Review and Giveaway: Casting About by Terri DuLong

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Kensington; Original edition (October 26, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0758232055
ISBN-13: 978-0758232052

1. Title of book: Casting About by Terri Dulong
2. Words to describe book: family relationships
3. Characters you met or setting:

• Cedar Key: a small island off coast of north west Florida
• Monica Brooks: recently married to Adam, a single father who unexpectedly gets custody of his 8 year old daughter, Clarissa Jo. Monica is happily running the yarn shop business after her mother re-married and went to France but now becoming a step-mom full time is a little worrying. Unfortunately, Monica feels insecure about her maternal capabilities but she finds out it's a learn as you go process.
• Sybile: Monica's late grandmother who makes her presence known in some very interesting ways. Although she has not appeared in any ghostly form, Monica has smelled her gardenia scent at certain times. When Clarissa Jo had some difficulties adjusting, Sybile's presence  greatly helped her. This little bit of paranormal aspect lent some unexpected spice to the story.

4. Things you liked or didn't like:

•  I really liked the characters in this story, they were down to earth and realistic. They could be your neighbors, friends or family members.
• The feeling of kinship in a small town island atmosphere was a great addition to the story. All the peripheral characters felt like old friends.
• I liked the way DuLong showed the growth in Monica's character and how she coped with her new role.
• Although Casting About is the sequel to Spinning Forward, it can be read as a stand along novel. However, Spinning Forward is such a wonderful book that I just loved, I hope you will read that first and get a better idea of what happened to Monica's mother and how she came to live on Cedar Key and start her own unique knitting shop. (Review style patterned after Show Me 5 Saturday.)

5. Stars or less for your rating: 4****

 Disclosure: A review copy of Casting About was provided by the author, Terri DuLong. Thanks so much, Terri, for another enjoyable visit with our friends on Cedar Key.

To celebrate tomorrow's release of her new book, Casting About, Terri DuLong is allowing me to give away a copy of her book. Open to US & Canada.

 Bonus entries available :

+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name

+3 for new followers thru GFC

+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting. Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :)
Be sure to leave an e-mail contact.
 Deadline is Nov 5th at 5 PM. Good luck!

Review: The Double Cross: A Someday Quilts Mystery by Clare O'Donohue

Paperback: 304 pages

Publisher: Plume; Original edition (September 28, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0452296420
ISBN-13: 978-0452296428


From Goodreads:

"Nell Fitzgerald and the Someday Quilts ladies are asked to lead a quilting workshop at a new bed and breakfast in upstate New York. However, the retreat quickly takes an unexpected dark turn. When a body is found in the woods, and one of their own is the chief suspect, the ladies must rely on their craftiest thinking as they embark on their most personal case yet. "

My thoughts  :

The B & B owners, Rita and George, were somewhat unlikeable and a bit of an enigma. Nell heard a lot of good things about them and their relationship but from what the reader is shown is totally different. They seem to barely tolerate each other and there is no tangible reason given until the very end as to why they even bought a B & B or decided to run quilting classes when neither one has any knowledge or interest in the craft. Some of Nell's snooping around was not too plausible at all but on the motive front, that was well developed;  several of the characters could well have been the murderer.

A few of the peripheral characters were well done, quite diverse and I did enjoy reading their parts in the mystery. The old spinster twins were a hoot and I couldn't figure out what their angle was; one of the better parts of the story.

Although this is the third book in the Somedays Quilts Mystery series, it is a stand alone story. The reader does not need to have any knowledge of quilting as there is not really any technical jargon included. Some of Suzanne's suggestions for a journal quilt, I found interesting.

This is a new-to-me author and I might read another even though I didn't like the amateur sleuth, Nell, all that much but the other characters and a stump-me mysery redeemed the story for me for the most part. 3***

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Penguin/Plume publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.

Cancer X 2 = rethinking priorities

For the last month or so I have been somewhat MIA in the commenting department and for that I apologize profusely. Almost all of what has been published here at PPP was scheduled back in August and the first part of September. In hindsight, that was a wonderful plan as things here have put both me and The Big Guy on an emotional rollercoaster. It all came out of the blue so to speak.

About a month ago, TBG had a routine doctor's appointment but it turned out that a necessary biopsy was scheduled for two weeks ahead. My heart sank when he told me this as of course my imagination runs wild and I immediately fear the worst. Now I had two weeks to worry. After a week went by, I had to have an emergency visit with the gynecologist, (I'll spare you the gory details) had a biopsy done and 3 days before TBG's biopsy I was told that I have uterine cancer and a catscan would be necessary to ensure it hadn't spread to the lymph nodes.  3 days later TBG has his biopsy and then followup visit. Results - he too has cancer but a very slow growing one and nothing needs to be done asap. His doctor was wonderful and I feel very confident he will take excellent care of TBG.

