Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

 

Do you ever crave a truly LOL funny novel to enjoy and finish in a day or two? I certainly do, on a regular basis actually. ;<) But these kinds of books are not always easy to find.

 

There's nothing like unwinding and de-stressing and being transported far, far away with memorable characters and an engaging and humorous story.

 

I recently read Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews, and it had all of the attributes I've mentioned above and then some. I read this book in a couple of days and I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

 

Set in the small town of Passcoe, North Carolina the story begins at the wedding of Mason Bayless and his soon to be second wife: Celia Wakefield. But fate lends a hand and the marriage is (literally) stopped just short of the altar, by Mason's  young daughter/flower girl Sophie, who is having issues of her own on that special day.

 

What follows is a hilarious, sometimes touching, always entertaining story that reveals the secrets of many of Passcoe's colorful residents including Mason's first wife: Annajane Hudgens and Pokie Bayless, her best friend and coincidentally, sister to her now ex-husband Mason.

 

From the Amazon product page:

"The New York Times bestselling author of Summer Rental delivers her delicious new escapist novel about small towns, old flames, and deep secrets.

 

Annajane Hudgens truly believes she is over her ex-husband, Mason Bayless. They’ve been divorced for four years, she’s engaged to a new, terrific guy, and she’s ready to leave the small town where she and Mason had so much history. She is so over Mason that she has absolutely no problem attending his wedding to the beautiful, intelligent, delightful Celia. But when fate intervenes and the wedding is called to a halt as the bride is literally walking down the aisle, Annajane begins to realize that maybe she’s been given a second chance. Maybe everything happens for a reason. And maybe, just maybe, she wants Mason back. But there are secrets afoot in this small southern town. On the peaceful surface of Hideaway Lake, Annajane discovers that the past is never really gone. Even if there are people determined to keep Annajane from getting what she wants, happiness might be hers for the taking, and the life she once had with Mason in this sleepy lake town might be in her future. "

 

 

I can't remember when I laughed so much recently, reading a novel. Mary Kay Andrews (click to visit her website) has a real gift for bringing characters to life. Her writing is first-rate. Fast-paced but with just enough detail to set the stage perfectly for each chapter to unfold. This was a page-turner at it's entertaining best. I hadn't been familiar with Ms. Andrews work before this but I will certainly be reading more of her books in the future.

 

If you are looking for a good "escape" novel with plenty of laughs, romance, small-town intrigue and some surprises along the way, do check this one out. I think you'll be glad you did. :<)

 

Spring Fever is available in book, ebook and audio formats.

 

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

 



Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock

I recently read Ka Hancock's debut novel: Dancing on Broken Glass after noting it in the new book section of our local library.  I was intrigued by the title of the book and it's beautiful cover.

And I couldn't agree more with the quote also included on the front cover: The best kind of love follows its own rules....So very true.

But when I actually got around to reading this book I wasn't sure if it was one I'd finish after I had read the first couple of chapters. I'm not a fan of any story that entails a lot of illness, medical interventions...but this author had such an engaging style of writing, I kept on reading.

Author, Ka Hancock has an extensive professional medical background including two nursing degrees and specialized work with psychiatric and substance-abuse patients. From this perspective, she has crafted a story about two people Lucy Houston, a cancer-survivor and Mickey Chandler who struggles with bi-polar disorder. Against the odds and the better judgement of themselves and their families Lucy and Mickey fall in love and eventually marry.

In spite of my misgivings about some of the subject matter in this book, I found myself continuing to turn page after page, wanting to know how the story would unfold. Ka Hancock has a real gift when it comes to bringing characters to life. I was swept into the love story of Lucy and Mickey and the lives of their families and friends.

A very sad story in many ways and the many tears I cried reading this book were a surprise to me. I'm not one to cry while reading or watching a movie...it takes a compelling story to get me to feel that emotional about any work of fiction. But cry I did, buckets actually. I put a couple of other projects on hold too, during the couple of days that it took me to finish this book.

I won't spoil the plot by going into details about the story but suffice to say it is: touching, heart-warming and heart-wrenching too.  I thoroughly enjoyed Dancing on Broken Glass, in spite of some of the negative reviews I had read online about this book, including this comment over at: Kirkus Reviews. 

From Kirkus Reviews re: Dancing on Broken Glass by Ka Hancock: A tidily crafted but treacly excavation of misery in the name of higher sentiments

Yes, it is a sentimental book but isn't that what true love is all about? I did not find it sugar-coated or "treacly" though. It is a story that touched my heart. With memorable characters and a rather unique plot about two people trying to make a go of a marriage while facing a number of life challenges that most of us can be happy to say that we are not burdened with, in addition to those of an everyday "normal" existence.

What I didn't like about this book was the ending. I thought it took away from the story overall and for me, did not ring true. I was a surprised by this conclusion to a story that had thoroughly held my attention, up to that point.  In spite of this, I'm still glad I read this book and I look forward to more books by Ka Hancock in the future. 

If you have read this book or do so in the future, I'd love to hear your opinion of the story and in particular what you thought of the ending.

Overall rating for this book: Good. 3 out of 5.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

I finally got around to reading :The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, last week. It is a novel I had heard so much about and had planned to read for a long time. I'm not usually interested or drawn to books with overtly sad or violent themes but as I said already, I had heard so much about this book, I decided to give it a try anyways.

On the plus side, the author has a fairly engaging style of writing. The title alone is such an attention-grabber. I was looking forward to a good story as I settled in on the sofa for an extended reading session.

But what came to my mind almost immediately was the sheer implausibility of the plot.

A 14 year old girl Susie Salmon is walking home through a deserted cornfield after school. It is December, already dark outside. She is stopped along the way by the neighbourhood "weirdo"  Mr. Harvey.  He appears seemingly out of nowhere and begins talking to Susie.

Yes, she was startled by him being there. But does she hurry along, run away, scream, tell him to get lost. None of those. No, Susie Salmon is (quite easily) talked into following Mr. Harvey to his "little hiding place" in the cornfield that he wants to share with her.

When they get to the location of the underground space that Mr. Harvey has "cleverly" disguised  with a wooden cover, Susie continues to stay with him, not at all concerned about her safety. No, she is curious and wants to see more!

Mr. Harvey opens the wooden cover to reveal the space in the ground below. Without any coaxing, Susie follows him down into the ground and to the obvious disastrous events that follow, leading to her death.

Right there, I was stopped on the page. COME ON Ms. Sebold!

 A 14 year old girl, following a strange man, in a cornfield, in the dark, going down in an underground cave because she was curious! No way. Maybe if the main character had been 6-7 years old, in the daylight, with a so-called family friend calling the shots. Maybe this kind of plot would have rung true. But no, not for a teenage girl, especially in the circumstances of how this happened.

After her death, the story takes a different twist and we are transported to Susie's heaven, where she continues watching her family and friends from the other side. I couldn't be bothered reading any further after that. If I'm not engaged by a believable plot from the get-go, I can't waste my time on reading further.

As is the case with so many books that hit the best-seller lists, it seems that the hype about this book has kept up the ongoing reader interest, year after year.

I've never been swayed much by popular opinion when it comes to books, movies, websites, blogs... I enjoy or not. I'm happily not a "sheep" following the crowd LOL.  

Some of the best books I've ever read have been by relatively unknown authors with the talent to write a great story but unfortunately not the media "engine" behind them to propel their work to the top of the page, when it comes to reviews, lists and popularity.

Here's a reader's comment on the Amazon product page for The Lovely Bones. I guess not everyone loved it. There are plenty more comments from readers, similar to this:

"This book is complete and utter drivel. It is poorly written and inconsistant. I don't understand how or why it is on the best-seller list. The author uses every overly dramatic movie-of-the-week cliche in this book. My theory as to why this book is so popular is that some marketing/advertising hot-shot remembered this piece of [junk] sitting on his or her shelf when the rash of missing girls occurred and decided to capitalize on these tragedies. A huge marketing campaign took place with this book when it first came out. There were even TV commercials for it. I find the whole timing of this book's popularity very disturbing."

I really was amazed how implausible this story was. And yes, I also agree with the comment above; it is disturbing to think people would be drawn to it (if that is the case) by the violence and sinister tone of the story.

 If you've read it, I'd love to hear your opinion of this book.

Overall rating for this book: BAD. 0 out of 5.

Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman

I finally got around to reading this book, after hearing so much about it (mostly good) for a long, long time. Make that "attempted" to read this book. After the first couple of chapters, I just couldn't waste any more time with it.

You guessed it.... just plain BAD!

I had heard about Dan Millman's story and his chance meeting with the mysterious and wise man: "Socrates" several times. I had been under the impression until I began reading the book itself (and not just snippets of reviews etc) that this was a completely authentic life story. It is not.

In Millman's own words from the preface of the book: "This story is based on my adventure, but it is a novel. The man I called Socrates did, in fact exist. Yet he had a way of blending into the world, so it's been difficult at times to tell where he left off and other teachers and life experiences began. I have taken liberties with the dialogue and some time sequences and have sprinkled anecdotes and metaphors into the story to highlight the lessons Socrates would want me to convey."

Ummm...already the alarm bells were going off for me.

Yes, it's fine to write a novel. But is it still ok if that novel is based almost completely around the author's interactions and conversations with a main character who actually lived? Where does reality fade and the fantasy begin? Make up your mind Dan Millman!

The credibility issues were already there for me. Add to that, Millman's own life story (the undisputed real one!) struggling for years to make ends meet. Dead end jobs that left him financially strapped and looking for ways to improve his lot in life.

Presto: the Peaceful Warrior has certainly done that for him and then some. Millman has gone on to write a number of follow-up books too including a companion edition to the Peaceful Warrior. Seems this whole magical experience of interacting with his buddy Socrates has paid off very well indeed. No more struggling! And as far as his writing abilities, this is written at about a pre-teen level. It's choppy, amateurish and pretentious. No....make that grade-school level. Especially for fairy tale lovers.

Here's a (oh so candid) review of this book, from Amazon:

 Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives (Paperback):

Way of the Peaceful Warrior changed me. It transformed me into a being who will never trust the title of a book again. The degree pseudo-intellectualism and ridiculous insight within the pages of this book are only surpassed by the one-dimensionalness of the characters. I was forced by an employer to read this book and it only took a glance at the cover art and quick scan of the blurb to blow the top off of my lame-o-meter. The "sage" is a rude mystic who seems to hide every nugget of insight within a crusty coating of belittling insults. The progagonist is a somewhat dense, however sexually satisfied jock, who undergoes supernatural experiences vaguely reminiscent of peyote induced spirit quests. The entire time I read this story, I felt like I was listening to the ramblings of a person who has been brainwashed by a cult. If I were less opinionated, I would say that this book is not for me. Because I AM so opinionated, I'd say this book is not for anyone. If you haven't bought it, don't. If you have already purchased it, you could use it as a coaster. Aaron Boyd.

Aaron...I gather this book won't be on your Christmas gift-giving list either?

There are all sorts of fans of this book over at Amazon but also a lot of people who thought it was just another "get rich quick" venture for the author as I unfortunately have to agree with. I had high expectations for this book. It's sad that they were dashed before I got very far reading it. Definitely NOT what I hoped for or expected.

Overall rating for this book: BAD. 0 out of 5.

Down & Dirty! 43 Fun & Funky First-Time Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening by Ellen Zachos

            

First off, let me say that I am no expert when it comes to gardening. Far from it actually. But I love the idea of being a better gardener, expanding on what I do know already. Gardening is considered the most popular hobby in the world apparently and it's not hard to understand the appeal for people of all ages, for so many reasons.

 As an amateur gardener, I've had my share of garden plots and patches over the years. And oh what fun it was to see even the "simple stuff" that I was not intimated to try: like potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes....come "shoosting up" through the ground. Shoosting btw is a Green Acres gardening/farm term from the old  TV series. Highly technical! LOL  

So, in spite of the fact that the summer is coming to an end right now, here in Canada. And in spite of the fact that I had no garden plot to cultivate this year...I still love to read about the process and dream of a groovy green garden in the not too distant future. That's where this fun book comes in: Down & Dirty! 43 Fun & Funky Projects & Activities to Get You Gardening, is a terrific book for gardeners and wannabees, like me. And it is rather unique too.

