September 2nd, to September 5th, 2017! I've since sent the book off to someone else on September 12th, 2017,

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Actually Doing Very Well With my Reading!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. As of Wednesday, August 30th - I have finished a total of six books and two sum-doku puzzle books. Granted, I still haven’t found the book that I was looking for originally, but Mareena has managed to locate at least two books that she thinks that I will enjoy reading. One book is actually a reread for me from just over four years ago, and the other has been on my TBR pile for almost six years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I’ve been looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: so far, I finished at least two sum-doku puzzle books - one that was in my collection for approximately ten years, and another one that I finished on Wednesday, August 16th! I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle book on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Sunday, September 3rd - I’ve finished a total of 34 puzzles.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins, which I finished on Wednesday, August 30th. I immediately started reading Stillwell: A Haunting on Long Island by Michael Phillip Cash on Saturday, September 2nd. This is actually a reread for me from about four years ago.

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 1,068 books lying around the house and ended the month with 1,062 books unread. All the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and Paperback Swap.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile

Rereads
- Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King

Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close
- All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab
- Shelter Me: A Novel by Juliette Fay
- Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat
- The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! Not too bad though, I suppose:))
- The Affair by C. P. Snow

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))

- See Jane Die: A Novel by Erica Spindler
- Ascent Into Hell by Andrew M. Greeley

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

Books Read: 6
Pages Read: 2,222
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

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

The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins

Published as: The Girl on the Train in January 2015

Publisher: Riverhead Books 

Birth Name: Paula Hawkins

Born: 26 August 1972 in Salisbury, Rhodesia (Harare, Zimbabwe)

Canonical Name: Paula Hawkins

Pseudonyms: Amy Silver

The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins was the twenty-second book that I read in 2017. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since August 24, 2017 and it took me four days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Paula Hawkins - The Girl on the Train: A Novel

22. The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins (2015)

Length: 323 pages

Genre: Contemporary Mystery

Started: 26 August 2017

Finished: 30 August 2017

Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 August 2017

Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Paula Hawkins is a new author for me.

Rachel Watson follows the same routine every single day without fail. She takes the same commuter train each morning and evening - using the consistency of that routine to numb some of the grief she feels for her recently failed marriage. Each day as she rattles down the tracks to work, she flashes past the cozy stretch of homes in a suburban neighborhood, and stops at the same signal. This routine allows her to slip into a soothing daydream; one that allows her to watch people as they go about their own business during the day.

As she sits in the same seat, gazing out of the window at the landscape before her, what she sees next will ultimately change everything. Rachel enjoys her little episodes of people watching; she actually looks forward to seeing some of the same people every single day. As a matter of fact, each time that she stops at the train signal, Rachel watches the same couple eating breakfast on their deck. Their daily morning routine is one which she truly admires, and she has even begun to feel like she knows them.

Jess and Jason, as she calls them, seem to have an almost picture-perfect life together. Actually, not unlike the life that Rachel herself once had. So the routine continues day after day, until the day that it changes irrevocably. It only takes a minute before the train moves on, but Rachel sees something so shocking that she cannot keep it to herself.

Now that her routine is broken beyond repair, she feels that she must go to the police. But is she as unreliable as they seem to believe? Soon Rachel is deeply entangled; not only in the investigation being conducted by the police but also in the lives of everyone involved. In the long run, has she done more harm than good?

Actually, I absolutely loved this book and am delighted to see that it is this author's debut novel. In my opinion, it was well-written and captured my attention right from the beginning. I must say that I thought that the time sequence was slightly unusual, but I certainly appreciated how the author utilized it. I would give this book an A+! and will definitely be putting Ms. Hawkins' name at the top of my wishlist.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I Guess the Book I’m Looking For Will Turn up at Some Point!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. As of Saturday, August 26th - I have finished a total of five books and two sum-doku puzzle books. Granted, I still haven’t found the book that I was looking for originally, but Mareena has managed to locate at least two books that she thinks that I will enjoy reading. One book is actually a reread for me from just over four years ago, and the other has been on my TBR pile for almost six years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I’ve been looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: at the beginning of the month - on Wednesday, August 2nd - I'm happy to say that I finished one puzzle book that I have had in my collection for just over a decade. I have also just finished another puzzle book about eight days ago. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle on Friday, August 18th. As of today - Monday, August 28th - I’ve finished a total of 22 puzzles.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat, which I finished on Saturday, August 26th. I immediately started reading The Girl on the Train: A Novel by Paula Hawkins on the same day! According to Goodreads - as of Monday, August 28th - I've read 65 pages out of 323 or 20 percent of the story.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Edwidge Danticat - Brother, I'm Dying

21. Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat (2007)

Length: 272 pages

Genre: Non-Fiction

Started: 22 August 2017

Finished: 26 August 2017

Where did it come from? From Bookmooch

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 18 December 2016

Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and Edwidge Danticat is a new author for me.

