Monthly Archives: September 2014

Peetswea Bag in Seattle

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Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Seattle.
I took my new bag that I had just bought from Kristi at Peetswea from her Etsy shop.

sweepeat bag

In Seattle you must pay for a bag if you are buying something – keeping things green!
This bag worked to be my pocketbook and my shopping bag.

bag at starbucks

This is my bag at Starbucks.
It carried my book for some reading time with my tea and muffin in the morning.

bag at belles

This is at a place called Belle’s.
It is a french pastry shop that is a must in Seattle.

bag at airport

This bag is perfect to travel with.
This is at the airport on the way home.
The bag is holding my book, snack, and plane ticket.

Need a bag – go to Etsy shop Peetswea.  

Nancy Clancy – Secret of the Silver Key

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Author:  Jane O’ Connor        nancy
Publisher:  HarperCollins
Genre:  Children
Source:  BEA

 

Goodreads:  Join Nancy Clancy in New York Times bestselling team Jane O’Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser’s fourth Nancy Clancy chapter book about the past, present, and future! Nancy and her best friend, Bree, must go back in time to solve their latest mystery. While Nancy’s class learns about time capsules in school, another relic from the past pops up in the present. Nancy buys an old desk at a tag sale and soon finds out that someone left behind a key. In the perfect follow-up to Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth;Nancy Clancy, Secret Admirer; and Nancy Clancy Sees the Future, Nancy and Bree set out to unlock the secret of the silver key in the hopes of finding some treasure along the way. But unlocking the mystery soon proves to be more difficult than they had thought, and when the answer isn’t what they had expected, Nancy and Bree learn there are some things that remain timeless forever.

Fans of Fancy Nancy will love joining Nancy Clancy in the latest edition to the chapter book series. The central theme of all the Nancy Clancy books shines through, showing the power of positive thinking and the will to never give up.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is book four in the series, but the first one that I have read.  It can stand alone, but it is so good I recommend starting from the beginning of the series.  As an adult I enjoyed the story.  I would enjoy reading it to a younger reader or having a middle grade student read it to me.

I was impressed with Jane O’Connor’s introduction of new vocabulary words.  She used the word in a sentence, then explained it’s meaning.  I thought it was a clever way to expand a new readers vocabulary.

The pictures in the book are a nice complement to the story.  They will keep a  young readers attention if someone is reading it to them.

I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for short chapter books for gifts.  I will definitely buy the firsts ones for my granddaughters shelf.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Accidents of Marriage

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Author:  Randy Susan Meyers   accidents
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Goodreads:  Accidents of Marriage explores a topic rarely shown in fiction: the destruction left in the wake of spouse’s verbal fury. Ben never meant to hurt Maddy. He never imagined his recklessness would lead to tragedy.

Maddy is a social worker trying to balance her career and three children. Years ago, she fell in love with Ben, a public defender, drawn to his fiery passion, but now he’s lashing out at her during his periodic verbal furies. She vacillates between tiptoeing around him and asserting herself for the sake of their kids – which works to keep a fragile peace – until the rainy day when they’re together in the car and Ben’s volatile temper gets the best of him, leaving Maddy in the hospital fighting for her life.

Randy Susan Meyers takes us inside the hearts and minds of her characters, alternating among the perspectives of Maddy, Ben, and their fourteen-year-old daughter. Accidents of Marriage is a provocative and stunning novel that will resonate deeply with women from all walks of life, ultimately revealing the challenges of family, faith, and forgiveness.

Ope’s Opinion:  I am having a hard time reviewing this book.  I think it is a good story to highlight emotional abuse.  I am not sure there was anyone in this family who were not emotionally abused.  I think this was a realistic look inside a difficult family.   There were lessons to be learned from this book – they are hard lessons.  

 I did not “enjoy” reading it.  There were a few times I almost stopped reading.  It was kind of depressing.  I wanted to see improvement in the relationships, I wanted some resolution and I wanted to eventually like the family – that did not happen.

I have read Randy Susan Meyers and I will read her again. I think I would recommend The Comfort of Lies, if you have not read her before.

 

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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