Movies...Movies...and more Movies....

One of the first things I fell in love with about my husband is that he loves movies. While we were dating, and still now, we go to a movie or rent movies whenever we can. We have been Netflix and Blockbuster members. We rent movies whenever we can. Sadly most of the local rental spots have gone out of business. We have cancelled our memberships at Netflix and Blockbuster. And now we are back renting at Family Video again. 


Last night we rented several movies and got a Wii game for Simon. I always have a hard time finding a movie because I don't want to be the one to pick a bad one. The 2 I chose were both wonderful this time so I thought I'd share a little review, or just share a link to the trailers so you can decide on your own. So here they are....

Barney's Version

Since this is a Canadian Film I guess that's why we had never heard of it. While browsing the $1 rentals (and that's for a Blu Ray!) I came across this. It was touching, funny, sad, and wonderful. A great movie that is a couple of years old. I'd give it 2 thumbs up!

Sarah's Key

All I can say about this movie is wow! The book was amazing! The movie was just as amazing. This is a part of history that I knew nothing of. WWII is something that I know little of, just the horrible times that Jews went through. I never knew it stretched into Paris and that the French Police were wrapped up in ridding their world of Jews. If you have read this book you should find a copy of the movie. If you haven't heard of either....you should get your hands on a copy of the book, then see the movie. 


My husband missed out on this one. Since it is subtitled in the US he didn't want to "read" the movie. Only half of the movie or so is actually subtitled. Definitely worth it though! Another 2 thumbs up. If you would like more information on the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup here is a like for the Wikipedia site, but I'm sure Google will have more as well.


Nothing better than a little me time on a cold Saturday afternoon with a good movie. 

Book Review: Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is going to be added to my all time favorite books list. It was just wonderful. And I think everyone should read it!

The first several chapters go back and forth between Sarah's life in July 1942, and Julia's present day life (2005). Sarah described the horrific events that happened in Paris, France in July 1942 on Germany's orders and are truly that...horrific. This is a part of WW2 that I was not aware of happening. French police gathered up Jews, mainly women and children as all the men were in hiding, and took them to a local sports arena called the Velodrome d'Hiver. Those captured were contained in unlivable conditions. Sitting and sleeping in their own filth. After several days men and women were sent to camps separate from each other and their children. Sarah and her family were Jews and were part of the horror that is the Vel d'Hiver Roundup.

Julia and her family are dealing with struggles of their own and move into their grandmother's apartment in Paris. After being give the job of covering the anniversary of the Vel d'Hiver Roundup as a journalist Julia realizes that her life is closely intertwined with Sarah's.

I wished that the back and forth writing would have gone on longer in the book. I enjoyed reading Sarah's story as much as I did Julia's.

This book is wonderfully written, and researched. I felt as if I was truly reading from little Sarah's journal. This is a part of history that I was not aware of and am drawn to learn more. Below is a website I have came across for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?...

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A Book Review: The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory

The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love historical fiction. Some of what Philippa Gregory pulled into this book is true, most fiction...which she clearly states at the end of the book in her author's note. I am actually glad she chose to put that at the end. It didn't cloud up my enjoyment of the book.

It humors me the number of ladies that a queen had to have to help her get through her daily activities. Like dressing, and changing her dress 2 or 3 times per day. Having all these ladies and maids in waiting proved to be detrimental to several queens in this story. The queens just didn't live up the the great King Henry's expectations. Which were unbelievable when you consider his age, failing health, and size. I would have been inclined to find a younger suitor like was done in this book.

Take it for what it is....historical fiction.....and have fun with it. I did, even though it took me a month to read, I really enjoyed it and look forward to the other Philippa Gregory books I have on my shelf.

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I didn't realize that the next book I randomly picked was on my random reading challenge with Caribou's Mom, but I'll still mark it off my list. Random.org didn't pick it randomly for me but I did so it's gotta count....right. I love Maeve Binchey! Nights of Rain and Stars....hopefully it won't take me a month to read like The Boleyn Inheritance did.

Here is my list:
1. Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
2. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
3. One Mississippi by Mark Childress
4. The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans
5. Good Family by Terry Gamble
6. Between Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
7. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
8. In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols
9. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
10. The Lunch-Box Chronicles by Marion Winik
11. Table for Five by Susan Wiggs
12. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Our summer is off to a swinging start. One trip to the ER under our belt. [ONLY] One day spent at the city's pool. Rabbits bought for 4H. Kitchen and dinning room painted...up next living room. The oldest step-daughter has a job.

