Friday, December 31, 2010

December's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. December's Book of the Month is: 


 False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak
Published as: False Witness in August 1981
Publisher: Simon and Schuster



Birth Name: Dorothy Goldstein
Born: 24 April 1930 in New York City, New York
Died: 8 July 2006 in Greenport, New York

Canonical Name: Dorothy Uhnak
Pseudonyms: None

False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak was the sixty-third book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since November 20, 2009 and it took me four days to read. I sent this book off to another good home on May 16, 2012.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Daphne du Maurier - Mary Anne

66. Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier (1954)
Length: 351 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 29 December 2010
Finished: 30 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like Daphne du Maurier as an author.


Mary Anne was Daphne du Maurier's great-great-grandmother. This is a novel about Mary Anne's life. She married a ne'er do well and later became mistress to a royal duke. She became part of a scandal that shocked England's staid Victorian society. I truly enjoyed this book although it became very legal towards the end. I give this story an A!


A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Lee Mather - The Green Man

65. The Green Man by Lee Mather (2010)
Length: 27 pages
Genre: Short Story
Started/Finished: 28 December 2010
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Lee for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 December 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and Lee Mather is a new author for me.

Peter is going on a plane trip when he receives a frantic phone call from his mother begging him not to go. She has seen a vision of the 'Green Man' and is worried about him. Peter's relationship with his mother has become strained since his father's death and he categorically doesn't believe in the 'Green Man'. What follows is a journey in faith, love and forgiveness. I enjoyed this story because I grew up in Manchester and it reminded me of several things. This story was a little hard to follow in areas but I enjoyed it for the most part. I give it a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, December 27, 2010

David Lavender - Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party

64. Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party by David Lavender (1948)
Length: 96 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 25 December 2010
Finished: 27 December 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 30 November 2010
Why do I have it? Mareena gave me this book as a Christmas present.


This is a children's book of the story of the Donner Party - a party of settlers who were traveling to California and got trapped in a snowstorm. It is a story of greed, heroics and tragedy. I love history and trivia books, and my daughter knows that the history that I like to read is usually contained in children's books. I found this story was heartrending and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dorothy Uhnak - False Witness

63. False Witness by Dorothy Uhnak (1981)
Length: 314 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 10 December 2010
Finished: 14 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and I had read and enjoyed The Ryer Avenue Story by the same author many years ago.


A beautiful talk show host is brutally attacked and injured in her apartment. This book is about the shocking accusation of who did it. I enjoyed the twists and turns of a very interesting plot and that justice was meted out in an unusual way. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Judith Henry Wall - Blood Sisters

62. Blood Sisters by Judith Henry Wall (1992)
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 1 December 2010
Finished: 5 December 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 20 November 2009
Why do I have it? I like historical fiction and Judith Henry Wall is a new author for me.


Made blood sisters in the 1950's, when they were school girls, Jen, Helen, Bonnie and Libby take many different paths toward love, success, tragedy and heartbreak as they grow toward womanhood. I really enjoyed this book and will be looking for more by this author. I give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for November at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out November with about 648 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 647 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and Paperback Swap.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
- Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party by David Lavender
- The Summit Sojourners by William Ridley
- Cities of the Dead by Linda Barnes
- Neighbors by Maureen S. Pusti
- Great Irish Tales of Horror: A Treasury of Fear by Peter Haining
- Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror by Douglas E. Winter 
- Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham
- Erica Wilson's Children's World by Janet Wilson

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Rabbit Redux by John Updike
- The Uninvited by John Farris
- How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong
- The Way Through the Woods by Colin Dexter
- Perry Mason Solves the Case of the Lucky Loser by Erle Stanley Gardner
- Sudden Mischief by Robert B. Parker
- Plague Ship by Frank G. Slaughter
- Small Vices by Robert B. Parker
- Mr. Murder by Dean R. Koontz

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, not a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 1
Pages Read: 289
Grade Range: A+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was November. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up for November at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out November with about 648 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 647 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and Paperback Swap.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
- Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party by David Lavender
- The Summit Sojourners by William Ridley
- Cities of the Dead by Linda Barnes
- Neighbors by Maureen S. Pusti
- Great Irish Tales of Horror: A Treasury of Fear by Peter Haining
- Prime Evil: New Stories by the Masters of Modern Horror by Douglas E. Winter 
- Dancers in Mourning by Margery Allingham
- Erica Wilson's Children's World by Janet Wilson

