Cycling, Wine, and Men by Nancy Brook

I decided to read Cycling, Wine, and Men based on the review of a friend of mine. This is a memoir of a woman in her forties who decided to take a cycling tour of southern France. The 700 mile bike ride gives her a chance to think about her life, her priorities, her lack of romance, and overcoming some obstacles.

Along the way Nancy decides to break from the pack and meet the locals and get a chance to see what life in France is really all about. Nancy's strength and courage is very admirable. Her life story is also very interesting, from the struggles she faced in her life to what lead her decision to bike across France.

This was a good book, and worth the read. It really shows how much a person can achieve if they really try and set their mind to it. That inner strength combined with some hard work can get a person almost anywhere they want to be. Also, I loved the tips she threw in between the chapters: cycling basics, touring basics and wine basics.

However, there were some minor downsides that detracted from the story a little bit. The first was that Nancy seemed a bit judgmental of her fellow riders, however, she later on admitted that this was a problem that she needed to work on. The second was the way she described the other American tourists in Paris. She kept reminding the reader how they were "supersized". I just didn't see the need for that to be in this book.

I gave this book 3.5 stars.

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy

I won this book on the Goodreads Giveaway.

When I first started this book I was skeptical because it was the first-person narration of a thirteen year old Afghan girl, written by a member of the US military. I got it in the mail last night and figured I would read a little bit before bed. Well, I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. I was enchanted by the young girl and everything that she and her older sister, Zeynab had to go through.

I felt like I was really in...moreI won this book on the Goodreads Giveaway.

When I first started this book I was skeptical because it was the first-person narration of a thirteen year old Afghan girl, written by a member of the US military. I got it in the mail last night and figured I would read a little bit before bed. Well, I ended up reading the whole thing in one sitting. I was enchanted by the young girl and everything that she and her older sister, Zeynab had to go through.

I felt like I was really inside of her home and watching her interact with her family. I also felt the pain when she told of the hurtful things that people said to her because of her cleft lip. This book had some dark moments, but also some hopeful ones. It was a great read and I look forward to more from Mr. Reed

Words in the Dust was an insightful, heartwarming, remarkable book. I give it 5 stars.

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated by Alison Arngrim

As a long time fan of the show Little House on the Prairie I was very much looking forward to reading Alison Arngrim's Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Being Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being hated. In this book Arngrim shares what her life was like growing up, what it was like playing Nellie Oleson, and what she has done since the show.

I found the book to be a great read. I had no idea some of the trauma that Arngrim had to face, but she puts it forth as simply an obstacle that she had to overcome. She is not looking for pity or sympathy, instead she shows the strength that she had inside to overcome some of the things she was forced to go throw. It gives a certain human quality to a woman who is most famous for playing a TV villain.

I loved the parts of the book where she talked about her life on the set of Little House on the Prairie. She lays it all out on the line, telling who she got along with and who she didn't. She also tells of some of the most memorable Nellie Oleson moments and how she felt while she was shooting them. Arngrim also mentioned her relationship with her fans, and how some really hated her because of the role that she played.

What I liked the most about Arngrim and her book, was that she embraces the fact that she played Nellie Oleson and that is how most fans see her. She doesn't let any sort of pride stand in the way of as she puts it "knowing where her bread is buttered." Arngrim also showed how she used the power of being Nellie Oleson to do various charity work and help raise money for those who need it the most.

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 stars. If you were (or still are) a Little House on the Prairie fan, you will enjoy reading this book.

Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles

Roseflower Creek by Jackie Lee Miles was offered for free for the Kindle on Amazon, so I decided to give it a try. The story involves the life, murder, and afterlife of a 10-year-old girl named Lori Jean, written from the point of view of the little girl. (Note: This is not a spoiler as it tells you that in the very first paragraph.) It is set in the 1950's in a very poor part of Georgia.

Even though the story itself deals with a tough subject matter, it is very engaging. It is written as though Lori Jean were sitting there talking to you, complete with a drawl and moments of joy and pain that a child feels. I felt connected with Lori Jean right from the start was compelled to hear her tell her story.

Roseflower Creek is one of those books that just stays with you long after you read it. It is not exactly "entertaining" because of the subject matter at hand, but it does have a certain endearing quality and once I started, I had a hard time putting it down. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Salting Roses by Lorelle Marinello

I decided to read Salting Roses based on the recommendation from a friend of mine. I have to say, I was not disappointed.

The story revolves around a young woman, Gracie, who was abandoned on her uncle's doorstep when she was just a baby. On her 25th birthday a young stranger comes around to inform her that she is to receive an inheritance of over 600 million dollars. Long-lost family starts coming out of the woodwork and they help Gracie discover exactly who she is and where her roots are.