Award-winning writer Edwidge Danticat was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 1969. By the age of four, her parents had immigrated to America, leaving Edwidge and her younger brother Andre to be raised by their aunt and uncle. As a result, she quickly came to see them as a second set of parents to both herself and her brother. So, Edwidge stayed in Haiti with her beloved Uncle Joseph and Aunt Denise for the next eight years.

Edwidge was twelve years old when her parents sent for their two children to come join the rest of their family in New York City. Although she was elated to be reunited with her family again, she was also deeply saddened to be leaving Haiti behind. As she slowly began to make a life for herself in a new country, Edwidge struggled to adjust to living so far away from those she loved. Although their hearts and thoughts were never far from those whom they loved, Edwidge and her family continued to fear for the safety of those still living in Haiti as they watched the political situation rapidly deteriorate.

In 2004, tensions reached a boiling point and the Haitian people were swept up in events beyond their control. Life changed drastically for Edwidge as well: on the same sweltering July day that she learned that she was pregnant, she also learned that her father was suffering from end-stage pulmonary fibrosis. As she struggled to process such disparate events - tempering her sense of exhilaration with a certain amount of devastation - Edwidge eventually decided that her family's complex story deserved to be told; as much to commemorate her father's close relationship with his brother, as for the benefit of her relatives still living in Haiti.

I have to say that this is an extraordinary book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and found Ms. Danticat's story to be beautifully written and deeply thought-provoking - filled with a poignancy and bravery that I absolutely admire. I would certainly give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Well, Mareena’s Found Another Book of Mine That Has Been on my TBR Pile For a While!

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.

Surprisingly, the pace of my reading has picked up appreciably. As of my birthday - Tuesday, August 22nd - I have finished a total of four books and two sum-doku puzzle books. Granted, I still haven’t found the book that I was looking for originally, but Mareena has managed to locate at least two books that she thinks that I will enjoy reading. One book is actually a reread for me from just over four years ago, and the other has been on my TBR pile for almost six years.

I have the distinct impression that the book that I’ve been looking for will actually take ages for me to find. Mareena told me that she was certain that it was on the bookshelf just outside my bedroom door, but when she looked for it at the same time that she found the other two books, it wasn’t there. Oh well, I’ll keep searching.

I just found out that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: at the beginning of the month - on Wednesday, August 2nd - I'm happy to say that I finished one puzzle book that I have had in my collection for just over a decade. I have also just finished another puzzle book about eight days ago. I immediately started another sum-doku puzzle on Friday, August 18th. As of yesterday - Wednesday, August 23rd - I’ve finished a total of 12 puzzles.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was Shelter Me: A Novel by Juliette Fay, which I finished on Tuesday, August 22nd. I immediately started reading Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat on the same day! According to Goodreads - as of Thursday, August 24th - I've read 152 pages out of 288 or 53 percent of the story.

Since my copy of Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat actually has 272 pages in it, reading 152 pages means that I've read 56 percent of the story. So far, this book is really good!

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Juliette Fay - Shelter Me: A Novel

20. Shelter Me: A Novel by Juliette Fay (2009)

Length: 432 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Started: 15 August 2017

Finished: 22 August 2017

Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale 

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2015

Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Juliette Fay is a new author for me.

Janie LaMarche has recently lost her husband Rob in a biking accident. In the four months since his death, she has been balanced on the edge of an overwhelmingly emotional crisis - teetering from heartwrenching grief to blazing anger from day to day. However, her mourning is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of a contractor with a building order to add a porch onto her house. Bewildered by his sudden arrival, Janie slowly realizes that the porch was actually meant to be a surprise from her husband - now his final gift to her.

