tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126844332024-03-07T03:25:20.151-05:00wildpeculiarjoyWhere I blather on about knitting, my family, and good books that pass my way.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.comBlogger1175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-36424607817296843002016-11-05T13:45:00.001-05:002016-11-05T13:45:39.699-05:00The Wishing Tree<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/28734359672/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8328/28734359672_716207c245_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
<br />
While on vacation on Hornby Island in August, my sisters and I went down to beachcomb (and drink) at Sandpiper Beach, not far from our vacation house. It was very quiet - in fact, it was taken the same night as the previous post. As we moved down the shoreline, we saw this one tree that had shells hanging from it, like Christmas ornaments. Someone told us that it was a wishing tree - you make a wish and hang your shell from the tree. So I did.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/28224183473/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/9/8247/28224183473_4bbc8c8bcf_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script>
<br />
<br />
To be honest, I don't remember what I wished for. I was just happy to have some time alone with my sisters, because we only get to see each other once a year. The memory loss also may have something to do with that bottle of gin and tonic in the green bottle behind me.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/28839180395/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/9/8184/28839180395_5e449f180e_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
It was a good night.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-5086597001837625332016-11-04T22:36:00.001-05:002016-11-04T22:36:28.033-05:00Quiet Nights<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/28734351462/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/9/8790/28734351462_b56cd0bdfa_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
Sometimes you need quiet nights. Sometimes the days never turn out like you hope they would, things pile up, there are so many things going on, and you feel yourself pulled in so many directions. I want a few quiet hours of no yelling, no cajoling, no frustration - and just have quiet, the sun setting, and my fingers trailing through rocks.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-81866292651195545182016-11-03T20:44:00.002-05:002016-11-03T20:44:57.876-05:00Playing Along<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/28886889292/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="480" src="https://c5.staticflickr.com/9/8794/28886889292_9e277947bc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
This picture was taken in Sidney, BC this past summer, and it was completely Piper's idea. We were spending the afternoon and night in Sidney before flying home the next morning, but glad arrived too early to check into our hotel. So, we circled around until we found a street parking spot (not an easy feat in Sidney!), and then walked around and window-shopped. Piper ran up to this statue of the two kids cuddling a cat and said, "Take my picture!" This was funny in itself because she normally hates getting her picture taken (see the previous post as evidence!). So, I snapped away.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-49506415018801274792016-11-02T21:12:00.001-05:002016-11-02T21:12:25.519-05:00Tough Piper<a data-flickr-embed="true" data-footer="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/30226667200/in/dateposted-public/" title="Untitled"><img alt="Untitled" height="640" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5714/30226667200_e7762b9510_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
Piper at 5 years, 9 months, and 1 day. I am having such a hard time with this kid right now. She is so brash and bold and wants to show no fear (because she is a superhero, don't you know?) - but unfortunately this is coming across as defiance and disrespect to adults around her. Kindergarten has been a bumpy road for her thus far. Serious look aside, she is a crazy intelligent and loving child - I just wish teachers at her school saw the same side of her we see at home.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-72722416390684050972016-11-01T21:11:00.001-05:002016-11-01T21:11:39.256-05:00Serenity Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIcqsHbWiV5iE6LFqN8GkQRO9E2_hMkzp71EbOLVnnWs-sSjGrB0WB6kOZgHxdrbxlIKVw_8kwprhRU6qHs8gT0gAfLY3LUc_VOGbPlk21b4-PIzHKDMWXu3PXZOzpnafqYun/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhIcqsHbWiV5iE6LFqN8GkQRO9E2_hMkzp71EbOLVnnWs-sSjGrB0WB6kOZgHxdrbxlIKVw_8kwprhRU6qHs8gT0gAfLY3LUc_VOGbPlk21b4-PIzHKDMWXu3PXZOzpnafqYun/s320/IMG_2518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Miss me?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I think I have forgotten how to blog. I just spent the last hour trying to figure out how to upload a picture from my iPad. Seeing as I am currently sitting at my desk, you can gather how productive that hour was.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-46506403618248422552015-06-01T19:25:00.003-05:002015-06-01T19:25:13.198-05:00Alapocas Run State Park<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/17650500864" title="Untitled by jochibi, on Flickr"><img src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8838/17650500864_60d2b32940_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt="Untitled"></a>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-6631839410228956572015-05-25T20:45:00.002-05:002015-05-25T20:45:56.188-05:00(Not) Silent Sunday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhTMNFw6RyyzKKZQzoBFDX47AQdXyl7sCI21KdabahUBT9QNUMpipqQ9mt7Oq_JhyphenhyphenaIR137TT-s2B9gSPdEFZiSvwhKlm4g_-0qTwo5zypJe12O5HzYXcn9JS5qduLs8Di5v-/s1600/DSCN1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkhTMNFw6RyyzKKZQzoBFDX47AQdXyl7sCI21KdabahUBT9QNUMpipqQ9mt7Oq_JhyphenhyphenaIR137TT-s2B9gSPdEFZiSvwhKlm4g_-0qTwo5zypJe12O5HzYXcn9JS5qduLs8Di5v-/s320/DSCN1735.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I was so relaxed with this long weekend that I thought today was Sunday and was just going to put up a Silent Sunday post. Instead, you get to read me blather. Enjoy the flowers!</div>
<br />Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-52743789770358357232015-05-24T19:43:00.001-05:002015-05-24T19:43:52.403-05:00Better Days<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/17437820504" title="Goofy1 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="Goofy1" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7786/17437820504_952c56d91c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I have a really bad habit of not using my vacation until halfway through the year - I have it in my head that I need to conserve it somehow. I have 23 days of vacation this year - no small amount (although I have friends and family who have much, much more and it boggles my mind). But - with trips to visit my family in Canada, those days get eaten up quickly, and I always want to make sure I have time to take a week off at Christmas as well. Now, it will be a few more years before I earn another weeks' vacation at work, so I think I need to budget my time differently. I may have to forgo taking the week of Thanksgiving off, or not as much time off at Christmas - because I am seriously burning myself out with no downtime.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong - I have fun - I spent a weekend down at the Maryland Shore a few weeks back, we went to the Wilmington Flower Market, we spent a day at Longwood - but all these things were stuffed into our already cramped weekends, and so the run activities were interspersed with running around and unneeded stress of trying to get the normal stuff finished as well as having fun. Memorial Day weekend is our first long weekend since January, and I have relished it so far. Even if the backs of my thighs are screaming after all the weeding from yesterday! The yard looks nicer, the house neater, and Andrew even cleaned up and tuned up the bikes so we could go riding through the neighborhood with Piper in the faux tandem attachment. I'm feeling good, and we still have another day tomorrow to unwind. It is Memorial Day here in the US tomorrow, which I think is more closely aligned to what Remembrance Day is in Canada (unlike Veterans Day, which is the same day as Remembrance Day).
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-18922133702705701682015-05-23T18:38:00.000-05:002015-05-23T18:38:08.742-05:00It's A Start<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/18016524202" title="A start by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="A start" height="480" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7719/18016524202_e53570b0d7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Andrew and I spent collectively about 6 hours today working in our yard - he mowing the expanse - and in the backyard, actually mowing it twice, whereas I attacked the weed-infested flower beds in the front. I don't even know if weed-infested is a strong enough word - after about 2 hours of pulling weeds, my arms were starting to shake. We learned a few years ago that tomatoes grow really well in front of our house; it shouldn't have been a surprise - it is a south-facing wall with full sun, with the additional benefit of the warmth of the brick behind it. I planted 4 tomato plants today - two on either side of the front door, and all varieties of cherry and grape tomato. If you look carefully in this picture, however - there are 3 plants on this side of the door. We always have a lot of volunteer plants come back each year - and this one plant was looking pretty healthy and was in the exact spot I would have planted something anyway. I have no clue what kind of tomato it will be, but I am really hoping it is the tiny grape tomatoes that were in the same spot last year.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-16002047664277671052015-05-22T20:30:00.000-05:002015-05-22T20:31:27.968-05:00Tired<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/17986234555" title="Tired3 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="Tired3" height="640" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7748/17986234555_66587396c9_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
I am so thankful to have this long weekend. I need to sleep, read, knit, plant, recharge, play with my kids, and not think about all the things that are stressing me out.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-57585976964218978752015-05-21T19:36:00.003-05:002015-05-21T19:36:42.612-05:00Throwback Thursday: Upside Down Willow<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/2706683044" title="DSCN0160 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="DSCN0160" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3184/2706683044_ecb1179224_z.jpg?zz=1" width="458" /></a><br />
<br />
I was scrolling through old pics looking for something funny for Throwback Thursday, and I passed this one by initially - thinking it was a recent picture of Piper. Being upside down on the sofa is very much something Piper would do. In fact, tonight after I finished reading to her, she demonstrated to me how she can crawl like an inchworm on top of the back of the sofa. But no - this six-year old Willow. And we are doing our damnedest to get rid of this sofa - it has a huge rip in the center that gets conveniently covered up by throw blankets and I hate it immensely. Take my advice - never get a recliner sofa. You will lose everything underneath it, the stupid thing weighs about 10 tonnes, and there are too many little moving pieces. Our next sofa will be comfy, but much more utilitarian.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-66201309213435375372015-05-20T21:08:00.001-05:002015-05-20T21:08:32.846-05:00Random Flowers<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/15299717445" title="DSCN1559 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="DSCN1559" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5566/15299717445_1eb9fcef0a_z.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
