First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Roses

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph or maybe two of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph (or2) of the current book you are reading.

This week while continuing to read Winter of the World by Ken Follett, I will start reading this:

Howbutker, Texas, August 1985

At his desk, Amos Hines turned over the last sheet of the two-page legal document he'd been instructed to to read. His mouth had gone dry at wheat chaff, and for a moment he could only blink in dazed disbelief at his client and longtime friend seated before his desk, a woman he had admired - revered - for forty years and had thought he knew. He searched her expression for indications that age had finally affected her faculties, but she stared back with all the clear-eyed acuity for which she was renowned. Working saliva into his mouth, he asked, " Is this codicil for real, Mary? You've sold the farms and changed your will?" 

What do you think? Would you keep reading?
If so, join me in a Buddy read on Goodreads,
in the Ladies and Literature group.

 Roses
Leila Meacham
Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.
2010


Summary: Spanning the 20th century, the story of Roses takes place in a small East Texas town against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries, industries controlled by the scions of the town's founding families.

Until next time,
Stay Busy and Stay Happy

2013 Ebook Challenge #12 & #13

Latter-Day Cipher by Latayne C. Scott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I thought I was going to really like this book. The mystery of who was committing the murders, the interaction and the relationship that was building between Selonnah and Luke.  A good book was happening. Then suddenly there was no interaction between Luke and Selonnah, we switched to Roger and Anne. OK, so what's going on there?  And then we were suddenly away from the murders and were on a religious rant against the Mormon Church. Now I am not Mormon, but I do practice tolerance in all things, so this ranting in the book made me sad. I had the mystery figured out way early and it just wasn't very compelling to find out the reason this man was killing.

Swim by Jennifer Weiner

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This short story introduction to Jennifer Weiner's novel, The Next Best Thing introduces us to Ruth. She has left her job writing for a hit television show to do something anything else. Ruthie, as her grandmother calls her,  lives with her fun loving, vivacious grandmother, since losing her parents in a horrendous auto crash when she was just three years old. Her grandmother encourages her to "get out there", but Ruth finds herself hiding in the lap pool. She swims and swims and swims, rather than expose herself to others.

I want to know about her. I like her a lot and I want her to find a great job, fall in love and have a wonderful life.    

View all my reviews

Until next time,
Stay Busy and Stay Happy

What Are You Reading #2

This is my second attempt to post to What Are You Reading? My last entry was last Monday, the 23rd . You can read it HERE.

Today I am still working on Winter of the World,

 and I just finished ....

The Journey by John A. Heldt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the third book in the Northwest Passage that I have read. I think I may have like this on the best of all. John Heldt introduces a new character who travels back in time, but not as far as Joel Smith did in The Mine. In this book, the character Shelly Richardson goes back to the time she was a teenager, names Shelly Preston. I love how Heldt developed Michelle as a grown up Shelly and yet allowed her to be a different person and affect the lives of others. It was important to my reading of the story, that he kept me focused on who I was reading about and when by heading each chapter with the characters name and the time frame. I am anxious to read the next book, The Fire.  I have it on my kindle program on my laptop. I will get to it very soon. This read is actually #14 on the 2013 Ebook Challenge sponsored by Sarah @Workaday Reads


View all my reviews

Tomorrow I plan to begin a buddy read with Ladies & Literature group on Goodreads. We will read

in October and discuss it on Goodread Thread. Spoilers will be included. Come join us. 

It has been on my TBR list for quite awhile. It is a big book, and of course I have my October read for my F2F book club to start also. I ordered  4 copies for myself and 3 friends, but the order hasn't arrived yet. I am hoping for today. My book club will be reading

Friends in Deed: The Story of Quaker Social Reform in America by Susan Sachs Goldman. 

So as you can see, I will be busy reading. I also will work a Quilt Show this weekend. That means making sure the vendors are set up and happy, making a crock pot of chicken soup to help feed the workers and the vendors and manning the booth as needed. It is a long tiring weekend, but it is something I volunteered to do. I am fighting off a cold or allergy attack, I haven't quite figured out which yet!. I hope I start to feel better in the next day or two. I can't afford to be sick!!!!!

Until next time, 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy.

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Into The Journey

                   
                                               

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph or maybe two of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph (or2) of the current book you are reading.

The Journey - Northwest Passage Series

by John A Heldt

on my Kindle, provided at no charge by the author

                           Chapter 1: Michelle      Bellevue, Washington - Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Michelle stared at the marble memorial and saw dead things.  

The dead husband went without saying. The man she had known more that half of her life was literally six feet beneath her designer flats. Or at least his body was. Where his enterprising mind was at the moment was anyone's guess. 