This book absolutely captivated me from the first page. The relationship that Gracie has with her Uncle's family is heartfelt and genuine and there is no secret of how strongly they feel toward each other. Her family is a cast of characters that warmed my heart.

Gracie herself is a strong woman, but she is not perfect. She has several insecurities that made me love her and really feel for everything this woman is going through. It was refreshing to see the main character have some faults and doubts, it made her seem more realistic.

I cannot recommend this book enough. It made laugh and it made me tear up. I give it 5 out of 5 stars and wish that I could give it more.

The Pursuit of Pleasure by Elizabeth Essex

When I saw that The Pursuit of Pleasure by Elizabeth Essex was free on Amazon for my Kindle, I downloaded it thinking that it would be a guilty pleasure type of romance. What I got was better than I expected.

The story is set in 17th century England and starts out with two people, Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Jamie entering into a marriage of convenience. He wanted to secure his property while he was away on a naval mission and she wants some independence to live the way she chooses. The story had my attention from the start and it turned out to be quite good.

The characters are likable and believable, however their romance together seemed a bit forced at times, especially given they had such a short amount of time together before Jamie had to leave on business.

The sex scenes were hot and steamy and very well-written. The only minor complaint I have with them is that their placement in the book was a bit awkward. The two characters go from hating each other to making love then right back to hating each other. It got a little confusing as to what the reader was supposed to be feeling.

Despite those minor complaints, the book was a good read. I would give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Evil Plans Having Fun on the Road to World Domination by Hugh MacLoed

I won this book on the Goodreads Giveaways.

This book gives some good advice to people looking for a career change. It lays it all out in matter-of-fact kind of way and helps people realize their goals. The cartoons in the book were a mix of insightful and hilarious.

There were some problems with the book though. First, based on the title, I expected to be a bit more humorous than it was. It is actually a fairly serious advice book under a funny title. The second was that i...moreI won this book on the Goodreads Giveaways.

This book gives some good advice to people looking for a career change. It lays it all out in matter-of-fact kind of way and helps people realize their goals. The cartoons in the book were a mix of insightful and hilarious.

There were some problems with the book though. First, based on the title, I expected to be a bit more humorous than it was. It is actually a fairly serious advice book under a funny title. The second was that it seems to be a bit dis-jointed at times, as it jumps from topic to topic in no particular order.

Also, some of the advice I couldn't get behind. MacLoed states that if your boss isn't letting you work on your Evil Plan, then you should quit. Later on in the book he tells of a girl named Cindi who did just that, by going to live back home with her mom and taking a small job while working on her Evil Plan: however, he did not address what people should do if they simply cannot leave their job or take a job for less money while they are working on their Plan.

If you are looking for a new job or how to make some money doing something you love, then this is a good book to read. However, if you are expecting a humor book with some advice thrown in, then you should seek elsewhere.

2.5 stars.

Unbillable Hours: A True Story by Ian Graham

I got this book free on my Kindle.

This book had all the markings of a good story, about a young man falsely accused of murder and the lawyer who would set out to help him. That side of the story was engaging and well-written, aside from a few minor dialogue issues.

The part I did not like was that intermixed with the story was Graham's life as a new associate attorney in a huge law firm. He mentions several times how he thought law work would be different and not as "mind-numbing", which would be okay, but after awhile it just seems to be a lot of complaining. Graham also takes the opportunity every so often to remind people of the sacrifices he made to be a lawyer and how he is just naturally gifted at this job. If it hadn't been for the self-praise I would have given this book 3.5 stars, but that knocked it down to 2.

Juliet

I've recently finished the novel Juliet by Anne Fortier. I have to say it was an amazing novel. I started it and finished it within two days, I just could not stop reading until the very end.

The novel starts out with Julie Jacobs receiving a mysterious letter from her now-deceased Aunt Rose. The letter tells of a treasure that awaits her in Siena, Italy. Where two long-rivaled families still live.

Jacobs decides to take her destiny by the horns and she travels overseas to figure out what her treasure could be. Along the way old rivals are resurfaced and she discovers an old family secret - that she could be the descendant of the real Juliet from Romeo & Juliet.

The novel updates the classic tale and also gives a new life to the old story as the two stories are intertwined. It is a very compelling read, and I was left wondering til the end just who was on the "good" side and who was not.

New Book Blog!

So, ever since I've gotten my Amazon Kindle, I've been doing a LOT of reading. I'm going to use this blog to post reviews and such of the books I read.