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Rabbit Redux by John Updike
- The Uninvited by John Farris
- How to Save Your Own Life by Erica Jong
- The Way Through the Woods by Colin Dexter
- Perry Mason Solves the Case of the Lucky Loser by Erle Stanley Gardner
- Sudden Mischief by Robert B. Parker
- Plague Ship by Frank G. Slaughter
- Small Vices by Robert B. Parker
- Mr. Murder by Dean R. Koontz

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, not a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 1
Pages Read: 289
Grade Range: A+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was November. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

November's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. November's Book of the Month is: 


One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Published as: One True Thing in 1994
Publisher: Random House





Birth Name: Anna Marie Quindlen
Born: 8 July 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Canonical Name: Anna Quindlen
Pseudonyms: None

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen was the sixty-first book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since October 1, 2010 and it took me ten days to read. I sent the paperback copy of this book off to another good home on August 10, 2011. The hardcover copy of this book has been on my TBR shelf since March 5, 2010 and is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

November's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. November's Book of the Month is: 


 One True Thing by Anna Quindlen
Published as: One True Thing in 1994
Publisher: Random House





Birth Name: Anna Marie Quindlen
Born: 8 July 1952 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Canonical Name: Anna Quindlen
Pseudonyms: None

One True Thing by Anna Quindlen was the sixty-first book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since October 1, 2010 and it took me ten days to read. I sent the paperback copy of this book off to another good home on August 10, 2011. The hardcover copy of this book has been on my TBR shelf since March 5, 2010 and is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, November 26, 2010

Anna Quindlen - One True Thing

61. One True Thing by Anna Quindlen (1994)
Length: 289 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 16 November 2010
Finished: 26 November 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and I read and enjoyed Blessings by the same author in the past.

I have to say that I had started watching the 1998 movie that came on television the other night when Mareena reminded me that I had the book hidden somewhere around the house. I decided to dig it out and read it because I love sad books. When a homemaker mother gets cancer, her daughter quits her top dog job to take care of her. The husband is a college professor who is remote and leaves the care of his wife to his daughter.

I enjoyed this book; it was well-written and an easy read. It was very interesting as I love books about the dynamics of families. I give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Monday, November 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for October at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out October with about 651 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 646 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon
- The Architect by Keith Ablow
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman
- The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain 

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Random Winds by Belva Plain
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Brain by Robin Cook
- The Advocate's Devil by Alan M. Dershowitz
- Denial by Keith Ablow
- Immoral Certainty by Robert K. Tannenbaum
- Houses of Stone by Barbara Michaels
- The Body in the Bouillon by Katherine Hall Page
- His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelley
- Julia by Peter Straub

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1,683
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up for October at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out October with about 651 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 646 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon
- The Architect by Keith Ablow
- The Ruins by Scott Smith
- Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman
- The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain 

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Random Winds by Belva Plain
- One True Thing by Anna Quindlen

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Brain by Robin Cook
- The Advocate's Devil by Alan M. Dershowitz
- Denial by Keith Ablow
- Immoral Certainty by Robert K. Tannenbaum
- Houses of Stone by Barbara Michaels
- The Body in the Bouillon by Katherine Hall Page
- His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra by Kitty Kelley
- Julia by Peter Straub

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 5
Pages Read: 1,683
Grade Range: A+! to B+!

So, there you go! The reading month that was October. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)



Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 31, 2010

October's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. October's Book of the Month is: 


 The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain
Published as: The Sight of the Stars in December 2003
Publisher: Delacorte Press




Birth Name: Belva Offenberg
Born: 9 October 1915 in New York City, New York
Died: 12 October 2010 in Short Hills, New Jersey

Canonical Name: Belva Plain
Pseudonyms: None

The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain was the fifty-sixth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since February 24, 2010 and it took me five days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Sidney Sheldon - Memories of Midnight

60. Memories of Midnight by Sidney Sheldon (1990)
The Other Side of Midnight Series Book 2 
Length: 399 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 28 October 2010
Finished: 30 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Set in London and Greece, this is Sidney Sheldon's sequel to The Other Side of Midnight. Greek tycoon Constantin Demiris likes his revenge ice cold. Months after he had Catherine, his mistress, and the lover she betrayed him with executed, he decides to tie up loose ends by having everyone who can link him to the not entirely successful crime killed off.