Following Monday - my catscan was done and doctor's PA calls to tell me that lymph nodes look good so surgery would be done by my doctor here in local hospital on a Tuesday and check my calendar for the next several weeks. Phew! Sounds good, let's just get this minor annoyance over with. Still have to go back to doctor to set schedule for surgery. First off, he kept us waiting for an hour, breezed in the door and begins to read the catscan report. Hello, have you not discussed this with the PA? It certainly sounded that way when she called. He then proceeds to tell us the opposite of what the PA did. He doesn't like the catscan, would not "feel comfortable" doing the surgery just in case it had spread to the outer wall and lymph nodes need to be removed - that's "not his area of expertise". He tells me I need to go to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

Needless to say, TBG and I were flabbergasted. Now this is a whole other ball of wax! I had not prepared for this mentally or emotionally. What got my adrenaline going however is when I expressed my annoyance that the PA had called to tell me in essence this will be simple surgery done locally now he's telling me something else, he got on the defensive and told us how wonderful his PA is and that's she's been there for 15 years. Am I missing something here? Am I overly critical? sensitive? persnickety? Somehow, I don't think a PA should take it upon herself to give a patient that kind of info without checking with the doctor first as he makes the ultimate decision. IMHO, she should have just said they got the results back and here's your appointment time to discuss it with the doctor. Needless to say, I don't have too much confidence in him anymore. So sometime this week I will be trekking down to the cancer center to meet with the oncologist/surgical team.

I have several more posts scheduled and one on November 1st is a guest post from Susan at West of Mars. She has a really great post written and I hope you will get take the time to read what she has to say. She has an important charity message in the post. So for the most part, PPP will be on a brief hiatus and when I do return, it may just be as a reader of other blogs. I'm not too sure.

I've missed all of you and all your creative postings.  Once again, I apologize to all those bloggers whose posts I normally comment on. I just haven't had the heart to be floating around the blog world. Other than a few brief appearances at GoodReads, I've been just reading and thinking.

To those who have e mailed me to see if I had fallen off the face of the earth, I am so grateful for your caring and friendship. Several of you already know this and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words, thoughts, prayers and well wishes. You're all such a wonderful community!

Review: Take a Chance on Me by Jill Mansell

Paperback: 432 pages

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark (October 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1402237510
ISBN-13: 978-1402237515



From the publisher:

"Living in a small town like Channings Hill, there are some people you just can’t avoid, no matter how much you really, really want to. When Cleo’s job throws her into constant contact with her childhood nemesis, Johnny LaVenture, she can’t leave the past behind. But for someone she’d rather have nothing to do with, Johnny is impossible to ignore… Then shocking discoveries of past scandals, unrequited loves, old grudges, and not-so-ex-wives throw Cleo’s family and friends into chaos. And as always, you can count on Jill Mansell to have a lively cast of secondary characters that try to steal the show! Life in sleepy Channings Hill may be about to get very complicated, but it’s definitely never been more exciting."

My thoughts: In Take a Chance on Me, Jill Mansell introduces us to some really fun characters: Cleo, who drives a limo for a living has been searching for the perfect man for ages and thinks's she's found him. Or has she? Now that her old crush is back in town things can get very interesting and her new man, Will, may go the way of the dodo but not for the reasons you might think.

Cleo's next door neighbor and friend, Ash, is a very popular sparkling wit on the radio but in person, he can be shy and retiring. It was so much fun to read about all his antics especially when the new pub cook catches his eye. Unfortunately, someone else has caught her eye. Another ingredient in the romantic pot to add some spice to Channings Hill.

And what chick-lit plot would be complete without some family drama? That would be Cleo's older sister, Abby, who's been happily married to Tom for years when her life is thrown into an emotional maelstrom. It seems Tom has some secrets of his own. Of course Cleo has to get involved in all this and when feelings start to run rampant Cleo is flummoxed as to how to get her sister Abby to move on and more importantly to move out!

I just loved Jill Mansell's previous books and this one was no exception. Mansell's unique and witty style of writing brings her characters to life like no other. By the end of the story, I felt like the characters were dear friends. The descriptions of the setting are so well done and so appealing, that I find myself wishing I could visit or live there. Sheer escapism  for those times you want to indulge in some fun, light-hearted reading. 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Review & Giveaway: Murder at the PTA by Laura Alden

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Signet; Original edition (October 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0451231090
ISBN-13: 978-0451231093

Beth Kennedy, a single mom with 2 kids, owns her own children's bookstore and is perfectly happy with her orderly life in Wisconsin. When her best friend, Marina, talks her into becoming secretary of the local PTA, Beth is a little hesitant but Marina talks her into "getting out there" and being more adventurous. Who knew the local PTA would be a hotbed of dissent and conflict that would lead Beth to more adventure than she ever bargained for?