As a reluctant Janie allows the construction to begin, she steadfastly clings to the familiarity of her sorrow - mothering her two small children with a fierce protectiveness, avoiding well-meaning friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is continuously breached by a motley crew of unlikely interventionists, all determined to break through her steely shell of grief. The cast of loving intermediaries includes: Janie's chatty Aunt Jude, for whom a stiff slug of ipecac solves everything; her over-manicured, tremendously nosy neighbor Shelly, whose home visits are so regular Janie can almost set her watch by them; her muffin-bearing cousin Cormac, who considers baked goods to be downright therapeutic; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own.

So, as the porch begins to take shape, Janie discovers that the unknown terrain of the future is better charted a day at a time. And that any potential potholes she may encounter along the way are best navigated with the help of others - even those who she never expected to call on, much less learn to love.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Everything about it resonated with me: the story was well-written, the characters were entirely believable, and the plot was very well-developed. I'm going to be putting this author's name right at the top of my wishlist and would certainly give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I’m Still Looking For the Original Book That Was a Reread!

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.

I'm beginning to think that I am taking one step forward and two steps back as regards the pace of my reading. Having said that, I've read one book for the third time; a new book, and one that has been on my TBR pile for over two years. I actually also have at least four other books on my radar at the moment, but I can't seem to decide which one to read next.

Granted two of the books are rereads for me, but I think the oldest one is from about twenty years ago. So, that's almost like reading an entirely new book. I'm just in the process of locating at least one of these two books.

I just found out three days ago that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: at the beginning of the month - on Wednesday, August 2nd - I'm happy to say that I finished one puzzle book that I have had in my collection for just over a decade. I'm delighted to say also that as of Wednesday, August 16th, I finished another one of my sum-doku puzzle books; I immediately started a fresh puzzle book on Friday, August 18th!

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab, which I finished on Monday, August 14th. I immediately started reading Shelter Me: A Novel by Juliette Fay on Tuesday, August 15th! This book has also been on my TBR pile for just over two years and I'm a little bit surprised that it’s taken me so long to read it.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Well, It's About Time...

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.

I'm beginning to think that I am taking one step forward and two steps back as regards the pace of my reading. Having said that, I've read one book for the third time; a new book, and one that has been on my TBR pile for over two years. I actually also have at least four other books on my radar at the moment, but I can't seem to decide which one to read.

Granted two of the books are rereads for me, but I think the oldest one is from about twenty years ago. So, that's almost like reading an entirely new book. I'm just in the process of locating at least one of these two books.

I just found out yesterday that 'The Exorcist' will be starting its second season on Friday, September 29th at 9:00 P. M. I'm delighted to see that the show was renewed and want to know where it goes from here. As far as I know, the two main characters are now traveling exorcists and will be dealing with a case somewhere in Seattle, Washington.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: at the beginning of the month - on Wednesday, August 2nd - I'm happy to say that I finished one puzzle book that I have had in my collection for just over a decade. I'm delighted to say also that as of Wednesday, August 16th, I'm just about finished with another one of my sumdoku puzzle books. This was a book that I had started around Thursday, July 20th! I want to start doing a completely fresh puzzle book in another couple of days or so.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab, which I finished on Monday, August 14th. I immediately started reading Shelter Me: A Novel by Juliette Fay on Tuesday, August 15th! This book has also been on my TBR pile for just over two years and I'm not that far into the story yet.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Anna Jarzab - All Unquiet Things: A Novel

19. All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab (2010)

Length: 341 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Mystery 

Started: 10 August 2017

Finished: 14 August 2017

Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale 

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 June 2015

Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Anna Jarzab is a new author for me.

Carly was a sweet girl with a wonderful personality. She was pretty and popular; vivacious and funny. She was as smart as a whip and knew everything about the privileged student body of the Brighton Day School. As much as he still loves her, it's disturbing for Neily to see how much his girlfriend has changed: she has begun running with a much faster crowd, and become extremely self-destructive.

When she suddenly dumps him for a notorious bad boy, Neily is devastated. Bewildered and angered by Carly's strange behavior, he steadfastly doesn't answer the phone whenever she calls. However, what initially seems like a typical teenage reaction to a difficult breakup, becomes tinged with sadness and regret after Carly is murdered. Neily is ultimately wracked with grief and guilt for his own stubbornness.

