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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reading Wrap-up for August 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 August with 649 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 644 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch, Paperback Swap and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st. Quite a number of my books that I read this month left my house to go to new homes so that's something I guess. :)

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Re-reads:
- Blessings by Belva Plain


Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Bride of Moat House by Norah Lofts
- The Midnight Hour by Karen Robards
- Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
- Promises by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Missing: Missing Without Trace in Ireland by Barry Cummins
- Dead Air by Bob Larson
- Faithless by Karin Slaughter
- Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard
- Whispers by Belva Plain
- Secrecy by Belva Plain
- Amazing World of Spiders by Janet Craig
- The House of Thunder by Dean Koontz
- The Covenant of the Flame by David Morrell
- Country Kitchen Collection: Fruit Basket by House Regency
- How to Know Wild Flowers: A Simple Aid to Flower Recognition by Alfred Stefferud

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Home Free by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
- Down by the Water by Caroline Upcher
- Blessings by Belva Plain
- Blessings by Anna Quindlen
- You Have the Right to Remain Silent by Barbara Paul
- Martha Stewart Just Desserts: The Unauthorized Biography by Jerry Oppenheimer
- Condor by Graham Masterton
- A Notorious Woman by Malcolm MacDonald
- Nickel Dreams: My Life by Tanya Tucker and Patsy Bale Cox
- That Camden Summer by Lavyrle Spencer
- Rage by Wilbur Smith

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: 1,918
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was August. 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 August 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 August with 648 unread books lying around the house and ended the month with 643 books unread. All of the books that I acquired this month came from Bookmooch, Paperback Swap and a Library Book Sale that we went to on the 1st. Quite a number of my books that I read this month left my house to go to new homes so that's something I guess. :)

Let me try to break down the influx for you:

Re-reads:
- Blessings by Belva Plain


Changes to the TBR pile 


Read from my TBR pile (Yes! I am a reading machine :))
- Bride of Moat House by Norah Lofts
- The Midnight Hour by Karen Robards
- Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy
- Promises by Belva Plain

Added to my TBR pile (oh well, you win some and you lose some! :))
- Summer's End by Danielle Steel
- Running From the Law by Lisa Scottoline
- Thinner by Stephen King
- Missing: Missing Without Trace in Ireland by Barry Cummins
- Dead Air by Bob Larson
- Faithless by Karin Slaughter
- Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard
- Whispers by Belva Plain
- Secrecy by Belva Plain
- Amazing World of Spiders by Janet Craig
- The House of Thunder by Dean Koontz
- The Covenant of the Flame by David Morrell
- Country Kitchen Collection: Fruit Basket by House Regency
- How to Know Wild Flowers: A Simple Aid to Flower Recognition by Alfred Stefferud

Taken off my TBR pile and sent to a new home (Yay! Happy Dance! :))
- Home Free by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey
- Down by the Water by Caroline Upcher
- Blessings by Belva Plain
- Blessings by Anna Quindlen
- You Have the Right to Remain Silent by Barbara Paul
- Martha Stewart Just Desserts: The Unauthorized Biography by Jerry Oppenheimer
- Condor by Graham Masterton
- A Notorious Woman by Malcolm MacDonald
- Nickel Dreams: My Life by Tanya Tucker and Patsy Bale Cox
- That Camden Summer by Lavyrle Spencer
- Rage by Wilbur Smith

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: 1,918
Grade Range: A+! to A!

So, there you go! The reading month that was August. 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