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: 

 An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer

Published as: An Act of Love in September 1997

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Birth Name: Nancy Patton

Born: 14 December 1943 in Emporia, Kansas

Canonical Name: Nancy Thayer

Pseudonyms: None

An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer was the ninety-eighth book that I read in 2013. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since October 7, 2013 and it took me two days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

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: 

 An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer

Published as: An Act of Love in September 1997

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Birth Name: Nancy Patton

Born: 14 December 1943 in Emporia, Kansas

Canonical Name: Nancy Thayer

Pseudonyms: None

An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer was the ninety-eighth book that I read in 2013. I have had this book on my TBR shelf since October 7, 2013 and it took me two days to read. This book is a definite keeper for me.

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Dan Wakefield - Going All the Way

101. Going All the Way by Dan Wakefield (1970)
Length: 307 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 27 October 2013
Finished: 29 October 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 2 October 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed Returning: A Spiritual Journey by the same author in the past.

Two former soldiers who served during the Korean War meet each other on the train going back home to Indiana. Willard 'Sonny' Burns - the photographer for the school newspaper when he was in high school - was a quiet, shy and rather introverted student, whose high school years were wholly unremarkable. Sonny has grown into a quiet, shy and rather introverted adult - preoccupied with thoughts of sex and women. Tom 'Gunner' Casselman - the typical 'Big Man on Campus' when he was in high school - was incredibly popular, with the type of reputation that inspired awe in his peers. 

For good or ill, Sonny and Gunner search for love and fulfillment throughout their travels in middle America. They form an unlikely friendship after that first meeting on the train. In fact, it comes as a huge surprise to Sonny.to discover that Gunner truly respected him in high school. Sonny's unpretentious and inconspicuous demeanor was the quality that Gunner most admired. What follows is a coming-of-age novel about growing up in a time before free love, Vietnam and AIDS. 

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book; quite a bit more than I was actually expecting I would. It was a very funny story, although in my opinion, Sonny and Gunner's friendship was probably not the most advantageous relationship for either of them. This book was a best-seller in 1970, and is considered to be Dan Wakefield's most famous novel. I give this book an A+! 

Going All the Way was made into a movie in 1997 and won an award at the Sundance Film Festival. It starred Jeremy Davies as Sonny and Ben Affleck as Gunner. 

A+! - (96-100%)
          
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Michael Phillip Cash - The Hanging Tree: A Novella

100. The Hanging Tree: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash (2013)
Length: 77 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 25 October 2013
Finished: 26 October 2013  
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Michael Phillip Cash and to Red Feather Publishing for sending me a copy of this book to read.  
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 October 2013  
Why do I have it? I like horror and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. 

Set amid the eerie backdrop of Long Island, an area famously infused with age-old legends, two young would-be lovers contemplate their future while visits from those who have come before them reveal the lure of fate...and the power of free will. At seventeen, Arielle's relationship with her parents is slowly deteriorating. Angry and defiant, she is at a loss on how to cope with the tumultuous situation in which she finds herself. Arielle's only comfort is her relationship with Chad - an eighteen-year-old young man who seems to truly understand her struggles.  

Arielle and Chad often meet beneath the low-hanging branches of an ancient and majestic landmark, which the local community has nick-named the "Hanging Tree". It has long been rumored that the tree is haunted by ghosts. These apparitions span various centuries and differ widely in age, but each one of them shares one thing in common: their deaths are all somehow connected to the tree itself. 

As Arielle and Chad commiserate over their current situation and the precarious nature of their future, the spectral inhabitants of the Hanging Tree witness their conversation. One by one, the ghosts begin reminiscing about their own lives - and deaths - as they examine the inner demons with which their human forms long struggled.

I must say that I enjoyed reading this book very much. In my opinion, the plot and characters were well-developed and believable considering the length of the story. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from Michael Phillip Cash in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)
        
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Michael Phillip Cash - The Hanging Tree: A Novella

100. The Hanging Tree: A Novella by Michael Phillip Cash (2013)
Length: 77 pages
Genre: Horror
Started: 25 October 2013
Finished: 26 October 2013
Where did it come from? Many thanks to Michael Phillip Cash for sending me a copy of this book to read.
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 23 October 2013
Why do I have it? I like horror and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. 