If he had answered the call she had made before she died, he may have been able to help her. Now, he can't get the image of her lifeless body out of his mind. Desperately hoping to assuage some of the guilt he feels about her death, Neily reluctantly teams up with Carly's cousin Audrey to find her killer. After all, it is the last thing they can do to honor her memory.

Audrey is dealing with her own regrets over her cousin's death. She was the reason Carly got tangled up with Brighton's fast crowd in the first place, and she will have to live with the consequences of that decision on her conscience for the rest of her life. Because Audrey is convinced of two things about Carly's death: someone at Brighton is obviously a murderer, and the police have put the wrong person in jail. So, she turns to Neily for help in finding Carly's killer.

As Neily and Audrey begin to investigate their shared history with Carly, her dealings with Brighton's seedier elements come to light. For the amateur sleuths, these are shocking revelations that lead them to wonder if Carly actually knew something that could have gotten her killed. However, figuring out how Carly and her killer fit together into the twisted drama of Brighton's secretive world will force the reluctant allies to face some harsh truths about themselves and the girl they couldn't save.

To be perfectly honest, I found some of the pettiness between the characters to be slightly annoying. Having said that, I still enjoyed reading the book. I would give this book a definite A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

I Was Looking For the Original Book That Was a Reread For me!

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.

I'm beginning to think that I am taking one step forward and two steps back as regards the pace of my reading. Having said that, I've read one book for the third time; a new book, and am currently reading a book that has been on my TBR pile for just over two years. I actually also have at least four books on my radar at the moment, but I can't seem to choose which one to read.

Granted two of the books are rereads for me, but I think the oldest one is from about twenty years ago. So, that's almost like reading an entirely new book. I'm just in the process of locating at least one of these two books.

I'm immersing myself in sum-doku and sudoku puzzles as well: I'm happy to say that I finally finished one of my sum-doku puzzle books ten days ago, on Wednesday, August 2nd! This was a book that I started on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007 - just over ten years ago! I have also done 82 sum-doku puzzles in the book that I'm currently working through.

As regards my own reading, the most recent book that I've read was Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close, which I finished on Wednesday, August 9th. I started reading All Unquiet Things: A Novel by Anna Jarzab on Thursday, August 10th. It's been a relatively quick read for me so far.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Jennifer Close - Girls in White Dresses

18. Girls in White Dresses by Jennifer Close (2011)

Length: 294 pages 

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Started: 7 August 2017

Finished: 9 August 2017

Where did it come from? From Bookmooch

How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 August 2017

Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and Jennifer Close is a new author for me.

Isabella, Mary, and Lauren have been best friends for most of their lives. They had initially met in college and later discovered that they had quite a bit more in common with each other than they had expected. As their friendship has gone on through the years, they have watched as everyone else around them has gotten married, started families, and found success in their chosen careers. However, the three college friends have consistently noticed that they are 'always the bridesmaid, never the bride' as they struggle through young adulthood together.

As the women gather together to celebrate the good fortune of bride after bride, they find themselves evaluating their own lives and hoping for more in the future. As regularly as clockwork, they get together to ooh and ahh over the most inane bridal gifts; spend time reminiscing about events they would much rather forget; and drink champagne toasts by the case. They collect party favors by the dozens; eat endless trays of hors d'oeuvre; and cheerfully wear the most garish pastel dresses ever designed.

Meanwhile, these women are grappling with some major issues within their own lives that seem to transcend all the congratulatory celebrations that they attend each week. Isabella is stuck working in a dead-end job, Mary is dating a really nice guy whose mother is a stubborn perfectionist, and Lauren is waitressing at a mid-town bar and wondering why she finds the sleazy bartender so attractive. Amid various booze-filled family holidays, on-the-job flirtations, hungover bridal showers, and disastrous ski vacations, the women share the wild frustrations and soaring joys of modern life with each other.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn't quite sure how enjoyable this book would actually be for me. Mareena's friend had initially recommended Jennifer Close as an author to me - after having read and thoroughly enjoyed this particular book for herself. Since our tastes in reading are usually so different, I filed Jennifer Close in my 'Eh...Maybe' category. Mareena put this book on our wishlist about three years ago, and it literally just became available to request approximately a month ago.

Since this book arrived at a moment when I was wondering what to read next, I started it immediately. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed reading this book. The story was well-written and remarkably easy reading for me. I would definitely give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight