Charlene Reviews: When Horses Had Wings by Diana Estill

ISBN #: 978-0979970887

Page Count: 314

Copyright: 2011

Publisher: Corncob Press

Synopsis:

Pregnant at 16, Renee Goodchild drops out of school and marries. Now she's trapped in rural Texas with Kenny, her violent, garbage-collecting husband. A bleak future seems assured until she meets self-appointed relationship guru, Pearly.

"That's why you don't let 'em rule the roost. 'Cause you can't count on 'em to be there the next mornin' when it's time to crow," the worldly Pearly advises.

Renee narrates this tale of ruin and redemption where the damaged and downtrodden lead each other to unintended, sometimes heartbreaking, and often bittersweet outcomes. When Horses Had Wings examines the lives of broken people competing for the most basic needs: the primal urge for affection and the eternal search for acceptance.

Charlene's Review:

Renee is a young girl of strict, religious parents. When she becomes pregnant, she is given no choice but to marry. Almost immediately, she is a victim of abuse at the hands of her husband. When Horses Had Wings is a classic example of the cycle of violence in domestic abuse, and how our choices can change our lives forever. After being isolated from the world, Renee finds the strength to change her future, no matter the cost.

My personal measure of a good book is if I can get totally lost in its pages. When Horses Had Wings is such a book. Although a work of fiction, Ms. Estill's writing brings the pain and heartbreak of abuse to life with clarity. Her characters are multi-dimensional and you feel their emotions completely. From fear and longing, to ambivalence and hope, you follow the characters through a less-than-perfect, yet humanly candid journey. While dealing with a sensitive, heartbreaking topic, the writing is beautiful and absorbing. Unlike a lot of fiction works, this isn't a happily ever after story. It's poignant, achingly real, and that is what makes it outstanding.

Mandy Reviews: Treasure Me by Christine Nolfi

ISBN #: 978-1463765248

Page Count: 350

Copyright: 2011

Publisher: CreateSpace

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

Petty thief, Birdie Kaminsky, has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She's in possession of a charming clue: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart. The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue's author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War and carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, will she discover a history more precious than gems, a tradition a love richer than she could imagine?

Mandy's Review:

Cover

I understand the cover, with the flag exemplifying Liberty and the Civil War, but I don't know that I like it. I'm not sure I understand who the woman is supposed to be portraying. If it's Justice Postell, I feel it's a misrepresentation.

Plot

Right out of the gate, we meet Birdie on her 31st birthday hanging by her fingers out of her apartment window. From there, we follow Birdie to the town of Liberty, Ohio where she scams her way into a job and a place to stay. As luck would have it, the play she's staying in is above her new place of employment, which happens to be the very place she needs to begin her treasure hunt search.

On her treasure-hunting journey, Birdie gets to know more about Liberty, Justice and herself. Birdie realizes she wants more than just the treasure; she wants a new life. Does she succeed in obtaining her goal, or does her past secrets come back to haunt her?

Main Characters

Birdie - Blonde, beautiful, mysterious, independent... essentially every red-blooded male's fantasy. She has a difficult time allowing people, especially men, into her personal space and trusting them.

Hugh - Tall, hunky, dreamy eyes and is good at domestic chores ... basically a dream-come-true. He is a newspaper reporter working on a new angle to an old story in the town of Liberty.

Theodora - A spunky, elderly lady who doesn't give one wit about what anyone says about her. Once she's decided she likes you, she's fiercely loyal and would do anything for you.

Landon - An older man bogged down by depression. His daughter is concerned and wonders if he should be placed in a hospital for the mentally ill.

Overall

Generally speaking, this book has the most recognized aspects of a romance:

• Beautiful woman meets sexy man
• One, or both, have hidden secrets that, if they get out, will ruin them in the other's eyes
• Man and woman draw closer together through some turn of events
• One or the other's secret(s) comes out causing man and woman to argue and separate
• Both spend their time apart missing the other, but unsure if the other misses them
• Man and woman reunite with renewed fervor and passion, more in love than ever

Normally, I would be disgusted with yet another cookie-cutter romance. Treasure Me, however, is more than just a cookie-cutter romance.

I really enjoyed the plot dealing with the treasure hunting and all the other people of Liberty. The way the author brought out each of the clues was pretty nifty. I enjoyed it so much, I'm ready to see what happens in book two of the Liberty series.

So, if you enjoy a romantic treasure hunt with a bit of local history, then this book is for you! =)

Kathy Reviews: The Kennedy Club by G. P. Schultz

ASIN #: B0050W9ABI

File Size: 731 KB

Book Summary:

(Taken from author's website)

When Emily and Jack meet by chance on a Cape Cod beach, it's the beginning of a tumultuous twenty-year romance that takes them into the eye of war and the heat of politics. Along for the ride are four Harvard University friends who are members of The Kennedy Club. Aspiring to the ideals of former president John F. Kennedy, the group's goal is to get Jack elected President of the United States. Emily and Jack fall in love, but will his ambition to be president outweigh his love for her, and will she be able to set aside her own career to help him achieve his dream? And will the bond of their relationship withstand betrayal and the lust of power as Jack fights to become the chief executive of the country?

Coop, Jack's best friend and trusted campaign manager gets caught up in the fight to stop the destructive practice of mountaintop mining devastating his home state of West Virginia. He becomes a terrorist activist against the coal companies, putting Jack's political career in jeopardy, and threatening Coop's relationship with the beautiful Adriana.

Kathy's Review:

Jack, Coop and Emily meet on the beach near Emily's home and realize they are all Harvard-bound. Jack and Coop recruit Emily to The Kennedy Club, which is a political club centered around getting Jack elected to high office. First, President of the Harvard student body, and finally, President of the United States. They certainly have the smarts, the financial backing and the heroics to do it.

Yet, these highly successful, rich, educated people talk throughout the novel like a bunch of sex-obsessed teenagers about who is screwing who and why. It was just over 400 pages of tedious political/romance. I felt no attachment to any of the characters, in fact, I disliked most of them.

Throughout the novel, there's this kind of unbelievable "right place right time" karma that happens to Jack and his cronies - such as, traveling to Bosnia and rescuing women from being sexually violated in a labor camp, helping rescue victims from the Oklahoma City bombing, being in Manhattan on the morning of 9/11, etc. A little too unbelievable.

This book definitely was not for me. I think it was too long, the dialogue was too boring, and the action too unbelievable.

TRW2011: Wrap-Up

I know this is a couple days late, but I have been sick and the last thing I felt like doing was get on a computer.

How did I do with the Thankfully Reading Weekend 2011?

Not as well as I'd hoped. Out of the ten books I listed, I only finished the first three, started the fourth, posted two reviews (will post the third today or tomorrow) and participated in one mini-challenge. I sort of feel bad for not doing better, but then again, I don't.

Sunday, the last day of TRW2011, was spent with my three beautiful nieces and the hubs. I took the nieces bowling and, after dropping them back off, spent the rest of the day with the hubs. I had been feeling bad about ignoring him all day Friday and Saturday, so thought I should spend some time with him on Sunday.

So, that's about it for my Thankfully Reading Weekend. How did ya'll do?

December's BintoM Monthly Giveaway (#11)

Have you ever read a book and then wanted to watch the movie made from it? Or, maybe you've seen a movie and then found out there was a book it was based on. Well, that was the basis of this monthly meme that I started.

Welcome to Literary R&R's BintoM (Books-into-Movies) Monthly Giveaway!

Here are the particulars for this giveaway:

• Towards the end of the month, I will post the next month's giveaway.
• I will leave it open for 2 to 3 weeks. At that time, a winner (or winners, if I'm feeling generous) will be chosen and notified.
• I will expect the winner to acknowledge the winning email within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.
• This is now open internationally
• You do not need to be a GFC follower to win. Yes, I would like it if you followed me, but I am not making that a stipulation to participate or to win.

December's BintoM Giveaway (ending December 11th) prize pack will consist of:

 The Secret Life of Bees book/movie combo

Here's a little bit about both:

I have a brand new paperback copy of The Secret Life of Bees written by Sue Monk Kidd that I bought from Books-A-Million.

Summary:  Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina - a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna. This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.

To go along with the book, I have a brand new copy of The Secret Life of Bees, the movie:

Blurb:  To escape her cruel, angry father - and discover the truth about her late mother's past - 14-year-old Lily Owens flees with her caregiver and friend Rosaleen to a South Carolina town where she's taken in by the bee-keeping Boatwright sisters. Surrounded by the unexpected love, grace and spirituality she encounters there, Lily forms a bond with each of these uniquely gifted women and discovers that sometimes you must leave home in order to find it.

Special Features:

Theatrical Version

Director's Extended Cut

8 Deleted Scenes

 Adaptation: Bringing The Secret Life of Bees to the Big Screen (Featurette)

  

The Women and Men of The Secret Life of Bees (Featurette)

 Inside the Pink House with Sue Monk Kidd (Featurette)

Life on the Set (Featurette)

The World Premiere (Featurette)

Various Commentaries

DVD Info:

110 Minutes

Rated PG-13

Widescreen Version

Main Actors:

Queen Latifah

Dakota Fanning

Jennifer Hudson

Alicia Keys

Sophie Okonedo

Paula Bettany

Normally, this is where I'd have the link to the entry form, but... I've decided to add to this prize pack. I wanted to give away a themed prize this month.  Since there are beekeeping sisters in this novel, I've purchased items to do with bees and honey and one item to package it all into.

First up:

I have a brand new Thirty-One insulated lunch bag.  As you can see, the entire inside is insulated and the back has a large pocket for utensils while looking stylish in a St. Andrews Tartan design.

To go inside the bag:

A jar of Winnie-the-Pooh U.S. Grade A pure clover honey, a bag of Bit-O-Honey candy and a Burt's Bees combo pack.  In the Burt's Bees photo, there is a tube of Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm, a container of Burt's Bees Hand Salve, a Burt's Bees Foot Care Kit (which includes Burt's Bees Coconut Foot Creme with Vitamin E, Burt's Bees Exfoliating Pumice Stone and what looks like a pair of Burt's Bees socks) and two clover honey suckers - not a Burt's Bees item, but still pretty awesome!

(=  Now, how's that for a themed prize pack?!  =)

Click here to enter for your chance to win

Good Luck!