I have read The Mine and The Show in this series. You can read my reviews on Goodreads . View all my reviews
 I really enjoyed John's use of time travel in both these books. He makes it feel like, maybe just maybe, time travel is possible. I fell in love with the characters, Joel Smith and Grace Vandenberg and all the rest. I am looking forward to starting this next book, very soon.  This is another e-book for my Ebook challenge and it will be the "J" in my name for part of the Mega Mix Challenge on Goodreads.

So, would you read on?

Until next time,
Stay Busy and Stay Happy

What Are You Reading #1

This is my first post for the meme, It's Monday, What Are You Reading? This meme is sponsored by Sheila at  Book Journey.  I used to do another Monday meme, but I wasn't getting any books in any mailbox.

So today I will share my current reads. I am in the middle of

 Winter of the World by Ken Follett. The 2nd in the Century Trilogy. Oh how I love a trilogy!.

It is a very large book, 940 pages, but I am really enjoying connecting with the characters from Fall of Giants.  This book is on loan to me from a friend in my F2F book club. 

I am also reading, 

This is the second in the series , A Garden Mystery. I do not own a garden shop, nor am I a college professor, but for some reason I identify with Peggy Lee. Maybe it's just her age, and maybe I would like to have a romantic interest in my life!  LOL. This one was loaned to me by my daughter-in-law. 

This will be the 3rd in the September mini-challenge for the Love of Reading group on Good Reads. It's called, You Have the Right to Remain Silent. The books need to be crime/mystery/or thriller. 

 Until next time, 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Wondrous Words Wednesday

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted by BermudaOnion each week. It's an opportunity to share new words you've encountered in your reading, or highlight words that you particularly enjoy.

I am currently reading Latter-day Cipher by Latayne C. Scott. I am reading it on my Kindle and so the new to me words have been easy to look up. But I'd like to share a few here. 

1.   surfeited.        Office staff had of course been off all weekend so surfeited fax machines with their endless cascades of papers squealed for attention.  

surfeit in a noun meaning a excessive amount of something.  

2. apocryphal       That ancestral name seemed apocryphal at best - the rangy-boned kid was handsome but hardly Nordic. 

apocryphal is an adjective.  (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true. 

3. obsequious     ...he'd heard Alma Woodruff's Lord-voice booming behind the holy veil there in the temple, right after the obsequious "veil worker" had tapped with a mallet three time. 

obsequious is an adjective meaning obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. 

Although these words are interesting, and there are many more in this book, I doubt that I will add them to my everyday language.  Are these words familiar to you? Do you use them frequently?

Until next time, 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Mailbox Monday A Final Chapter.

I guess I am going to have to give up participation in Mailbox Monday. I will still read all your blogs, because I really enjoy seeing what everyone else acquired.

I did download this new one to my Kindle on Thursday. I don't have the funds to purchase many. This one was free through Book Bub. And I refuse to purchase a book, just because it is free or only $.99.  But the cover appealed to me as did the title. 

My reading time seems to be minimal at best these days. So it is probably fine that I don't participate in the ARC promos that many of you do. I would really be depressed that I didn't get them read and give the reviews expected. 

I am woefully behind on my goal to read 80 books this year. Last year I read  61 books and my goal was 50. This year I thought, that was easy, I can do 80!. I have only read 47 so far!   :(.   

I am off to spend time in my sewing room today. Thursday I leave for a 4 day quilting retreat. I will read some there at night to unwind, but mostly I will be sewing, sewing , sewing. I don't know how the internet service will be there. Usually not so good, be we can hope for improvement!.  

Until next time, 

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Saturday Snapshot. Precious Little Prince

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda at  West Metro Mommy Reads. To participate in the Saturday Snapshot meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky (at West Metro Mommy). Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don’t post random photos that you find online.

This is the precious baby we have been waiting for. Joseph Raynor  was born on September 5th. Mama is our oldest granddaughter. She was in labor 42 hours. She and her husband have been married for 9 years and this is their first baby. He is our 2nd Great Grandson. We were going to travel to see and hold him this weekend. But they live in Ft Collins CO and all roads from Wyoming to Ft Collins were closed due to extreme flooding. They are all safe and dry, we just couldn't get there. Of course it is sunny and dry where we live, making it super sad that we could not go.  We will try again in 2 weeks. Can't wait to hold him. 

Until next time,

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

E Book Challenge #10 & #11 The Buggy List and The Show

The Buggy List by Courtney Rice Gager
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Libby and Drew seemed to have it all. Great careers, great family, and a real great love for each other. They hadn't really thought about starting a family but when Libby's sister warned to do "the things you want to now, because there won't be an after", they decided to make a list. Drew's items were fun but practical, Libby's items were fun and silly. Half way through the list, thinks start to change and come apart.
This book is cute and predictable, but fun and maybe just a little thought provoking as Drew and Libby struggle to complete their lists and maintain their love for each other.

The Show by John A. Heldt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is a sequel to The Mine and though published after the 2nd book, The Journey, the author sent it to me to read and stated that it really was the book that transitioned from The Mine to The Journey. I loved meeting up with Grace and Joel again. I was so unhappy the way The Mine ended, I wanted more. With The Show, I got more and then some. Several incidents took me by surprise. I never thought I would like time travel stories, I didn't really care for The Time Traveler's Wife, but I like John Heldt's take on time travel. I am anxious to read The Journey. ( I would link it here, but Goodread's has made it a chore to find the link. There are over 100 pages to scroll through. I will include the link to the author, John A. Heldt and you can check out his books there.

I'm caught up for now and am still reading e-books.  So maybe I will up my level from the CD Level = 10 books to DVD Level = 25 books.  I hope I can complete that level. 

First Chapter First Paragraph Intros 9-10-13 Latter-Day Cipher

Every Tuesday, Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posts the first paragraph or maybe two of her current read. Anyone can join in. Go to Diane's website for the image and share the first paragraph (or2) of the current book you are reading.

There on the damp pine needles, Kirsten Young lay on her back, a serene Ophelia in her dusky pond of blood. The dark irises of her bloodshot eyes stared unseeing into the branches above her head. The sun had burst through the clouds after the sudden downpour and now blazed above the canopy of conifers and aspens in Provo Canyon.  Deep in its recesses, the light filtered down in vertical sheets of champagne dust that played across the body. 

This is the first paragraph of the first chapter of the book I started while on vacation. Would you read on? 

Latter-day Cipher

Latayne C. Scott

Moody Publishers

ISBN 978-0-8024-5679-3

I normally do not read much murder mystery. But this one caught my eye because it is set in Utah, a neighboring state, and because of the word cipher. I love a good puzzle. The book is mainly about the investigation of the murder(s) and the people involved in the story surrounding the investigation.  I am currently on page 114 of 368 and I am liking it a lot. 

Until next time,

Stay Busy and Stay Happy

Mailbox Monday 9-9-13 This is Paradise

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week(s) and explore great book blogs. Mailbox Monday is currently on tour, hosted by a different blog each month. For the month of September the host is Yoland at @ Notorious Spinks Talks

 Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

Lately I have had empty mailboxes.  But last week, while we were away camping a book arrived. Hurray. 

I won this copy in a giveaway from Wendy at Caribousmom.  Thanks Wendy. It is collection of six stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila.  I am looking forward to reading this collection.

This week will be busy with my quilt guild September meeting in the park. We gather to have a lunch exchange, reminiscent of an old fashioned box social. We will exchange a lunch and the container that it comes in. Some will be homemade, some will not. Then we sit in the park, and work on our own UFO(unfinished object)  handwork. Some will work on embroidery pieces, some will sew on binding, some will come just to share and visit. We ALWAYS have a great time.

I will be unpacking the camper, catching up on the laundry and getting ready to go again on Friday. We will drive to Fort Collins CO to meet our newest great grandson who was born on Sept 5th. I can hardly wait. If it OK with his parents I will share a picture or two when we get back.

So until next time,
Stay Busy and Stay Happy

September getaway! Ready for a week away.

I have been gathering my stitching stuff and charging my kindle. I also packed 3 decks of cards and a Sudoku book or two. All in anticipation of 6 days away in our new-to-us camper.

Then I decided to make a dish rug for the counter in the camper. It is a narrow counter only 18" deep and the sink fits in the corner, making the counter very odd shaped. I decided to take the rectangular measurements and followed an idea I had seen at Freemotion by the River. Connie has great tutorials for all kinds of useful things using scraps and leftovers.

 I had some 5" squares cut for a class I took from Pat Spaeth at a quilting conference 2012. We made lots of different kinds of block using Pat's nickel quilt method, but I had cut more than I had time to practice with. Long story short, I took nine of the 5" squares and sewed them into a nine patch. ( I know I should have taken pictures). Then I cut those following Connie's disappearing nine patch tutorial on her blog. That made a block that was 13.5 " sq. I needed a rectangle to finish at 16" X 18".  I dug through my blue/purple stash and luck was on my side. I found a piece of the dark fabric that was in the 9-patch. I added a piece on the bottom of the block and then a piece on the end of the block. I sewed that finished rectangle to an old blue towel and VIOLA, I had a perfect dish rug for the camper. Sure, I could have just used a towel for draining the dishes, but this will be so much prettier. Thanks Connie for your great tutorial. I really want to do a string block table runner this winter. My plan is to by no new fabric or patterns in 2014. I need to finish my UFO's, use up the fabric that is overtaking my sewing room.


Until next time
Stay Busy and Stay Happy