Catherine is currently suffering from amnesia and Constantin can't stop toying with her, as she is basically the only one who knows enough to sink the shipping magnate. I enjoyed this book but found it slightly farfetched. I give it a B+!

B+! - (89-94%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Keith Ablow - The Architect

59. The Architect by Keith Ablow (2005)
Frank Clevenger, M.D. Series Book 6
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 18 October 2010
Finished: 28 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I do enjoy contemporary mysteries and Keith Ablow is a new author for me.

West Crosse is a brilliant, handsome architect with a love of ideal beauty and a commitment to creating it at all costs. But the rich, powerful families who employ him don't realize that he has a dark side: Crosse can't stop at designing their homes, he must make their lives beautiful as well.

To Crosse, that means murdering abusive spouses, a toxic lover, predatory business partners or anyone else who doesn't fit with his ideal of perfection. As Crosse begins his master work, the FBI's Frank Clevenger begins the ultimate cat and mouse game. I enjoyed this book and give it an A+! 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Scott Smith - The Ruins

58. The Ruins by Scott Smith (2006)
Length: 319 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 7 October 2010
Finished: 17 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and Scott Smith is a new author to me.


Six friends are exploring a Mexican archeological dig. What sets out to be a fun exploration of the Mayan ruins turns into a nightmare beyond imagination. I loved this story but it is not for the squeamish. It was the perfect horror story for me and I give it an A+!


A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman - Still Talking

57. Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman (1991)
Length: 285 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 October 2010
Finished: 7 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I like non-fiction and have always been curious about Joan Rivers' life.

This is the story of a woman who had - and then lost - everything. The story of a woman who worked for three decades to finally reach the top. What subsequently happened to Joan Rivers had more to do with being a woman than with being a star. In a business that is notoriously harsh to women, Joan Rivers struggled to carve out a niche for herself that for the past several decades, has marked her as one of the gutsiest comediennes working in the business today.

Ultimately, Joan was forced to choose between her husband and her career. In the titanic confrontation between her husband and the boss of her television network, Joan stood with her husband and was out of a job. Far worse, Edgar, her husband of twenty-two years, took his own life.

In the face of such awful tragedy, where did this controversial star find the inner strength to continue on and survive without the protection of her husband? With her trademark combination of biting humor and fragility, tough-minded ambition and traditional values, Joan Rivers tells a story of tragedy and eventual triumph. Not only has she learned to survive the trials and tribulations of life, but she has ultimately thrived.

I must say that while I don't enjoy Joan Rivers' style of comedy, I certainly enjoyed reading her autobiography. She has gone through so much tragedy; things that would quite possibly torpedo another person's career for good. However, Joan Rivers has somehow risen above and triumphed over such sadness and still has managed to be successful. In my opinion, she is a very strong woman; a woman who is to be admired for her fortitude. I give this book an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman - Still Talking

57. Still Talking by Joan Rivers and Richard Meryman (1991)
Length: 293 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 1 October 2010
Finished: 7 October 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 October 2010
Why do I have it? I have always been curious about Joan Rivers' life.


The well-known comedienne and talk show host opens up about her career, her rise to the top, her marriage, the birth of her daughter, and the suicide of her husband, Edgar. I found this book to be extremely honest and well-written. I give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Belva Plain - The Sight of the Stars

56. The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain (2003)
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Started: 28 September 2010
Finished: 3 October 2010
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 24 February 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Dressed in a new suit with 150 dollars in his pocket, Adam Arnring says goodbye to his family and boards a train for the West. The year is 1907. Adam is nineteen years old, a young man with stars in his eyes who has dreams of a bright future in the wide open spaces of America. Far from his New Jersey roots, Adam lands a job in a small department store in a booming Texas town. He is taken with the beautiful and untouchable Emma Rothirsch who inhabits a world whose doors are forever closed to him. But Adam is determined to fight for what he wants.

One is Emma, another is to build a lasting empire to pass on to his children and grandchildren. But just when Adam seems to be able to attain what he wants, fate intervenes. Tragedy strikes from the trenches of World War I, setting in motion a series of events which will have reprecussions throughout the years.

Adam, now the head of a growing family and a prosperous department store, succumbs to a moment of weakness culminating in an ultimate act of betrayal - one that is unforgivable. Now as a new generation of the family is born, a secret from the Arnrings' past reaches forward to shatter their lives.

