Momwithabook

This is one of those books that was on my wishlist forever! I had checked it out from the library a few times, and each time needed to return it unread. Finally, I started listening to the audio and I was hooked. In this novel, Ms. Montefiore seamlessly wove together two plot lines one past and one present, . Both stories were compelling and held my interest. Each had little twists and subplots which really drew me in.In the “present”, Marina and her husband are running a seaside hotel in Devon. They are childless, but his two grown children live there. His son, helps run the hotel. His daughter, Clementine, is living there temporarily, while she earns some travel money. Marina and her step-daughter do not get along. Clementine blames Marina for her parents divorce. I did not like Clementine when she was first introduced in this story. She was disresptful and lazy. I pictured her rolling her eyes and stomping off like a spoiled teenager.Marina is interviewing artists to live at the hotel for the summer to teach guests how to paint. The one she settles on is Rafa from Argentina. He is talented, well mannered and gorgeous Clementine is immediately attracted to him, and I was grateful for this because it really gave her a chance to grow up. Once she did, I liked her more and the story started getting good.Even though it seems like we spend most of our time with Marina in England, I think I liked Floriana’s story a bit more. When we meet her, she is just a girl, abandoned by her mother and left to live with her drunk father. This girl’s spirit is amazing though. She sees the beautiful Tuscan villa and knows that she belongs there. She meets Dante, the owners son and believes that they belong together. Over the years she spends more time at the villa with the family, and when they aren’t there she keeps an eye on the gardens and the dog. Almost everyone who meets her loves her. Eventually even Dante starts to realize his love for her. It really looks like her prayers were answered.Ms. Montefiore did a fabulous job with this novel. The characters, even minor ones, were very well developed. Floriana’s useless dad and her friend’s conniving mother were both perfectly distasteful Dante and his mother and sister were loving and welcoming. Even his dog was wonderful.From the first few paragraphs that I listened to, I knew I would love this book. And, even though I ended up reading it instead of listening to it, I was right. I did love it. I enjoyed every minute I spent with this book. This is my first Santa Montefiore novel, bu I know it won’t be my last.Checkout this review and MORE at Momwithabook.com

Okay, I have a confession to make. I have NEVER read a Jane Austen book. There! I said it. I know that seems impossible. I am a book blogger and I love historical fiction. However, I am not a classics type of reader. I know that many of you are thinking that I am missing out on some really great books. I’m sure that is true, but for some reason, I have avoided Ms. Austen’s books. So, when I read about this book, and saw that it had a “now and then” story-line I thought it might be the perfect way to dip my toe into the Austen waters. In the end this book was just okay for me. Let's start with the good parts:* I am a sucker for this type of story. Finding a never-before-seen letter that leads to a quest, to an old house, to find a missing and also never-before-seen manuscript…….. great idea.* It was a very quick and easy read. * I “liked” both story lines equally. Samantha is obviously passionate about Jane Austen, and as a reader, I was caught up in her hopes to find the manuscript. The a Stanhopes were a sweet family, and since this book is really about the manuscript, their story had a bit more depth. My favorite characters were Mr. Clifton, the new Reverend of Elm Grove, and Laurel Ann, Sam’s bookish but spunky friend in the States.* I liked the ending of both stories. I guessed pretty quickly how it would end, and was pleased to see it turn out like I thought. * The cover is beautiful.Now for my not so favorite parts.* I almost feel I am not qualified to review this book because I may be missing the point. Perhaps Ms. James was successfully emulating Jane Austen’s writing, and that was the beauty of the book. I didn’t exactly like the formal speech of the Stanhopes, but that may have been the way Jane Austen wrote. Or, maybe that is the exact way that people spoke back then. Probably both. But that formality left the Stanhope story felling a little fake.* Tragic things kept happening to Rebecca and her father. An unbelievable amount of tragic things, one right after another. These tragic things were bad, but never changed the tone of the story. It felt like these horrible setbacks were merely inconveniences that were forgotten about quickly. * Quick and easy, but it was just too light of a story for me. As I mentioned, the speech of the Stanhope’s story didn’t allow for very much emotion. The characters didn’t feel real and as a result I couldn’t fully sympathize with their situations. The present day story had a bit more emotion, but not much, and it was rushed. Samantha managed to find the letter, track down the manuscript, and read it in just a few days. * I didn’t like the main character Samantha. Aside from her focused interest in literature and Jane Austen, she came off as fickle and disinterested.One of my friends was surprised that I was reading this book, knowing that I didn’t have much interest in Jane Austen to begin with. That being said, she wasn’t surprised by my opinion at all. Overall, this may end up being my only dip into the Austen waters.

Summary: When his land is taken by force in 1177, Prince Jayavar of the Khmer people narrowly escapes death at the hands of the conquering Cham king. Exiled from their homeland, he and his wife Ajadevi set up a secret camp in the jungle with the intention of amassing an army bold enough to reclaim their kingdom and free their people. Meanwhile, Cham King Indravarman rules with an iron fist, pitting even his most trusted men against each other and squashing any hint of rebellion.This isn’t the first time I have read a John Shors novel. A few years ago, I devoured Beneath a Marble Sky and Beside a Burning Sea. I was thrilled so see that he had a new bookOne look at this cover and I knew I was in for a treat. The artwork perfectly reflects Mr. Shors rich and detailed writing, as well and the glory of the Angkor Wat temple. To be honest, I don’t know a lot about Cambodia, so it was very interesting reading about this period of their history. Especially, as the story was based on true events.Although Prince Jayavar and his wife are the backbone of this story, there are several other characters that play a major role. King Indravarman and his assassin Po Rame are perfectly sinister, and Boran and his wife and children are just simple fishermen, but prove to be just as important in their own way. My favorite characters were Voisanne and Asal. She being so brave and him so strong. I really enjoyed following their changing story as the novel unfolded. Mr. Shors added to the character development by telling the story from several different points of view. I liked this, and was able to learn much more about each story teller. It really added to the suspense when, as the reader, I knew something that the other characters did not.Hands down the best part of this book is the setting and the details. The beautiful temples and lush jungle were so well described that they came alive for me. As I was reading it was so easy for me to imagine the buzzing mosquitoes and thorns of the jungle, as well as the golden opulence and beautiful views of the temples. The small story of “creating” the Cambodian flag was a nice addition.I wouldn’t say that this is a light and easy read. It was 507 pages and with all those details, it took longer to finish than I expected. However, I looked forward to reading it every chance I got. This was John Shors at this best. I think I like it even better after sitting down to write this review, if that is even possible. Novels like this are the very reason that I read historical fiction. I would recommend this to anyone who loves to fall into a great historical fiction.This review originally appeared on momwithabook

Elizabeth Marshall is in a coma in extended care and her daughters, Emily and Sarah, are cleaning out her house. Up in the attic they find Betsy's old diary. As they read it, they begin to see their mother and father in a new light.A couple of days ago I saw a blog post about short novels. I read a few comments and thought to myself, I don't think I would enjoy a short novel. No time to really get to know the characters or get involved in the plot. Well, I was wrong. I liked this short novel. It was well written, interesting and focused. As readers, we learned about a brief period in Elizabeth's life. Ms. Goudge didn't stray from her plot and the story moved along and a good pace without any dragging.This plot was right up my alley. If the main character finds an old journal or some hidden letters and must then solve some secret mystery, then that is a book for me. And that is just what happened in this book. We only went back to 1951, but the transitions between the two times were seamless. As I was reading I knew how I wanted it to end, but couldn't figure out where Ms. Goudge was going. I was pleasantly surprised by the twist at the end.Even though we were only with them for a short while, I really liked the characters. Knowing that Elizabeth ended up getting married and having two daughters allowed me to root for both of her suitors. I liked them both, and wanted them both to be happy.I am not usually a fan of romance as the main theme in a novel, but I really enjoyed this book. It was a light and easy read that had not a thing wrong with it.

This story is narrated by Elizabeth Keckley. She is a well known dressmaker, who sews for some of the most elite women in Washington City. When Mrs. Lincoln comes to the White House, she starts sewing for her also. The friendship of these two women grows through the years of Lincoln’s first term in office and lasts for years after his death.This book started off very good. We get to know Mrs. Keckley and some of her patrons. The character development of these historical figures was pretty good and I was hooked. Once Lincoln was in office and the war started, this book shifted to very well-researched, very detailed history lesson. There was not much of a story line aside from the historical one that we all know.Again, the character’s of the President and the First Lady were well developed. Lincoln was portrayed as a very kind and level headed man with spark of humor. I liked reading the parts of the story where he had something to say, and I was sad to see him go. Mrs. Lincoln was portrayed as impulsive and selfish. Even though she suffered some heartbreak both before and after her husband’s death, I just couldn’t bring myself to like her. I couldn’t understand why Elizabeth continued to stand up for her over and over.This book was a bit of a surprise. I was hoping for even more of Mrs. Lincoln’s and Mrs. Keckley’s friendship and less of the political turmoil surrounding the President. I love to learn about fashions of different times in history, and I expected the author to include more about the dresses that the dressmaker was making.In the end, I don’t think that this is a bad book at all. Just the opposite, it is quite an accomplished biography. However, for me, there was not enough fiction in this historical fiction.

This was a great starter book for anyone starting a weight loss journey. Most of her information isn't earthshaking, but it is presented in a way that makes it very useful. I mean, most of us know what we are doing wrong and why we are overweight or unhealthy. Her information about hormones was interesting.I though her diet and exercise tips were very doable. It really works to kick start weight loss or maintain one.Thank you Goodreads for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.

Usually when I’m reading a book for review I think about things to say as I read. Halfway through this book I didn't know what I was going to say and now that I’m finished I still don’t think I can do it justice.We are introduced to Rakhee as she is preparing to leave her sleeping fiance in the middle of the night. She knows she can’t marry him until she goes back to India and deals with her past. She leaves him a long letter explaining, and that explanation is the rest of the story in the book.I thought this book was magical. The story unfolded at the perfect pace; not once was I tempted to skim or skip ahead. I did not want to miss a single word. As I was reading, I felt like I was sitting at the knee of some wise grandmother listening to her stories. Ms. Nair’s words carried me slowly and calmly through the story, introducing characters smoothly. These characters were developed perfectly. Oh, they had their faults, but were so well written that you couldn't help but like them.I have always been a fan of stories set in India and Ms. Nair did a fabulous job describing her setting. Just as with her characters, she took a dry and not always pleasant setting and made is endearing and almost homey.From reading other reviews, I just knew I would like this book. I heard about it, requested it from the library, and finished it in just five days. It was a page-turner for sure, and I would not hesitate to read her next book.I originally reviewed this book for my blog, http://www.mommysreding.wordpress.com

This story follows Beth as she tries to make a new life for herself as a painter in a small fictitious coastal town in Maine. With the help of a “firefly” she finds a diary of a girl who used to live in the cottage she is renting. The girl, Katherine, had gone missing 35 years ago when she was 17 and Beth becomes obsessed with finding her.Sounds like a good plot and it really was. But, it turned out to be one of those books that I finished quickly in order to just finish. I think it comes down to the writing style. I didn’t feel attached to the characters at all. To me they seemed just like characters in a book, not people that I wanted to get to know and spend time with.I did enjoy the fantasy aspect of the story, it wasn’t overdone and fit the story perfectly. I also liked the ending. I saw it coming about 3/4 of the way through the book, and I was happy at the end that I was right. It is really 3.5 stars

Summary: Twenty-nine year old Lindsey Rose lives in the shadow of her beautiful fraternal twin sister, Alex. In order to get noticed, Lindsey works hard. She is the smart one, she got good grades in school, got into a great college, and has a successful job as a creative director for a New York advertising agency. One night, when she didn’t see all her hard work paying off, she makes a mistake that changes her life. While she tries to fix her mistake, she comes back home to her parent’s house in Maryland, and is confronted with what she left behind… how great Alex is. My Thoughts: This is not my usual read. I like a good contemporary fiction, but this was a bit more chick lit than I usually read. However, that does not mean that it was bad; quite the opposite it was pretty good. The story is told through Lindsey’s eyes. The first hundred or so pages were slow for me. I couldn’t identify with her life in New York: working 80 hour weeks, directing a team of people, competing with coworkers for accounts. I didn’t even like her all that much. But, when she got home, she eventually became more human and likeable. I started to like the new Lindsey. I enjoyed the new friends that she made, as well as the old friendships that she re-established. I do not have a sister, but I have two daughters who are as opposite as night and day. I can see how a lifetime of feeling not quite as good can lead to hurt feelings in adulthood. The relationship that these sisters had was sad. However the changes that they both went through, together and separately, were heartwarming. This book was a light and enjoyable read. I liked the ending, even though it was a bit predictable.