Just random flowers, you say!<br />
<br />
But there is actually a not-so-random story behind these flowers. Last August, we spent our last night in Canada at a hotel in Sidney, BC - a small seaside town north of Victoria and close to the Victoria International Airport. There was a pub attached to the hotel, and we received a discount for eating there since we were staying at the hotel, but we had to eat before 6pm, because the pub did not allow minors in after that. So, we went and had a delicious dinner - and I had my only non-Canadian beer of my entire vacation (the waitress recommended a beer from New Zealand instead and it was delicious).<br />
<br />
After dinner we walk back to the hotel and we hear alarms going off - and I swear, it didn't even occur to me that the alarms were coming from our hotel! The hotel personnel won't let anyone inside, and the hotel is being evacuated of all guests. We are lined up in the parking lot, sidewalk, - really, wherever they could find space for us. The firetrucks pull up and about six fully-clad fire fighters rush in and check all the floors. After about 30 minutes of waiting outside, they let get the alarms turned off and let us back inside... except they can't turn the elevators back on right away so we have to walk up the three flights of stairs. Not really fun with a three year old and masses of people, but we manage.<br />
<br />
We wanted to get Piper in the bath right away since we had to wake up early to get to the airport for a 6am flight. I pull out her pajamas...
And the alarms go off again. So, we all shuffle downstairs and outside again. This time we only wait about 15 minutes and they let us back inside. We start running Piper's bath and the alarms go off again. Everyone back downstairs. At least by now they have figured out that it is an alarm/electrical issue, not a fire alarm or anything like that. But - until they can get it disabled to fix it, we all have to wait either outside or in the lobby. Finally, the fire fighters go back to the station and the alarm techs arrive and they finally manage to fix the alarms and let us back to our rooms. It was not really how we anticipated spending our last night in Canada... but it was something to remember.<br />
<br />
And the flowers? Victoria (and as an extension, Sidney) is famous for its hanging flower baskets, and I spent the first part of our exile from hotel room snapping pictures of this one while we waited on the sidewalk.Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-8084228061461389902015-05-19T21:01:00.001-05:002015-05-19T21:01:36.960-05:00In Which Jo Looks All Serious and WrinkledI have weird colored eyes.<br />
<br />
Not quite brown - maybe more on the hazel end, but then again, I frequently get told that my eyes are the exact same color as my hair. That's a little freaky, because my hair is auburn.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/17880279771" title="image by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="image" height="640" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7728/17880279771_e898678248_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I am always trying to get a good picture of what my eyes look like - and I haven't caught a good one yet. I think it is really cool when you see a close up of someone's eyes and you see all the variations of color - to me, close ups up the eye can look like an alien landscape. I know I have a light grey ring around an olive-y green and hazel and splashes of a maroon-red color throughout. I suppose I will have to forgo the selfie and have someone else take a close up!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-23371417325097742592015-05-18T20:54:00.000-05:002015-05-18T20:54:52.905-05:00Real (shh, Test) Post<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/17219117794" title="image by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="image" height="320" src="https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7729/17219117794_3a5c89a0f4_n.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<br />
Holy cow, you don't even want to know how long it took me to create a blogpost with a picture with my iPad! I tried doing it with my phone first, but that got me nowhere fast. Anyway, here's a selfie Willow took with my iPad- enjoy!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-69949299300749659622015-05-17T19:41:00.001-05:002015-05-17T19:41:34.679-05:00Must Think Happy ThoughtsI was woken up this morning by Piper at 5am. She's still at the point where weekends mean nothing to her. Sleeping in means nothing to her. I was up late last night reading, as usual, so I was very sleep-deprived - but because Andrew had the girls to himself for a few days while I was at a conference, I let him sleep in for the second day in a row. I woke up with Piper, turned on some cartoons, and went to make myself some coffee. When I went to get something out of the upright freezer, the first thing I noticed was that the door opened way too easily.<br />
<br />
It hadn't been shut last night.<br />
<br />
Everything in the door was completely thawed and dripping everywhere - and everything else was quickly getting there. I knew we had to defrost the damn thing soon, but I wasn't planning to do it at 5am on a Sunday morning. So, I shut the door and went back to the kitchen and drank my coffee.
Then proceeded to empty everything out of the freezer that wasn't rock solid frozen still. Roasts, spaghetti sauces, curry, salmon, frozen fruit, tubs of ice cream, and a three pound bag of raw shrimp! That was just the tip of the (ha!) iceburg. The only things I was able to salvage were some frozen vegetables, some cookie dough (that I baked since it thawed), some cinnamon rolls (which we baked for breakfast, since they were thawed), and some meat that was cooked up today since it was only slightly defrosted in the debacle. Andrew, who had since woken up, came down and took over with the complete defrosting and cleaning once I had emptied the freezer.<br />
<br />
Must think happy thoughts! I have lots of cookies! Dinner is planned for tomorrow! My freezer is immaculately clean and empty!
One day Piper will learn to sleep in!<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/15446916900" title="IMG_2205 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2205" height="640" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5599/15446916900_9a2079b076_c.jpg" width="800" /></a>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-65538783899255015662015-05-16T07:26:00.004-05:002015-05-16T07:26:56.903-05:00Life Getting Away From MeLife is crazy like that. I feel guilty for not maintaining this blog - but the truth of it is that it is so much easier to post things on Facebook. So, I am going to try getting back into the swing of things by posting pics and comments, and hopefully build up to blogging again from there.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/16918024787" title="IMG_2352 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_2352" height="800" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8686/16918024787_848d46ab6f_c.jpg" width="534" /></a><br />
<br />
Willow, in her <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/birchbark">Birchbark</a> sweater I made her earlier this year. Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-44863910771617105712014-12-31T16:59:00.000-05:002014-12-31T16:59:11.465-05:00Best Books of 2014Hmm... Long time, no blog. I need to get better with this!
Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my ten top picks for books I read in 2014:<br />
<br />
1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heir-Fire-Throne-Glass-Book-ebook/dp/B00I43Z1J0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420060638&sr=8-1&keywords=heir+of+fire">Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51syip3DdiL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51syip3DdiL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
This book had me so panicked while I was reading it - I was up to about the 75% mark, still thinking that this book was the last book in a trilogy! I am so glad there will be more.<br />
<br />
2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Game-Maker-Book-ebook/dp/B00JYDKV5I/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420060771&sr=1-3&keywords=professional+kresley+cole">The Professional by Kresley Cole</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51u9UE8u1lL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51u9UE8u1lL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
(Jo waves self) - I had no idea Russian mobsters with Daddy issues were so much my type...<br />
<br />
3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Islands-at-End-World-ebook/dp/B00IBZ3Z3K/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420060845&sr=1-1&keywords=islands+at+the+end+of+the+world">The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ulVPtshgL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ulVPtshgL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
This book blew me away with how the author wove Hawaiian history and mythology together. It also made me think that Hawaii is not where I want to be when something bad happens!<br />
<br />
4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Foreplay-Ivy-Chronicles-Sophie-Jordan-ebook/dp/B00BATNQDS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420060920&sr=1-1&keywords=foreplay+sophie+jordan">Foreplay (The Ivy Chronicles #1) by Sophie Jordan</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518RT3neG-L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518RT3neG-L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
For a steamy New Adult romance, this book was also very sweet, and the heroine reminded me a lot of me when I was younger.<br />
<br />
5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wallbanger-Cocktail-Book-Alice-Clayton-ebook/dp/B00B73MULG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420060988&sr=1-1&keywords=wallbanger">Wallbanger (Cocktail Series #1) by Alice Clayton</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41mjH9Ms3HL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41mjH9Ms3HL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
This book was not what I had expected! I remember seeing it on so many people's blogs and wondering why they were so excited about it. Well, I have read it, and gifted the book to a handul of friends - trust me, it's worth it. If you like laughter and snark with your romance, you will love this book.<br />
<br />
6. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fangirl-Novel-Rainbow-Rowell-ebook/dp/B00BMKH5NW/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420061060&sr=1-1&keywords=fangirl">Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417PAYgELbL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417PAYgELbL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
This is a book that Willow and I read together, and I think it was good for us. She is years away from going away to college, but I think it was good for her to see how different people react when at college.<br />
<br />
7. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Opposition-Lux-Novel-Book-5-ebook/dp/B00I6ZXOWC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420061126&sr=1-1&keywords=opposition+lux">Opposition (Lux Series #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51I3HCMQNSL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51I3HCMQNSL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Daemon, Daemon... sigh. I was really sad to see this series come to an end, but it did so in such a spectacular smash bang fashion. My only regret is that I had pre-ordered the book thinking I would be able to get it while on vacation in Canada - but it wouldn't download from there! I had to wait until we were in the Seattle airport before I could start to read it - almost a week after it came out.<br />
<br />
8. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moonstone-Jones-Phaeton-Paranormal-Investigator-ebook/dp/B007XIC0TQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420061198&sr=1-1&keywords=moonstone+and+miss+jones">The Moonstone and Miss Jones (Phaeton Black, Paranormal Investigator #2) by Jillian Stone</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Kzin0dB2L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Kzin0dB2L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
Phaeton Black is another book boyfriend I always look forward to. I loved the twist in this book that had Phaeton sort of seeing what modern-day London was like. For a womanizing cad, he was in for a bit of a surprise!<br />
<br />
9. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fault-Our-Stars-John-Green-ebook/dp/B005ZOBNOI/ref=sr_1_1_ha?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1420061287&sr=1-1&keywords=the+fault+in+our+stars">The Fault in Our Stars by John Green</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dezgvr%2B7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dezgvr%2B7L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
I got sucked into this one! Willow wanted to see this in the movie theater - but my deal with her that for any movie based on on a book, she has to read the book first. Which meant I had to read the book. I loved Hazel's narrative - and the movie was a rare instance where the movie didn't ruin things for me. I haven't read anything else by John Green yet, but I definitely plan to.<br />
<br />
And I am going to cheat on this last one, since I read this entire series in 2014:<br />
<br />
10. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-Academy-Collection-Richelle-Mead-ebook/dp/B00GY9SMZG/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1420061446&sr=1-1&keywords=vampire+academy+box+set+1-6">Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51t-rpmZGxL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51t-rpmZGxL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-v3-big,TopRight,0,-55_SX278_SY278_PIkin4,BottomRight,1,22_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
I read this book for two reasons - first, it fell in the same bucket as The Fault In Our Stars - Willow wanted to watch the movie (which, having read the book - I don't think the movie deserved a lot of the criticism it received - if the reviewers had read the book (and clearly many of them hadn't) they would have understood a lot of the jokes). Secondly, I had independently started reading the sequel series to this series, Bloodlines. I was getting far enough in the Bloodlines series where I figured out there was some important information I had missed by not reading the entire Vampire Academy series. So, I put Bloodlines aside (and 2 more books have come out since then!), and started working my way through the Vampire Academy series. I love Rose - she is so kickass and heartfelt.<br />
<br />
There you go! My Goodreads reading goal for 2014 was 130 books, and I didn't quite make it that far. I finished #120 this morning, and I don't think I will be able to finish another one by midnight! For 2015, I plan to do something a little different - not only am I going to track the books I read (for myself), but I also want to start tracking how many books I read to Piper.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-10015872780824840042014-08-17T19:22:00.000-05:002014-08-17T19:22:01.087-05:00Book Review: The Angry Little Puffin by Timothy Young<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22333808-the-angry-little-puffin" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Angry Little Puffin" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401708938m/22333808.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22333808-the-angry-little-puffin">The Angry Little Puffin</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1663923.Timothy_Young">Timothy Young</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1029427869">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>This was the first time I had ever received a children's picture book to review, so I read it with my resident expert - my 3.5 year old daughter, Piper. Puffin lives in a zoo, and he is not having a good day. He is housed with the penguins, and everyone thinks he is a penguin - they don't even bother to read his plaque explaining what kind of puffin he is and where he come from. He grits his teeth at first, but when the 'strange penguin' and 'cute penguin' and 'kooky penguin' comments keep coming, he loses his temper - in a spectacular fashion. I wanted to read this book with Piper, because as with many kids her age, she has anger issues. I know where they stem from; she's a smart kid, has a great vocabulary - but even with that - she is three, and most three year olds can't explain their emotions when they are in the throes of them.<br><br>I liked this book because the illustrations were simple - Piper was quick to point out the physical differences between the penguins and puffins. When Puffin was ranting on all the geographic differences between penguins and puffins, it was easy for a small child to understand the distance and difference. Puffin's emotions, from annoyance to anger to pleasure and acceptance, are all very evident on his face, so Piper was easily able to tell me how Puffin was feeling on different pages in the book. And I love that children are learning facts about puffins (and most importantly how they differ from penguins!) all throughout Puffin's rant. My one gripe with the book is all the different fonts the characters use - I found it distracting and young readers might get mixed up by it.<br><br>I asked Piper afterward what she thought of Puffin, and this was her response: "I like his colors. He's a puffin-bird and he comes from the top of the planet and penguins come from the bottom." For a three year old to pick three solid facts about puffins and penguins in a 10 minute read through a picture book? I'm happy. <br><br>#AngryLittlePuffin #KidLit<br>
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-42128329122308559692014-06-19T18:31:00.000-05:002014-06-19T18:34:05.178-05:00Book Review: The Geography of You and Me by Jennifer E. Smith<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18295852-the-geography-of-you-and-me" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Geography of You and Me" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1376408056m/18295852.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18295852-the-geography-of-you-and-me">The Geography of You and Me</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/805184.Jennifer_E_Smith">Jennifer E. Smith</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/959520650">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>The Geography of You and Me is a quiet and sweet story of two teens who meet in a stalled elevator in the middle of a city-wide blackout. Despite the fact that they are in a fancy high-rise apartment building, they come from very different backgrounds. Lucy is a life-long New Yorker and the child of an international banker, and she is frequently left alone as her parents travel for business and pleasure. Owen is a recent New York transplant, and the son of the building's super - a man so deep in grief at his wife's recent death that he is at risk of losing everything around him. Lucy and Owen are caught in travels out of their control - Lucy across Europe following her father's promotions through different positions, and Owen supporting his dad as they move gradually westward looking for a job a stability. After their brief sojourn during the blackout, the two communicate with postcards and emails as the travel, and a romance blossoms - but a romance hard to sustain when faced with obstacles and other attractions in their respective geographies. This is the first book I have read by Jennifer E. Smith, and I was impressed by the flow of her prose, especially when she was writing in Owen's voice. The mirroring of the chapters was a bit cloying sometimes, but I accepted the style as showing that despite how different Lucy and Owen's lives were, their paths and lives were not all that different after all. As I mentioned in the beginning, this is a quiet tale - there is no big drama - but sometimes quiet tales are exactly what we need.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-52644482290588525472014-05-18T17:10:00.003-05:002014-05-18T17:10:34.897-05:00Book Review: Deadly Curiosities by Gail Z. Martin<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18775220-deadly-curiosities" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Deadly Curiosities (Deadly Curiosities, #1)" border="0" src="https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391982089m/18775220.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18775220-deadly-curiosities">Deadly Curiosities</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1637418.Gail_Z_Martin">Gail Z. Martin</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/930670627">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>I'm giving this story 3.5 stars (sorry - Goodreads and NetGalley don't show half stars). For me, the story fared much better than the writing. Cassidy owns an antiques store in Charleston, SC, with a cute name - Trifles and Folly; however most people don't realize that she and her store also serve to neutralize haunted and possessed objects. Cassidy is a psychometric, so she can read the history of objects by touching them, and she works along side a vampire/benefactor named Sorren and a young man named Teag, who has magical talents as a Weaver. To be honest, I read through the book and I am still not sure what that means. Teag seems to be good at research and hacking online, and somehow this also translates to tying knots, needlework, and actual weaving. I feel like Martin missed out on some exposition (or perhaps I just missed out on where the origin and usefulness of his abilities were explained). Dead bodies start piling up, and previously calm or non-haunted objects all of a sudden start turning malevolent, so Cassidy and team are called in to find out what was going on. The story drags down from there. Cassidy and Teag are not romantically involved, but they go out for meals or coffee 3-4 times, and every coffee shop and restaurant they go to has people working there with complete backstories of their own. I found myself reading and thinking, "Is this person relevant? Is there a reason why Martin is going into such detail?" But they weren't - and afterward it just seemed like a lot of unnecessary niceties. To me, this book was urban fantasy lite. Given the cover (and I know you are not to judge books by the cover), I expected something grittier. Deadly Curiosities was a fun book - the action scenes were quite good, and I was very amused that Cassidy's weapons included a wooden spoon and a dog collar. This book seems to be setting itself up to be the first book in a series; I am interested in reading what comes next - but I also hope that the writing tightens up a bit and perhaps a little romance is thrown in.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-13863456364954625982014-04-25T20:46:00.003-05:002014-04-25T20:46:38.730-05:00Book Review: Hot and Bothered by Kate Meader<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20628400-hot-and-bothered" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Hot and Bothered (Hot in the Kitchen, #3)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1392232206m/20628400.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20628400-hot-and-bothered">Hot and Bothered</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6551743.Kate_Meader">Kate Meader</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/896463357">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>It took me a long time to read this book - a little over 3 weeks, when I normally read a book within a few days. Many things in this story grated on me, and I found myself reading a few pages, then having to put the book down and walk away. <br><br>That being said, I liked the story. Friends who become lovers is almost always a story I like to read. Jules is a new single mom and a British ex-pat, and she has a serious crush on one of her friends (and friend of her extended family), Tad. Tad, for all his charm, is an inveterate womanizer - and actually has groupies who follow him around! Tad is trying to open up a new wine bar in Chicago, and needs Jules' help in making appetizers and other small plates for people to eat with the wine. That alone would have been a cute story, but the details get piled on from there. Jules is still fighting her baby weight, she is avoiding her baby's daddy, she wants to date again, and she has dyslexia. Tad has demons of his own - opening this wine bar is laying bare memories of his parents, who had a famous restaurant of their own, and his guilt at their deaths. To me, the story quickly became over-burdened with these details, and made the book frustrating to read at times. There were some details I also felt weren't thought through - there were times where Tad was using very British slang in his internal monologue, which seemed unlikely for an Italian-American man from Chicago. The other was Jules' date - early dinner Dan; I swear I read through that section a few times and I think she stood him up at the bar...<br><br>I don't want to be overly negative - as I mentioned above, I liked the story. Some of the other things I liked were the descriptions of the food and wine. Meader made me seriously hungry while reading this book. I wish that she had included some of the recipes that Jules comes up with throughout the course of the story. The sex scenes between Jules and Tad were very hot - and I wish there had been more of them! I also liked how Meader approached Jules' dyslexia, and how she described Jules' coping mechanisms at hiding the dyslexia. As this is a series, I hope in future books they show Jules seeking help for the dyslexia, because it seems that she had never received any therapy for it in the past.