I enjoyed this story and give it an A+! I enjoy Belva Plain's writing very much and would definitely recommend this book to anyone.

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, October 1, 2010

Reading Wrap-up for September at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out September with 657 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 650 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts
- Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D.
- Treasures by Belva Plain
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Whispers by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- No Mercy by John Walsh
- Another View by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Flowers in the Rain by Rosamunde Pilcher
- The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Under Gemini by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
- Halfway Home: My Life 'Til Now by Ronan Tynan
- The Passion of Molly T. by Lawrence Sanders

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 7
Pages Read: 2,733
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was September. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Reading Wrap-up for September at Moonshine and Rosefire

Hello everyone out there and I hope that you all had a terrific reading month for yourselves. I am known as Rosefire around the Internet and this is my new personal reading blog. I originally posted my reviews over at my daughter's blog, Emeraldfire's Bookmark but am now in the process of transferring them all over to my own blog. My daughter makes blogging look like so much fun that I thought that I would try it out for myself! :)

Anyway, I started out September with 657 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 650 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch.

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts
- Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D.
- Treasures by Belva Plain
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Whispers by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Hill Towns by Anne Rivers Siddons

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- No Mercy by John Walsh
- Another View by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Flowers in the Rain by Rosamunde Pilcher
- The Day of the Storm by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Under Gemini by Rosamunde Pilcher
- Whitethorn Woods by Maeve Binchy
- Halfway Home: My Life 'Til Now by Ronan Tynan
- The Passion of Molly T. by Lawrence Sanders

Well, there it is...the breakdown! All in all, a very good reading month for me. Here's a further breakdown:

Books Read: 7
Pages Read: 2,733
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was September. I hope that you all had an equally good reading month; if not a little better. :) See you all next month! :)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Thursday, September 30, 2010

September's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. September's Book of the Month is: 

 The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts
Published as: Afternoon of an Autocrat or The Devil in Clevely  in 1956
Publisher: Doubleday and Company



Birth Name: Norah Robinson
Born: 27 August 1904 in Shipdham, Norfolk, England
Died: 10 September 1983 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England

Canonical Name: Norah Lofts
Pseudonyms: Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis

The Deadly Gift by Nancy Thayer was the fifty-fifth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since April 4, 2009 and it took me eight days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

September's Book of the Month

Hello Everyone! I chose the picture posted above because it reminds me of reading to my daughter Mareena when she was little. Every afternoon until she was about eight or nine years old, we would take one of her books that she wanted to read or that she was reading and we would curl up together on my big bed. 

We would spend an hour or so reading a chapter of her book, and then take a nap together. Her absolutely favorite author at that time was an English author named Enid Blyton. Ahh, nice memories...

My picks for 'Books of the Month' will be decidedly more adult these days, but they will be from almost any genre. September's Book of the Month is: 

 The Deadly Gift by Nancy Thayer
Published as: Afternoon of an Autocrat or The Devil in Clevely  in 1956
Publisher: Doubleday and Company




Birth Name: Norah Robinson
Born: 27 August 1904 in Shipdham, Norfolk, England
Died: 10 September 1983 in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England

Canonical Name: Norah Lofts
Pseudonyms: Juliet Astley and Peter Curtis

The Deadly Gift by Nancy Thayer was the fifty-fifth book that I read in 2010. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since April 4, 2009 and it took me eight days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Norah Lofts - The Deadly Gift

55. The Deadly Gift by Norah Lofts (1967)
Length: 317 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 20 September 2010
Finished: 28 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 4 April 2009
Why do I have it? I like Norah Lofts as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.


An enthralling novel of strange love and demonic evil. An old squire dies suddenly and his son takes over as the new squire after being abroad for years with his wife. He meets the people of his new home and becomes involved in the black arts and makes the acquaintance of a strange young woman and an evil older man. I enjoyed this book however it's a little involved in the plot. I give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Stephen B. Seager, M. D. - Psychward

54. Psychward by Stephen B. Seager, M. D. (1991)
Length: 251 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction
Started: 18 September 2010
Finished: 19 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 May 2010
Why do I have it? Mareena got this as a surprise gift for me and Stephen B. Seager, M. D. is a new author for me.