Author Ellen Zachos demystifies the process of gardening for those of us who are rather new/challenged when it comes to all things green-thumb related. Unlike so many other gardening books I've read/browsed over the years, this one is not only easy to understand; it is divided into 43 diverse, all-inclusive and eye-catching projects, with something for everyone, even the kids.

A sampling of the projects:

•  A Cutting Garden for All Seasons
• An Evening Garden that Glows in the Dark (how cool does that sound)
• A Garden of Feline Friends
• A Dinosaur Garden for Kids of All Ages
• A Garden to Delight Your Senses

Some easy and yummy-sounding recipes included too:

• Strawberry Sorbet
• Ratatouille (aka Summer in a Jar)
• Elderflower Champagne (a fun story to go with that one)
• Blueberry Sauce

Each project gives detailed information for: suggested plants, planting and care instructions, fun facts, large colorful photos and many helpful tips to get your own gardening adventure in full bloom. And in a highly entertaining and readable way.

By next spring/summer, I definitely hope to be getting "down and dirty" in my own special garden patch again.It is something I have been thinking and dreaming about for too long already. And when I do, this book will be the gardening guide I will have, close at hand.

The only problem I can foresee is making a decision what to start with. I find the majority of these projects very appealing so it's going to be tough to narrow it down to 2-3 to begin with. But it will be a whole lotta of fun, that I am sure of!

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5. 

(or should I say: 5 Green Thumbs UP!)

Discover the Gift by S. Aziz and D. Lichtenstein

Discover the Gift. It's Why We're Here is co-authored by Shajen Joy Aziz and Demian Lichtenstein, who are a brother and sister.

I borrowed this book from the local library. After getting it home and starting to read the book, I was glad I hadn't shelled out any of my own cash for it.

It appears that the spin-offs and knock-offs of The Power and The Secret are continuing to be churned out, judging by this book. The similarities throughout are hard to miss. First of all, the presentation. This book is printed on smooth, heavy stock paper (recycled content of any kind, I doubt!) and with bright blue text and glossy photo page additions. So much for honoring Mother Earth!  That kind of (or lack of) regard for the environment does counts these days. And in this case of this book, against. And it certainly does brings to mind the glitzy presentation of The Secret and The Power. (click to read that book review).

Then there are the celebrity quotes sprinkled liberally throughout. Some of these quotes had some merit but again, filling pages with the thoughts and opinions of other people, is that really authoring a book?

I found the brother/sister tale that they had to tell, rather strange to say the least. All about resentments and sibling bickering that in later years magically transformed into peace, love and harmony when the two patched things up and started working together on this book, other projects and I'm guessing making a fair bit of cash for their efforts along the way.

                        

So many things didn't ring true, reading through their personal stories. Parents and family members portrayed as such loving, caring individuals and then a bit further along leaving both of the authors (as children) in need of security and love. It got to be all a bit too much to waste my time on but again, the lack of consistency is what came through.

So what in a nutshell is The Gift suppose to be for the rest of us? Here are some quotes from the book by way of example:

"If you take away every thing and you are left with no thing,then what is possible? Anything."

"Unity consciousness. It's a quantum physics concept reflecting the idea that we are all just part of a unified field of energy. Put more spiritually, we are all part of a divine essence, and once we realize this we are one step closer to discovering our Gift and sharing it with the world."

"To release the shackles around my heart and unchain the extraordinary miracle of my existence, I had to be open to the possibility of experiencing my life as a Gift."

Oops sorry, nodding off again......Enough said. And on and on and on....A lot of double-speak that's been rehashed and re-written, again and again.

I don't know who is taken in by this kind of self-help book. I think it's sad to realize that so many people still are. As I said at the beginning of this review, I'm glad I only borrowed this one from the library. It's going back on the shelf very soon.

Overall rating for this book: Bad. 0 out of 5.