Lots of lazy days ahead. We have a mini-vacation planned for the end of July and some camping trips. Hopefully July and August go slower than June has. :)

Guest Review: Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyui Choi

Alex wrote a great review for a book report at school, and I wanted to share it here with you. After reading his review, I think I'd like to check out this book.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes
by Sook Nyui Choi

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Sook Nyui Choi wrote Year of Impossible Goodbyes. It takes place in Korea (North and South) in spring and summer 1945. The genre of this book is historical fiction. The main character of this story is Sookan, a 10-year-old Asian girl. There are many other characters but that is the only important one in my point of view .The plot of this story is that the cruelties of the Japan military are occupying Korea. Police captain Narita does his best to destroy everything of value to the family, but he cannot break their spirt. Sookan’s father is with the resistance movement in Manchuria and her older brothers have been sent away to labor camps. Her mother is forced to supervise a sock factory and Sookan must wear a uniform and attend Japanese school. I liked the book because it is educational and sheds light on history through a personal story but it is also very intense. The descriptions are great and readers really can get a feel for what the land of Korea is like. I DON’T recommend it to little kids and kids that are immature, because the violence in this book and some stereotypes, inappropriate language and they are beating around the bush on some paragraphs in the book (inappropriate terms). Other then that, I recommend it to people who like history books!

By: Alex Collins

Book Review: I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb

I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a great book about the lives of twin boys. Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. Thomas is schizophrenic, and after their mother's death from cancer Dominick is left to deal with Thomas and his treatment and their cruel step-father Ray. This book relives the boys' childhood and that of their grandfather Domenico Tempesta.

Through their grandfather's history, which was left in journal format, Dominick begins to piece part of his life together. At first I didn't like the grandfather's story but found myself quickly liking his story as well as Dominick and Thomas' present day story.

Even though this is a longer book, it was hard to put down making it easy to get through. After reading this book I would like to read more by Wally Lamb.

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My next book will be a part of my Random Reading Challenge brought to us by Caribou's Mom. The challenge is to use random.org, or some such site to randomly chose our next book for us.

Here is my list:
1. Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
2. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
3. One Mississippi by Mark Childress
4. The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans
5. Good Family by Terry Gamble
6. Between Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
7. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
8. In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols
9. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
10. The Lunch-Box Chronicles by Marion Winik
11. Table for Five by Susan Wiggs
12. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Random.org came up with #1 Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson.

Book Review: Jane Austen ruined my life by Beth Pattillo

Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am by no means a Jane Austen aficionado. I tried to read Pride and Prejudice but couldn't make it through. I chose this book just because it sounded fun. I like the whole secret life theme, similar to the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

Jane Austen Ruined My Life is about Emma Grant, a Jane Austen aficionado who was a university professor, who makes a voyage to try and uncover secret, hidden Jane Austen letters. Emma, recently separated from her cheating husband, follows tasks given to her by Mrs. Parrot a member of the Jane Austen Formidables. She is taken on several journeys to uncover secrets of Jane Austen's life. These journeys seemed realistic, and were places that Jane Austen had lived in and visited.

Beth Pattillo did a wonderful job of keeping this book an easy read. I enjoyed it and got through it quickly. I did enjoy reading the confession at the end, but suggest keeping it until the end to ready.

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Book Review: Good Family by Terry Gamble

Good Family: A Novel by Terry Gamble


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am glad that I did not read the reviews before I read this book. I may not have given it a chance. This book takes place at Sand Isle on the Lake Michigan coast. A grown family returns to their summer home to help their aunt and mother die peacefully. Mattie is the black sheep of the family who has been absent for 11 years. The family is full of hardships and struggles and coming back to the summer home seems to bring out these struggles in each family member.

I did have a hard time keeping the families straight, as there are a lot of characters including aunts and uncles, sisters, nieces and nephews. A lot to comprehend about each of them. This story has a lot to it, and the language I found was hard to get through at times. There wasn't as much as an emphasis on the WASP way of life, which I found disappointing as it is mentioned on the back cover. Sand Isle is mainly a community of families who have money and made their fortunes off of selling medicines, curtain rods, or horse whips.

While at the summer house Mattie finds her great-grandmother's diary and discovers that her immediate family is not the only one who had struggles to go through. I enjoyed reading entries of the diary but during "Part Two" of the book was at times confused about what time frame we were in. The book went back and forth between the past and present and was hard to grasp it all at times.

This book was enjoyable, but I would suggest reading it when you have time to study it. It does take some brain power to get through.

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Light on Snow by Anita Shreve

Light on Snow by Anita Shreve


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Twelve year old Nicky Dillon and her father Robert find an abandoned newborn wile on a routine walk one cold winter evening. They quickly rush the baby to the hospital and have their life flipped upside down, and open up the memories of 2 lost family members. Nicky's mother and young sister died in an automobile accident 3 years previous and Nicky is longing for a mother figure and sibling.

After an unexpected visitor knocks on the Dillon's door Nicky and her father are brought closer together and begin to open up to each other's heartache.

