#16

I lucked out with the last few books. Really good reads. Same goes for Tatiana de Rosnay's "Sarah's Key." I'm a pretty good student of history but I was totally unaware of what happened in July of 1942 in Paris. Many thousands of French Jews were rounded up and taken to an arena in Paris. It wasn't the Nazi's doing the deed; it was the Paris Police. Young Sarah locks her younger brother in a secret cabinet to keep him safe with the promise she would return for him unaware that she's about to take a journey to hell. 60 years later her story is uncovered by an American journalist living in Paris.

#15

My reading frenzy is coming to an end. One more day at my current job. I was able to finish "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand. A fabulous history of Louis Zamperini, former Olympic hopeful and POW in WWII. The tale that is told will leave you drained. A totally true account from a man who lived through the horrors of a plane crash, 47 days at sea on a raft only to be found by the Japanese and held prisoner for 2 1/2 years with torture inflicted on him daily. What an inspiration! I just want to find him and give him a hug!

#14

I just finished Abraham Verghese's "Cutting for Stone." I have to label this one as one of my favorites. Marion and Shiva Stone are twin co-joined brothers born of a secret union between an Indian nun and a British surgeon. Orphaned by their mother's death and their father's disappearance, they are raised at a hospital in Ethiopia by their adoptive parents. They share a fascination with medicine but there are definite differences in the twins. Ethiopia is on the brink of revolution and Marion is forced to leave for NYC where he finishes his internship and residency. Unforgettable story of love, betrayal, medicine, ordinary miracles and two brothers whose fates are forever intertwined.

Two glorious days off and a lovely snow fall. I'm so ready for retirement!

#13

I didn't think I'd finish another book so soon, but "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho is a short read. Only about 167 pages but full of inspiring wisdom. A Spanish Shepherd boy named Santiago travels from his homeland to Egypt in search of treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. His journey to find worldly treasure ends up showing him the treasure within himself.

#12

James Andrus' "The Perfect Woman" was another free Kindle book. Not bad for a freebie but not good enough for me to want to go in search of other books by him. I'm feeling that there will be a sequel to it since it ended rather up in the air. John Stallings is a detective working "runaways" since he's familiar with what parents of runaways go through. His own daughter ran away and has been missing for 3 years. He discovers a body in a suitcase in one of his investigations and he finds out that this is the second such incident. Serial killer? Of course. The killer is a part time teacher at a local community college and a part time worker at a local pharmacy where he helps himself to drugs to run his experiments in his own private lab in his home. Seems everyone in the story is addicted to pharmaceuticals. John's wife, his partner, the lead detective in the investigation....... Little bit of overkill!

Looks like this is my last week at this job so I need to take advantage and rack up my reading!

#11

Thanks once again to free books on Kindle, I had an enjoyable read. Oliver Potzsch's "The Hangman's Daughter" was set in the 1659 time frame and there was murder, witchcraft, and adventure. It was interesting to find out it was based on the author's family who were hangmen for generations. To be a hangman was to be a pariah in the village but a necessity. He took care of tortures, hangings, beheadings, and burnings. His family was also considered outcasts. He made a good living and on the side he was somewhat of a healer. When children in the village are found murdered and they have a witch's mark on their shoulders, then he's called in to torture the local mid-wife as the witch. He has a soft spot for her since she's delivered his children and most of the other children in town so he's determined to find out who is really behind these deaths. Very interesting!

I thought I was beyond buying books I already read but for some reason, and I can't remember at who's suggestion, I repurchased Charles Pallister's "The Quincunx". I now have two copies and hate to return it, since it was from a book seller on Amazon. You'd think I'd remember a title like that but I didn't. I'm pretty sure I read it in 1989. Should be getting a bunch of books soon from Borders. Had to use my gift card from Christmas before they go bankrupt.

My extra reading days will be ending soon. Will be leaving this current job in a couple of weeks and it will be back to reality.

#10

Very interesting novel by Anita Shreve. "The Weight of Water" was a bit different than other novels by Shreve. She combined a gruesome murder of two women that took place off the coast of Maine in 1873 and a current day storyline. Jean is a photographer who is hired to take photos of the island where this murder took place so long ago. In her search for some older photos she comes across some documents that have obviously been ignored about the murders. She sneaks them from the archives and plans to copy and return them at a later date. It's obvious that the archives aren't aware of what they have and nothing has ever been done with the box of papers she was handed. A confession to the murders is in those documents and it is not from the person that was hanged for the crime. Events that take place on the sailboat that Jean is using to get to the island for the photos completely changes her life.

#9

Thoroughly enjoyed William Gay's "The Long Home." I'd compare him to Cormac McCarthy. Set in the 1940's, Nathan Winer, a young headstrong Tennessee carpenter who lost his father years ago to an evil that is greater and closer than any boy can imagine until he learns of it first hand. The evil is named Hardin and he has taken over the Hovington place even before the owner is dead. He's also taken over his wife and daughter. William Tell Oliver is the neighbor who knows the evil and lives in guilt for not telling of it earlier.

Didn't read a whole lot today. Had to take time to watch the Steeler's and Raven's game. Tough when part of your family is fans of both. Glad the Steelers won. Great game!