So when Marina called Beth after the first meeting to tell her that Agnes Mephisto, the school principal, has been found murdered, Beth is not surprised. With a last name of Mephisto, Agnes is seen by many as the devil incarnate of the PTA. It seems Agnes has ruffled more than just a few feathers in the Tarver Elementary School system but her latest dictate  has managed to add to the impressive list of enemies who have motives galore. Thanks to the gossipy blog titled WisconSins, everyone in town knew there were many suspects and rumors are running rife. Beth becomes a little too involved and thinks she needs to find out who the murderer really is so she starts digging into Agnes's life not without repercussions, of course!

Murder at the PTA is Laura Alden's first in the series  and is an auspicious start for this promising writer. I really liked the way Alden developed the characters and how well they played off of each other; their personalities complemented each other. The mystery was well plotted and I was surprised at the ending. Always a good thing! I'll be most interested to read the next book in the series. 4****

To celebrate the release of Murder at the PTA last week, Laura is allowing me to host a giveaway for 2 autographed, paperback copies of her book. Just leave a comment saying why you would like to win. Open to US & Canada.

Bonus entries available :

+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name

+3 for new followers thru GFC

+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting.

Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :) Be sure to leave an e-mail contact.

Deadline to enter is October 22 at 5 PM. Good luck!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by the author, Laura Alden, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Edith Piaf

Photo from wikipedia

On this date in 1963, the world lost one of the most beautiful voices ever; Edith Piaf, the little sparrow, died at only 47 years of age. One of her most famous songs is also one of my favorites. I could listen to this over and over. If you didn't see the movie, La Vie en Rose, I would highly recommend it. I thought it was superbly done.

Review & Giveaway: Dirty Rotten Tendrils by Kate Collins

Cody Verse, New Chapel, Indiana's home town boy now turned singing celeb, returns to settle a lawsuit against his former friend and song writing partner, Andrew Chapper,  in a case of intellectual theft. Cody's lawyer is the flamboyant, media-hungry Ken "the Lip" Lipinski. In front of the courthouse is a growing mob watched by main characters, Marco and Abby.

"The Lawsuit should be settled in a day or two," Marco said, coming to stand beside me with a coffee mug in his hand. "Then everything will return to normal."

Oh, Marco, if you only knew what mayhem was in store before you made this rash statement! This was just the beginning of what was in store for the characters. Not long after the courthouse scene, Ken, "The Lip", who is not known for playing with a full ethical deck, is found dead of some type of overdose.  Abby's old boss, Dave Hammond is Andrew's public defender and after getting into a verbal skirmish with Ken over missing evidence, Dave is now considered a major suspect.

 But wait, isn't there a list of angry people who could be viable suspects also? Gee, there is Ken's ex-wife who even has her own website titled Ihatemyextodeath.com and then there is Andrew's grandfather who has a very bad temper, access to some funky prescription drugs and no alibi.

Abby, who owns her own florist shop, Bloomers, plays a major part in the investigation with her hunky love interest, Marco. They are determined to find the real killer and save their friend Dave from a wrongful arrest. But Abby has plenty to deal with, namely her possible fiancé and her potential in-laws.  What ensues is a well developed mystery along with a lot of humorous situations. Definitely one you won't want to miss!

Although Dirty Rotten Tendrils is # 10 in the Flower Shop series, it is still fresh. Collins infuses her cozies with some delightful characters and  settings. If I knew Abby, her quirky family and Marco in real life, I would certainly hope we would be friends. They sound like a lot of fun! If you would like to read the first chapter of Kate's new book, you can find it on her website. 

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by  Kate Collins in exchange for my honest opinion.

To celebrate today's release of her latest book in the Flower Shop Mysteries, Kate is generously allowing me to host a giveaway for 3 autographed copies of Dirty Rotten Tendrils. Open to US & Canada

Bonus entries available :

+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name

+3 for new followers thru GFC

+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting.

Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :) Be sure to leave an e-mail contact. Deadline to enter is Oct 16th at 5 PM. (est) Good Luck!

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Stiltsville by Susanna Daniels

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Harper (August 3, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-13: 978-0061963070

From the publisher:

Set against a vivid and lush South Florida background during the years of Miami’s coming-of-age, Stiltsville offers a gripping, bittersweet portrait of a marriage—and romance—that deepens over the course of three decades.

One sunny morning in 1969, near the end of her first trip to Miami, twenty-six-year-old Frances Ellerby finds herself in a place called Stiltsville, a community of houses built on pilings in the middle of Biscayne Bay. On the dock of a stilt house, with the dazzling skyline in the distance and the unknowable ocean beneath her, she meets the house’s owner, Dennis DuVal—and a new future reveals itself.

Turning away from her life, Frances moves to Miami to be with Dennis. Over time, she earns the confidence of his wild-at-heart sister and the approval of his oldest friend. Frances and Dennis marry and have a child—but rather than growing complacent about their good fortune, they continue to face the challenges of intimacy, and of the complicated city they call home.

Stiltsville is essentially the story of the ebb and flow of marriage and family life in a unique setting as told by Frances, the main character. Frances seemed to drift through life apathetically and I was actually surprised at one point when she said she really loved Dennis. What redeemed her character somewhat for me was the ending.  I finally  connected to Frances and felt such pain for Dennis with what he went through. I felt I got more insight into the DuVals while they were facing his ordeal. Of course, any crisis in a marriage really tests the strength of the spouses. It can either make or break the marriage and Frances came through with flying colors. To be fair, she did have a tremendous support system with her in-laws and her daughter Margo. If she didn't, I'm not too convinced she would have coped as easily.

It's obvious how much Daniels knows the area. Biscayne Bay is almost another character in the story. Daniels easily managed to mentally convey me there. The descriptions of the lush flora and fauna are impeccable. I found it most interesting to read about the lifestyles of stilt house owners. Even though I live it Florida, I've never seen any of these houses. If you would like to see some pics for yourself, you can go here.

Stiltsville is more of a "tell me"  than a "show me" book and I think this is one of the reasons I had trouble connecting with Frances. I did like a few of the supporting characters but throughout the story, Dennis seemed a little nebulous to me. I was told what he did but didn't get even a sense of what he thought about the marriage. Even though the story is written from Frances's view point, I think Dennis's character could have been a little more developed in the beginning. For me it was a good read, just not a stellar one but Daniels does show promise as a writer. 3***

If you would like to read more about Susanna Daniels, you can find her here.

Now for the giveaway details:

1 copy for giveaway open to  US & Canada
Bonus entries available :
+2 for old followers - remind me how you follow and under what name
+3 for new followers thru GFC
+3 for posting about and linking to drawing or tweeting. Please, please please, DO NOT leave 3 separate comments saying you tweeted or that you are a follower! :-) Be sure to leave an e-mail contact. Deadline to enter is Oct 14th at 5 PM (est) Good luck!

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by TLC tours in exchange for an honest opinion of the book.

Review: Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny

In the case of the kidnapped police officer, Paul Morin, Inspector Armand Gamache of the Sureté du Québec along with his second in command, Jean Guy Beauvoir have been greviously injured. While on medical leave, Gamache visits his old mentor Emile in Québec. During his visit, he receives a daily missive from Gabri in Three Pines pleading with  him about Olivier's innocence. He asks Gamache why would Olivier move the body? Although Olivier has been arrested, Gamache begins to wonder the same thing and so he sends Beauvoir back to Three Pines to re-open the case of the murdered hermit. Even though Beauvoir is on medical leave, he is glad to have something constructive to do. Gamache advises him to look at the case from another perspective; try to prove Olivier innocent instead of guilty.

Meanwhile in Québec, Gamache is trying to heal his troubled spirit. He feels he is to blame for the botched attempt to foil a terrorist plot. Several of his men died in the siege and Gamache feels ultimately responsible. As he wanders the streets of Québec he is haunted by his telephone conversation with the kidnapped Morin. When a murder of the local archeologist is discovered in the English Lit Society's basement, Gamache is drawn into that case almost against his will. Digging into the case brings up the mystery of Samuel Champlain and why his body was never found. A most interesting history of the Francophones and the Anglophones of Québec is nicely woven into the story.

 In Bury Your Dead, Louise Penny, deftly juggles three different plot lines and each one is as fascinating as the others. I like the way Penny give us much more insight into Gamache’s character. His nearly obsessive thoughts about the last case let us see him in a really vulnerable state of mind. Penny also does a wonderful job of setting the scene both in Quebec and Three Pines. I felt like I was breathing in the cold, cold air of winter right along with the characters.

One quibble I did have was sometimes Gamache’s remembrances of his last conversation with Morin were jarring. He’s in Québec and I'm embroiled in the scene when the next sentence is something Gamache said to Morin and it took me right out of the present scene. If it weren’t for this occurring quite frequently, I would have rated the book 5 *****.

NB:  I would strongly suggest not reading this book until you have read The Brutal Telling, # 5 in the series. In the 6th in the series, Bury Your Dead, the case from The Brutal Telling is retold including many spoilers. It’s much better to read The Brutal Telling first as much is added in Bury Your Dead about this case. I would also recommend this book to mystery fans who like complexity of plot and good character development throughout the story. A most enjoyable read that kept

 me turning the pages almost non-stop. 4*