At the end of this book I felt like I had just ran into a brick wall. I didn't like the ending. It just didn't seem to go with the flow of the story, I was expecting something more. This book is very heart warming and makes you wonder why people make some of the choices that they make. It was an easy book to get through and great for a chilly day at home.

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My next book will be a part of my Random Reading Challenge brought to us by Caribou's Mom. The challenge is to use random.org, or some such site to randomly chose our next book for us. Here is my list:

1. Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson
2. Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy
3. One Mississippi by Mark Childress
4. The Smoke Jumper by Nicholas Evans
5. Good Family by Terry Gamble
6. Between Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson
7. Best Intentions by Emily Listfield
8. In Search of Eden by Linda Nichols
9. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
10. The Lunch-Box Chronicles by Marion Winik
11. Table for Five by Susan Wiggs
12. The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

My next book will be Good Family by Terry Gamble.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak~A review

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The book Thief by Markus Zusak was amazing! Liesel Meminger is a foster child living through WWII, in Nazi Germany. The Hubermanns take in Liesel after a train ride that takes the life of her ill brother. At the grave of her brother, Liesel theives her first book The Grave Digger's Handbook.

Hanns Hubermann takes the time to teach Liesel to read which then leads to more book stealing. Throughout this store Liesel and her friend Rudy learn about the true meaning of friendship.

On the back cover of the book USA Today is quoted as saying, " Deserves a place on the same shelf with The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank....Poised to become a classic" and I totally agree with this. The Hitler era is well described and the actions of the characters seem very believable. It was nice reading a story that was rooting for the 'good guys'.

I loved this book and would recommend it to everyone!

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Wow, another long dry spell

It's been almost a month since my last post. Maybe it's because we've been so busy? Still. We had our Halloween fun. Finished up Middle School Volleyball. Started Middle School Boy's Basketball. And were just lazy.

I finished up a couple of great books.

Sworn to Silence by Linda Castillo was my favorite. This would have to be added to my favorites of the year. Kate Burkholder grew up Amish and is now in charge of keeping the small town of Painters Hill, Ohio safe as the chief of police. While she was growing up in the Amish community a serial killer dubbed the Slaughterhouse Killer terrorized the town. Now as a grown woman she is challenged with finding out if he is striking again. Secrets are reveled that will keep you on the edge of your seat, or couch. This book was definitely a 5 star!


The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker was the other book I read. Truly Plaice, an overly large and ungainly girl, is the polar opposite of her sister, Serena Jane, the epitome of feminine perfection. With their parents dead, Truly and Serena Jane are separated: Serena Jane to live a life of privilege as the future May Queen and Truly to live on the outskirts of town, the subject of constant abuse and humiliation. There, while Serena Jane’s beauty proves to be her biggest curse, Truly finds her calling—the ability to heal illness with herbs and naturopathic techniques—and, in reckoning with her demons, the possibility of love in unexpected places. {Copied from Goodreads.com} This book was ok, I could have gone without reading it. Still a 3 star.


Now I am reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and love it. I can't wait to see what is going to happen to the young Liesel in the heart of Hitler country. I have seen this book everywhere and was happy to find it on Bookmooch.com.

I am lucky enough to live only 5 miles from a great selection of antique shops. Since we live so close I take for granted that they are there. I stopped in a few weeks ago just to browse, and found a great deal! I found 3 bags of vintage fabric...I'll call it vintage because it looks like that to me....for $1 each! Huge amounts of fabric for $3. I loved how the seller had them separated according to the color spectrum.








The brown fabric on the top of the stack has already been put to good use as some backing for my 9-patch quilt that I finally got done for Crazy Mom Quilts - Amanda Jean's quilt along.

I love this quilt. It's the perfect size to snuggle with on the couch. Now on to the other 4 I have in progress.


The weather has been so wonderful here for this time of year. Our school has 2 days off because of a large number of kids being sick so the boys and I took advantage of the warm weather and went to a nearby playground. It was a lot of fun. Simon is getting old enough that he can just go and I don't have to worry as much about him falling and getting hurt. But at the same time this gives him more confidence and he is much more daring.

It was fun watching the boys play and run around together. I know that in the blink of an eye they will be out of the house and on their own, so I was glad we were able to spend the day together.

Review: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Title and Author of book: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

Fiction or non-fiction: Fiction
Genre: Chick Lit
Where did I get the book: I believe I got this at a rockin' garage sale last summer
Challenges that this fulfilled: my 'I want to read 30 books in 2009' challenge

Who recommended this book to me?: No one. Just one from my ever growing stash.

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending! Candace (Cannie) Shapiro is an overweight writer who just told her boyfriend that she needed a break, only to find that he wrote a very telling article in the magazine he works for. Cannie has many ups and downs after reading this article, but meets some great friends who help her work out her problems.