#8 Barely

Does a book consisting of 76 pages really qualify as a book? Sure seems like short story status to me. Annie Dillard's "Holy the Firm" was such a book. Anything you can read in an hour or so is suspect in my mind. In 1975 Annie Dillard took up residence on an island in Puget Sound, in a wooden room furnished with "one enormous window, one cat, one spider and one person." For the next two years she asked herself questions about time, reality, sacrifice, death, and the will of God. She writes about a moth consumed in a candle flame, about a seven-year old girl burned in an airplance accident, about a baptism on a cold beach.

I think I've discovered why the world is now crazy! Don't mess with our astrology! I've been a Leo for my whole life and now I'm a Cancer. Please, I don't fit any of the description of a Cancer. Idiotic!!!! I don't care what they say; I'm staying a Leo.

#7

"The Blackstone Chronicles" by John Saul is the complete series in one complete novel. Originally written as 6 short novels about the New England town of Blackstone and the secrets and sins that lay buried there. Fascinating and page turning.

I will have to leave my current job and go to a different store to get back on the front desk when my current job is gone. I really hate how my work ethic has counted for nothing in this change. The boss doesn't seem concerned that I will have to leave to get what I want. Sure has put a damper on my whole week.

#6

Finished Tami Hoag's "Secrets to the Grave." It was a sequel to her last novel and ended up being a pretty good read. Former FBI profiler, Vince and his wife, Anne, are helping to find out who brutally murdered Marissa Fordham leaving a 4 year old daughter who got caught up in the brutality and almost died. Seems everyone is a suspect and the daughter isn't helping even though she saw the murderer. She said "Daddy killed Mommy," but that she calls everyone who ever dated her mother, Daddy. Lots of suspense but I figured it out way before the end.

Boss called me on my day off and told me my job is being cut back to a part time position and that I have to go on the floor on a face the customer job. Can't go back on the front desk so it looks like I'll be facing many hours on my feet. Just when I thought I might be getting those heel spurs calmed down. Ruined my day off and now I'm having a sleepless night worrying about it. My personal feeling is that he's trying to get rid of the older workers and put younger ones in our place. Wish retirement were a little closer.

#5

Just finished the prequel to "The Heretic's Daughter." Kathleen Kent's "The Wolves of Andover" was an excellent read and kept me reading at every available moment. It gave me the background for her first novel and threw in some history which I always enjoy. This novel covered the early days of Martha Carrier prior to her being hanged as a witch in Salem. She was taken into servitude by a cousin and was eventually attracked to a man more than twice her age that worked for the cousin's family. His background was of a former soldier to Cromwell and it was rumored that he beheaded King Charles I. There isn't anything in writing to prove this but it was passed down as family legend for centuries.

#4

If you can handle reading the "N" word multiple times then this is a good book. Anne Rivers Siddons' "Heartbreak Hotel" is about the South in the 1950's so it was a common thing to hear. (I can't believe that such classics as Huckleberry Finn are being changed because of the "N" word when it represented the accuracy of that time.) Anyway, Maggie is in her final year at a southern university. A member of all the usual environs of life at that time. She was "pinned" to a true southern guy who was from Mississippi. They didn't own slaves but it still took 50 Negroes to run the plantation. An episode that took place on a visit to the plantation opened Maggie's eyes to a different way of looking at the changes taking place around her. Siddons' is a great writer and I have always enjoyed her novels.

We celebrated 12 years in our new home yesterday. That is the longest we've ever lived anywhere. Those years have flown by! Our gift to the new home was a new hot water heater. The old one was starting to rust and we felt that it was time to change it before we had a leak and a major problem. Since our water lines are sub par we are probably going to replace them, also. Acidic water has taken it's toll on them.

Had yesterday and today off so I'm enjoying it. Hubby had to work both days so I'm reading, working stained glass and napping. Back to the grind tomorrow.

#3

I thought over the years that I had read all of John Saul's books but recently discovered that I missed "Cry for the Strangers." Way back from 1979. As usual, it was a good read and kept me glued to it for the last two days. Clark's Harbor is a small town on the Pacific Coast about 3 hours drive from Seattle. Strangers are not welcome here. The town's people are all related and their families have been around for generations. Unusual deaths seem to occur to those that don't belong and those deaths happen near Sod Beach.

#2

Another goodie from my amazon delivery was "The Heretic's Daughter" by Kathleen Kent. The author is the real life descendant of Martha Carrier who was hanged as a witch in Salem, MA in 1692. She writes this novel through Martha's daughter, Sarah's eyes. It starts a year before and covers up to and after the trial and hanging. Not only is Sarah the daughter of an accused witch but also her father is quite a well known person in English history, Thomas Carrier who fought for King Charles and later for Cromwell. The next novel from her will be a prequel covering Thomas' life prior to arriving in the colonies. I will be searching Amazon for that one later today. What a family tree!

#1

Good way to start the new year was reading Kate Morton's "The Distant Hours." Have never read her before but I may check out other books that she's written. This was a mystery that I actually didn't figure out until pretty close to the end of the novel. A letter is delivered after 50 years of being hidden in an attic by a drunken mailman. He's passed on and his daughter finds the bag of mail. The mail is delivered and it brought a shock to at least on of the recipient. This leads to a trip to the Milderhurst castle and the writer of the well known classic, "The True History of the Mud Man." The story's time frame went back and forth between 1941 and 1992.