Set amid the eerie backdrop of Long Island, an area famously infused with age-old legends, two young would-be lovers contemplate their future while visits from those who have come before them reveal the lure of fate...and the power of free will. At seventeen, Arielle's relationship with her parents is slowly deteriorating. Angry and defiant, she is at a loss on how to cope with the tumultuous situation in which she finds herself. Arielle's only comfort is her relationship with Chad - an eighteen-year-old young man who seems to truly understand her struggles.

Arielle and Chad often meet beneath the low-hanging branches of an ancient and majestic landmark, which the local community has nick-named the "Hanging Tree". It has long been rumored that the tree is haunted by ghosts. These apparitions span various centuries and differ widely in age, but each one of them shares one thing in common: their deaths are all somehow connected to the tree itself. 

As Arielle and Chad commiserate over their current situation and the precarious nature of their future, the spectral inhabitants of the Hanging Tree witness their conversation. One by one, the ghosts begin reminiscing about their own lives - and deaths - as they examine the inner demons with which their human forms long struggled.

I must say that I enjoyed reading this book very much. In my opinion, the plot and characters were well-developed and believable considering the length of the story. I give this book an A+! and look forward to reading more from Michael Phillip Cash in the future.

A+! - (96-100%)
        
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Nancy Thayer - Belonging: A Novel

99. Belonging: A Novel by Nancy Thayer (1995)
Length: 341 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 20 October 2013
Finished: 25 October 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 30 September 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past.

Joanna Jones seems to have it all. As the successful host of a New York based television show - Fabulous Homes - Joanna is blessed with great looks. She has a wonderful lover and a job that gives her money and fame, while allowing her to indulge in her passion for beautiful homes. Today, Joanna has the life she's always dreamed of, tomorrow she just might lose it all...

Suddenly and shockingly, Joanna will discover what she doesn't have: a committed relationship she can depend on. Now she faces a stunning discovery alone and makes the tough decision to leave her glittering life in New York behind for a quaint Nantucket home with an ocean view. Joanna will soon discover new friends, and unexpected enemies. 

The choices ahead will test her courage; the surprising twists of fate will challenge her faith as she faces a day of ashes, a time of sorrow, and an extraordinary new chance for love, happiness, and...Belonging. 

This book was a good read for me; although, I must say that it was not as good as I was expecting. I found that the central character of the story just wasn't as sympathetic as she probably should have been - at least in my opinion. Anyway, I give Belonging: A Novel by Nancy Thayer a B+! I will certainly be reading more books by this author in the future; although perhaps not right away.

B+! - (89-94%)
   
Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight

Nancy Thayer - An Act of Love

98. An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer (1997)
Length: 245 pages
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Started: 18 October 2013
Finished: 20 October 2013
Where did it come from? From Paperback Swap 
How long has it been on my TBR pile? Since 7 October 2013
Why do I have it? I like contemporary fiction and have read and enjoyed several books by this author in the past. 

Novelists Owen and Linda McFarland have been married for seven years. During that time, they have been incredibly happy together and have worked hard to make their blended family feel loved. Living on their beautiful little Massachusetts farm, Owen's son Bruce has grown into a handsome high school senior with a girlfriend he's absolutely crazy about. Linda's daughter Emily, a sophomore, has come to love her new family. Both children are in a private boarding school that they enjoy.

They used to be such a happy family. Then her daughter accused his son...of rape. 

Shortly before Thanksgiving, Emily attempts suicide. Confined to the psychiatric ward of a private hospital, a sullen, angry Emily claims that in late summer, Bruce raped her. Bruce swears that the assault never happened. Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? 

There is no way to prove either child's statement. Finding out the truth may tear apart a lifetime of illusions, and a marriage. But Owen and Linda must believe their children and change their entire lives accordingly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a truly engrossing story and was my absolute favorite book of the month. I give the book an A+! and will definitely put it on my 'Keeper Shelf' to read again at some point. 

A+! - (96-100%)

Till we Meet Again, Glow Brightly as Moonlight