What did you like most about this book? My favorite part of the plot was when Cannie went to California for business. I won't give anything away but it is nice to live in a dreamers world. I would have loved to be her.

This book touches on a sensitive subject for many women, weight. Cannie lived her life through her waist. She realized that made her a sad person. Once she figured out that things happen and you can't make them unhappen she stopped focusing on the negative things that had happened in her life. I really felt that the emotions that Jennifer Weiner used were right on with how any woman, who is self-concious about her size, might feel.

What did you like least? The ex-boyfriend Bruce. He was a jerk. But if it wasn't for him this wouldn't have been a very good book.

Have you read any other books by this author? No, but I'd love to

What about the ending? Absolutely loved the ending! I was actually shocked it was over. I didn't want it to end.

Book Review: Darling Jim by Christian Moerk

Title and Author of book: Darling Jim: A Novel by Christian Moerk

Fiction or non-fiction: Fiction
Genre: Heck I don't know, Mystery
Where did I get the book: My little 'ol hometown library
Challenges that this fulfilled: my 'I want to read 30 books in 2009' challenge

Who recommended this book to me?: I think it was my Sitster-In-Law Staci, who by the way is the person I got this wonderful review layout from. I love it and she uses these questions all the time. :)

Summarize the plot but don't give away the ending! Two sisters and their crazy, freaky aunt are found dead in their Dublin home, by their mailman. The mailman, later on finds one of the girls' journals, with her final thoughts, in the post office's unclaimed mail bin. After reading the journal Mr. Mailman, Niall, travels back to their hometown to try and uncover the mystery revolving their lives and deaths.

What did you like most about this book? There is a lot of things wrapped up in the last chapter, and I will have to say that is my favorite part. I loved finally figuring out why some of the characters did what they did.

What did you like least? I'm going to repeat myself and say the last chapter. One of the characters was given a mythical twist and I didn't really like that. There were several parts of the book that didn't seam realistic, and even though it is fiction...I want my books to seem real. Darling Jim tells a story about a wolf and the 'journals' have the story word for word in them. To me this isn't realistic. Could they really remember the story and then write it in their journals?? I would have liked to see it just as another chapter of the book.

Have you read any other books by this author? No, this is the first.


What about the ending? Overall I liked how many questions were answered in the end.

Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik : My Review

Oh My Stars: A Novel by Lorna Landvik

rating: 5 of 5 stars
'Oh my stars' this was a great book. This is the second book by Lorna Landvik I have read and I really enjoyed both books. Oh My Stars is about an unfortunate girl named Violet. Her mother leaves with a boyfriend when Violet is young. Violet's father is violent and mean to her and never shows her any affection.

While on a bus trip that ends in a crash Violet ends up in North Dakota and stays with the Hedstrom's. Her life quickly picks up once she meets this family, and discovers that there are a group of boys from the small town of Pearl, ND that have a band. One of these boys a Hedstrom. Violet becomes the manager and travels the US with them.

There is a lot of detail and action, romance, and heartache intertwined in the book. There is more to it than just what I have written here. I really enjoyed this book. It is a feel good book that shows what being a strong young woman can lead to.

Copied from Goodreads.com
I am convinced that at birth the cake is already baked. Nurture is the nuts or frosting, but if you’re a spice cake, you’re a spice cake, and nothing is going to change you into an angel food.

Tall, slender Violet Mathers is growing up in the Great Depression, which could just as well define her state of mind. Abandoned by her mother as a child, mistreated by her father, and teased by her schoolmates (“Hey, Olive Oyl, where’s Popeye?”), the lonely girl finds solace in artistic pursuits. Only when she’s hired by the town’s sole feminist to work the night shift in the local thread factory does Violet come into her name, and bloom. Accepted by her co-workers, the teenager enters the happiest phase of her life, until a terrible accident causes her to retreat once again into her lonely shell.

Realizing that she has only one clear choice, Violet boards a bus heading west to California. But when the bus crashes in North Dakota, it seems that Fate is having another cruel laugh at Violet’s expense. This time though, Violet laughs back. She and her fellow passengers are rescued by two men: Austin Sykes, whom Violet is certain is the blackest man to ever set foot on the North Dakota prairie, and Kjel Hedstrom, who inspires feelings Violet never before has felt. Kjel and Austin are musicians whose sound is like no other, and with pluck, verve, and wit, Violet becomes part of their quest to make a new kind of music together.

Oh My Stars is Lorna Landvik’s most ambitious novel yet, with a cast of characters whose travails and triumphs you’ll long remember. It is a tale of love and hope, bigotry and betrayal, loss and discovery–as Violet, who’s always considered herself a minor character in her own life story, emerges as a heroine you’ll laugh with, cry with, and, most important, cheer for all the way.


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