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-24537773039820951072014-04-05T14:03:00.003-05:002014-04-05T14:03:35.720-05:00The Tale of Two Orchids and Two CatsMy in-laws went to Longwood Gardens earlier this week, and they brought home some gorgeous orchids, and I was the lucky recipient of this gorgeous yellow orchid:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649505904" title="IMG_1870 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1870" height="333" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3781/13649505904_60dc213989.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And this absolutely beautiful magenta orchid:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649524754" title="IMG_1873 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1873" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7168/13649524754_575b2ff165.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
My friends laughed at me when I asked whether orchids were poisonous to cats (they aren't) - but you see, we have an intrepid hunter in this house. Nothing is safe - Piper's little stuffies, hair scrunchies, yarn...<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649518744" title="IMG_1872 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1872" height="333" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3727/13649518744_7555f1a259.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"Mama, they look so pretty! And they move in the wind!"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649187055" title="IMG_1874 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1874" height="333" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3714/13649187055_40abc2a8ab.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"I will smell them a little bit. They smell so pretty!"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649194315" title="IMG_1875 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1875" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/13649194315_df90099893.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"Why am I licking my lips? No reason..."<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649199915" title="IMG_1876 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1876" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/13649199915_fc14612449.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"Hey big brother, come here! Check out these things! Mama calls them 'ORKIDS.'"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649223263" title="IMG_1877 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1877" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7405/13649223263_260aaf8b11.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"Come on! You have to smell these things!"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649216505" title="IMG_1878 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1878" height="333" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2805/13649216505_d558a432b7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
"Chomp! Mine!"<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/13649567634" title="IMG_1879 by jochibi, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG_1879" height="333" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7303/13649567634_e7e37056e2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Hermione is going to even lessen the survival rate of any plant brought into this house. My Christmas cactus has teeth marks in it. I don't even get why these are things she would want to bite!Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-15281486766693611392014-03-06T20:13:00.000-05:002014-03-06T20:13:05.683-05:00Book Review: The Here and Now by Ann Brashares<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18242896-the-here-and-now" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Here and Now" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1377012204m/18242896.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18242896-the-here-and-now">The Here and Now</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3681.Ann_Brashares">Ann Brashares</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/868119986">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>I don't think I have ever read a book before that has made me more afraid of mosquitoes. Prenna is a 17 year old immigrant, who belongs to a community of fellow immigrants, all of whom live quietly and do their best to not interact with outsiders. Like other immigrants, Prenna watched TV to learn American ways of speech and pop culture - but unlike other immigrants, Prenna didn't come from a different land, but rather a different time. She and her community are refugees, really, from a time of Blood Plagues, ecological disasters, and food shortages - sent back in time because they were immune to the diseases of her time, and in hopes that the immigrants would be able to somehow fix what went wrong before it happened.<br><br>But in truth, that wasn't what was happening. Five years into her new life, Prenna sees that nothing is getting fixed. The immigrants have strict rules hanging over their heads - no outside medical care, no telling people where (when!) they are from, stay out of the public eye, no unnecessary fraternizing with outsiders - and people are being bullied and disappearing. Prenna is doing her best to keep her distance from Ethan, a school mate, but Ethan has no intention of staying away - and he knows much more than Prenna can imagine.<br><br>I really enjoyed this book. Once Prenna opened up and started describing what life was like in her natural time, and what had lead up to all the diseases and disasters, I was transfixed. It really wasn't too far into the future, and you can easily draw lines from where we are now to how Prenna's reality came to be. I found myself trying to tie the rules that subjugate the immigrants to what happened in their natural time, and not always making the connection (Why no organized religion? To take the temptation of confession away?). Prenna and Ethan's romance was both innocent and enticing, and the moments that they were together had me holding my breath and wishing the scenes was in slow motion. Their plans to fix the timelines and stop horrible things from happening seemed a bit incongruous and convenient at times, but I let that slide because I was too interested in finding out what was going to happen next.<br><br>I would recommend this book to young people age 15 and up. Now, off to buy myself some mosquito netting and DEET.
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-6822623822776146882014-03-05T21:18:00.001-05:002014-03-05T21:18:21.462-05:00Piper and Lucky Snuggling<div style="text-align: left; padding: 3px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/12573932115/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3732/12573932115_77a798df67.jpg" style="border: solid 2px #000000;" alt="" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/12573932115/">IMG_1715</a>, originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/66977557@N00/">jochibi</a>.</span></div><p>Lucky has been a grumpy old man cat of late. We're not really sure if it is just him - we adopted him as an adult cat, and the vet said he could be as old as 13 years old now. Or, maybe it is just the comparison to having a teenage cat running around like a crazy girl. Once he is in a good spot now, he doesn't want to leave - even if it means having the three year old curl up next to him and pulling a blanket over him.</p>Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12684433.post-6095577933736360832014-03-01T08:58:00.003-05:002014-03-01T08:58:54.229-05:00Book Review: Undone by Shannon Richard<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17302292-undone" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Undone (Country Roads #1)" border="0" src="https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1371068441m/17302292.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17302292-undone">Undone</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6911833.Shannon_Richard">Shannon Richard</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/861251497">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.<br><br>I have to say up front that I am giving this book 3/5 stars more because I would love to travel to Mirabelle, FL, than to give the rating because of the writing. I requested this book to read because I like fish out of water stories, and the fact that Paige was from Philly (where I am now) piqued my interest. Paige is a young artist who has experienced a series of setbacks - her best friend and roommate moved away for a new job, she lost her own job, her boyfriend broke up with her - and all of this has cumulated in Paige moving in with her parents, who have retired to a small town in Florida. Paige is miserable there; simply put, she does not fit in. She wears bright colors, goes running in short shorts, and spends so much time in her parents' shed-now-art studio that the neighbors think she is having illicit parties in there. It has come to the point that people in town are inviting her to job interviews just so they can laugh at her. She meets Brendan, a local man who has had own problems fitting in despite being from Mirabelle, and the two fall in love. <br><br>One of my issues with this book is that Ms. Richard has a grand vision for this series, and as a result the storytelling is not very tight. As this is the opening book, she has to introduce you to so many characters and places and events, that somehow the main characters get lost in the shuffle. So many times in the course of the story I found myself wishing there was a cast of characters listed so I could follow along with who was related to whom. There are many hints as to who will be paired up in future additions to this series, and I think maybe I would like those stories better, partly due to the characters up for pairing, and partly because the world and character building will have been established.<br><br>Another issue for me was the lack of closure with certain events, and I hope that these issues get resolved in future books. One of these issues was the local gossip blog - I don't understand how that character could get away with such flaming defamation and the local police say there is nothing they can do about it. Some characters were so downright nasty (Verna and Missy, I'm looking at you!), a reader really has to hope they get what is coming to them. My personal wish is that we find out that the two of them have been embezzling from the funeral home and they end up going to jail.<br><br>When I finished reading the book last night, I found myself feeling rather meh about Paige and Brendan. They were sweet together and good for one another, but I had a hard time getting excited about them. As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, the location was another matter altogether. I think Ms. Richard did a fabulous job of imagining Mirabelle - the beaches, the boardwalk, the cafes, the festivals - even the funeral home!
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8780957-josephine-hawkins">View all my reviews</a>
Johttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14061337641173075397noreply@blogger.com0