Welcome! I'm Tricia from Library Queue.

Let It Snow

Let It Snow: Three Holiday Stories

Book 18 of 55 for the Countdown Challenge (2008)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is just what the doctor ordered. Let It Snow is three fun interconnected Christmas teen romances by three great authors.

Maureen Johnson starts the ball rolling with a tale about Jubilee. It's Christmas Eve and her parents have been thrown in jail for being a part of a Christmas village collector's riot. So instead of attending her boyfriend's annual Christmas Smorgasbord, she hops on a train to see her grandparents in Florida. But her train only gets to western North Carolina before a snow storm blocks her in for the night.

John Green's story comes up next and it's set in the same town where Jubilee is stranded. Tobin's parents get stranded in Boston from the same storm, so he and his friends risk their very lives heading out to the local Waffle House because they know 14 stranded cheerleaders are in there.

Lauren Myracle (got to love that last name for Christmas spirit) wraps all the stories together with a tale of redemption and forgiveness. Addie had just recently split from her boyfriend and she feels just awful about it. To make things worse, her friends come over on Christmas Day and tell her that she's been selfish and self-absorbed. But, Addie has an angel at the Starbucks where she works, and everything comes together perfectly.

I read the whole book in one day. Although I loved them all, I think John Green's was my favorite. All the stories were somewhat implausible, but definitely sweet and charmingly funny.

Also reviewed by:

• Book Nut
• It's All About Books
• Not Enough Bookshelves
• Becky's Book Reviews
• Teen Book Review
• Reviewer X
• Karin's Book Nook
• Melody's Reading Corner
• things mean a lot
• Pop Culture Junkie
• Casual Dread

Have I missed yours?

Source: Library

The Christmas Sweater

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck

Book 17 of 55 for the Countdown Challenge (2008)

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is one of those feel-good Christmasy books. I was in the mood for one, and this is a quick read that fit the bill.

Eddie is a 12-year old boy who really wanted a bike for Christmas. But, his dad had recently passed away from cancer and his mom was working multiple jobs to help make ends meet. When Eddie received a homemade red sweater for Christmas instead of a bike, he left the sweater in a lump on the floor in disappointment. Thus began a sad chain of events that left Eddie feeling unloved, ignored by God, and incredibly selfish.

This book is a work of fiction, based on actual events that happened to Glenn Beck. I felt that the last 20 pages where Beck explains what really happened is the best part. The rest is not very well-written and is full of typos. I think if Beck had just written the real story, I wouldn't have minded the loose style editing issues so much. Also, the character of Eddie was just a bratty teenager for far too much of the book and it is all wrapped up too quickly at the end for my taste.

There is no doubt that this is a nice book for a quiet evening by the tree. But, it really wasn't anything to rave about in my opinion.

Also reviewed by:

• 2 Kids and Tired Book Reviews
• Cafe of Dreams
• Thoughts of Joy
• Bibliophile by the Sea

Have I missed yours?

Source: Gift

Between Me and the River

Between Me and the River by Carrie Host

Publisher: Harlequin
Publication date: August 1, 2009
ISBN: 9780373892143
Pages: 304
Price: $22.95
Author website

Book 49 of 50 for the New Author Challenge
Book 16 of 55 for the Countdown Challenge (2009)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. This is the first time cancer has really hit me in a personal way. I was excited to get the chance to review this memoir about a woman who is living with cancer, so I could attempt to step inside my grandmother's shoes for a little while to try to understand where she is coming from.

Carrie Host was not quite 40 years old when she was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called carcinoid tumors in 2003. She had two teenagers and a 10-month old when she was finally diagnosed after a yearlong search of trying to find the culprit of her symptoms. She and her husband were able to have the best doctors money could buy from the Mayo Clinic to help with her treatment, and while there is no cure, Carrie has battled the odds and continues her fight today.

As a poet, Carrie's writing style is lyrical and she uses a lot of metaphor. I found the river metaphor to be a little overdone, but some of the passages were really striking.

Sometimes, while all is still but the rustle of leaves, I'll hear that angel's wings brushing the ice, and feel that strong pull, lifting my heart from the cold, dark water, and I'll weep.

The author clearly has a very comfortable life financially and she never really addresses that, other than to say she feels guilty that she has good health insurance. I couldn't help but think that most people could not afford to fly from Colorado to Minnesota on an hour's notice to get emergency treatment from the experts, to fly to New York to talk to a specialist, to get expensive jewelry, go on exotic vacations, or to get a housekeeper or a full-time nanny as she did. While I certainly don't begrudge her those things, in fact I think they have truly saved her life, I think an acknowledgment of her financial security might have helped to build a bridge between her and a reader who has no choice but to be treated from local doctors at a local hospital.

Sometimes at the end of chapters, Carrie has a paragraph that begins, "Cancer is like that." Truth be told, I think there are a lot of trials that are "like that" and I think there is a universal application in Carrie's words for whatever struggle you may be going through.

Also reviewed by:

• Beth Fish Reads
• Violet Crush
• Peeking Between the Pages
• Blissfully Domestic
• Joyfully Retired
• Ramblings of a Texas Housewife
• Hello, My Name is Alice
• My Friend Amy
• Old Musty Books
• Blue Archipelago
• The Bookworm
• As Usual, I Need More Bookshelves
  

Have I missed yours?

Source: Publicist Lisa Roe - Thank you!

Beneath a Marble Sky

Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

Book 48 of 50 for the New Author Challenge
Book 15 of 55 for the Countdown Challenge (2004)
Award: Foreword Magazine's Book of the Year

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My husband has just spent the last two weeks in India. (He gets home tonight! Yay!) It just so happened that my in-person book club chose to read a historical fiction book set in India this month, so it was great for me to immerse myself for a little while into the culture where my husband has been working.

Beneath a Marble Sky details the lives of the royal family during the building of the Taj Mahal in the 17th century. While John Shors does admittedly take liberties with the historical accuracy of the characters, he does bring this part of history to life in a compelling way.

The novel is told from Jahanara's perspective, the eldest daughter of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, as she recounts her life's story to her (fictional) granddaughters. Even at a young age, there is obvious tension between Jahanara's two brothers, Dara and Aurangzeb. Dara is the heir apparent, but Aurangzeb has a ruthless spirit who will stop at nothing to become the next emperor. Jahanara has an obvious affection for Dara which puts her at risk should Aurangzeb succeed.

When Jahanara is a young woman, her mother dies giving birth to her 14th child. Shah Jahan commissions the building of the Taj Mahal to honor Mumtaz Mahal and Jahanara falls in love with the architect. However, theirs is a forbidden love because she is already married from an arranged marriage to a despicable noble. Political intrigue surrrounding Jahanara's brothers affect the course of Jahanara's life and love to a satisfying conclusion for her, but not necessarily for all the characters involved.

I found this to be a good love story and I even shed a few tears at the end. There is quite a bit of violence in the book which is commensurate with the actual history, but some of it was hard for me to get through. I did learn a lot about what life might have been like in the harem and about relations between Hindus and Muslims during this time period. I found this book to be very enjoyable and should make for a good discussion next week!

Read the first chapter at John Shors website here.

Source: Library

Book Blogger Holiday Swap

This year is my first year participating in the Book Blogger Holiday Swap and I have loved being a part of it. My Secret Santa sent me a copy of Nefertiti by Michelle Moran. I haven't read anything by this author yet, but this book was on my wishlist and I'm super excited to read it. A big shout-out goes to Julie from My Book Retreat. She's from my home state of North Carolina! Thank you!