If you...

"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading,

you can only think what everyone else is thinking."

- Haruki Murakami

Book review: A Year on Ladybug Farm

A Year on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball

Review by Walking on Sunshine

3 women + 1 mansion + 1 year = an incredibly sweet story about finding out that change is always a good thing.

Lindsay, Cici and Bridget are women who have raised families, cared for their husbands and worked for the majority of their adult lives. But now their husbands are gone (either deceased or have run off with other women), their children are grown and these three best friends have decided that purchasing a run-down mansion together is the solution to all their problems. As the friends view the house, which they name “Ladybug Farm” they anticipate making a profit in one years time, a profit which they hope will allow them to live a life filled with worry free problems and ultimate happiness surrounded by one another. But as we all know, keeping your eye on the prize can be difficult when you run into problem after problem.

When I first started reading Donna Ball’s “A Year on Ladybug Farm”, I thought it was a little too sugar coated, meaning there were lots of “I love you” and “I couldn’t do anything without you” moments, but as the plot thickened so did the characters and I grew to care for each of them separately. I found the novel to have a lot of similarities with Frances Mayes’ novel, “Under the Tuscan Sun”, which was a great novel (and a great movie). Lindsay, Cici and Bridget were charming, sweet and always had each other’s best interest in mind. The story grew into a charming novel about rediscovering who you are and what your friends really mean to you.

I’d highly recommend this book to people who have an afternoon of nothing planned, but this book and a cup of coffee.

* to submit your own review click HERE

A strong woman...

"I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man,

particularly if she happens to have love in her heart.

I guess a loving woman is indestructible."

- John Steinbeck (from book "East of Eden")

Other peoples love letters

"Other peoples love letters" by Bill Shapiro sounds and looks like a very interesting book. Personally, I find the love letters (happy or sad) of other people so very intriguing and beautiful - So, when i stumbled upon this book I thought I should share it.

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Here is a description of it (from amazon.com):

"Fevered notes scribbled on napkins after first dates. Titillating text messages. It's-not-you-it's-me relationship-enders. In Other People’s Love Letters, Bill Shapiro has searched America’s attics, closets, and cigar boxes and found actual letters–unflinchingly honest missives full of lust, provocation, guilt, and vulnerability–written only for a lover’s eyes. Modern love, of course, is not all bliss, and in these pages you’ll find the full range of a relationship, with its whispered promises as well as its heartache. But what at first appears to be a deliciously voyeuristic peek into other people’s most passionate moments, will ultimately reawaken your own desires and tenderness…because when you read these letters, you’ll find the heart you’re looking into is actually your own."

Choosing books

I'm rather picky when it comes to choosing books to read.

Here is how I usually choose a book to read.....

* I try stay away from anything political, depressing, scary or disturbing (because if i want to fill my head with negativity & politics i'll just read the news).

* I often go for fiction novels that contain a dash of romance and/or a touch of magic (or a bit of the supernatural) in them. I think reading is suppose to to be a kind of "escape" from reality.

Note: Occassionally I do notice an autobiography or biography about a person I deeply admire and then I have to read it (but this doesn't happen too often)

* Sometimes I am swayed by book covers (i know, i know, never judge a book by its cover...blah blah blah) but don't you think sometimes a good cover can change the way you look at some books?

* I stick to authors that I know and love. I always read everything I can find by authors I love. Only problem is that sometimes I read faster than they can write books (how selfish of them *winks*)

* I should also admit that I like to read what I wish I had written or what I feel is closest to my own writing style .

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* oh and of course...another great way to pick a book to read is to start a book blog where you have to make a book list every 2 months - really helps me find some new books to try *winks*

How do you pick your books to read?

What type of books do you like to read?

Book review: Alice in Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

review by Prixie
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If there is not a soul familiar with this story, then they were probably stuck in the bowels of Hades.

Much to my surprise, the Walt Disney movie version remained very true to this classic story. It is such an outright quirky yet delightful tale, it makes you wonder if the author was under any sort of, er, influence. I mean caterpillars that smoke the sheesha, Alice arguing with herself, cards painting white roses red and a Queen of Hearts with a sadistic penchant to say "Off with their heads!" Really, it makes you want to crawl into Carroll’s mind to be a bystander!

Overall, this classic comes highly recommended for anyone at any age. Now I cannot wait for the Tim Burton interpretation of the book into a movie. And I am sure many of you cannot wait to see Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter too!

What I will be reading in Feb/March

From the book club list I have decided to read "The Lost Book of Salem" (aka the Physick book of deliverence Dane). I chose this book mainly because I already own it and have not read it yet.

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The other book I will be reading over Feb & March is "The Maeve Binchy Writers Club". Though I am not really a huge fan of Binchys novels, I am definitely impressed with her success - So when I noticed that she had written a book of advice for aspiring writers I had to buy one.

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I will be sure to let you know how both books are.

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So, what are you reading? Do tell.....