Psychward is the true story of the first years in psychiatry of Stephen B. Seager, M. D. It covers the sometimes funny, sweet and horrific stories of the patients of the psychward where Dr. Seager worked for a year. I thought it was a very easy read and give it an A+!

A+! - (96-100%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, September 17, 2010

Belva Plain - Treasures

53. Treasures by Belva Plain (1992)
Length: 517 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 11 September 2010
Finished: 17 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 11 September 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

The Osborne family - two sisters and a brother - are split apart by dreams and circumstances. Lara, living in a devoted marriage wants nothing more than to keep the family together, Connie wants social status and marriage and Eddy dreams of making money and having power. When a tragedy brings them all together, they must decide what they truly treasure. I liked this book and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Friday, September 10, 2010

Danielle Steel - Summer's End

52. Summer's End by Danielle Steel (1979)
Length: 384 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 8 September 2010
Finished: 10 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like Danielle Steel as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.


Deanna was eighteen when she married handsome Frenchman, attorney Marc-Edouard Duras. Now, at thirty-seven she should be happy with Marc, her beautiful house in San Francisco and their teenage daughter, Pilar. But one summer changes it all when she realizes that her failing marriage is a trap that she must escape. It's sort of hit or miss for me with books by Danielle Steel. She can be a bit long-winded for me although I found that Summer's End was very good. I give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Lisa Scottoline - Running From the Law

51. Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline (1996)
The Rosato and Associates Series Book 3
Length: 464 pages
Genre: Contemporary Mystery
Started: 5 September 2010
Finished: 8 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like contemporary mysteries and Lisa Scottoline is a new author for me.

Against her better judgment, Rita Morrone, a smart-mouthed, poker playing, sassy young lawyer takes on the task of defending her lover's father - a respected judge - from sexual harrassment charges leveled by his secretary. Little does she know that Paul, her lover, is involved in the case, the secretary will end up dead, and her and her father's life will hang in the balance. Rita continues to investigate and with the help of her poker playing cronies, discovers that the judge may well have been framed. I really enjoyed this book and give it an A!

A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Stephen King - Thinner

50. Thinner by Stephen King (1984)
Length: 320 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 2 September 2010
Finished: 4 September 2010
Where did it come from? From a Library Book Sale
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 1 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like horror and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

When heavy-set attorney Billy Halleck accidentally kills an old gypsy woman, his dreams of losing weight turn to nightmares as the old woman's family curses him. The ancient curse slowly forces Billy to lose weight, then more and more rapidly as time goes by. Now Billy must find a way to escape with his life.

I have read quite a number of Stephen King's books and although he is very popular as a writer, I find many of his books a little longwinded and drawn out. However, I found Thinner very scary and was drawn into the story. I give it an A!


A! - (90-95%)


Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Belva Plain - Whispers

49. Whispers by Belva Plain (1993)
Length: 475 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 28 August 2010
Finished: 1 September 2010
Where did it come from? From Bookmooch
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 28 August 2010
Why do I have it? I like Belva Plain as an author and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Robert and Lynn Ferguson are the quintessentially picture-perfect couple with two beautiful daughters and a lovely home in an exclusive Connecticut community. Robert is on the fast track of a major corporation. Lynn is devoted to her family and doing good works. But the Fergusons' ultimate American dream hides a dark painful secret - one that Lynn vows to keep hidden from the world - and her children - at any cost.

When Lynn and Robert first meet, she's a bright, fresh-faced twenty-year-old; he's handsome, slightly older, a charming young business executive; ambitious and determined. From the start they fall deeply in love, thrilled by the discovery of their mutual desire. But as early as their honeymoon the gold begins to tarnish, when Robert's anger erupts into a physical assault, one for which Lynn blames herself.

To all appearances, the Fergusons have kept the facade of an idyllically happy family firmly intact. Not even their closest friends, Josie and Bruce Lehman know the entirety of Lynn's shame. Social worker Josie has seen her bruises, distrusts the overly-ambitious, too-perfect Robert, and suspects the real cause of the children's increasingly disturbed behavior. But not even Josie can pierce Lynn's icy wall of silence, a wall that will not crumble until Lynn is forced to face herself - and the truth - at last.

I thought this book was absolutely excellent. The plot was very believable; I can imagine that such a scenario could, and perhaps does, happen to so many people - domestic abuse is probably much more prevalent than we expect. I give this book a definite A+!

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight