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Saturday, March 31, 2012

A to Z Challenge: Characters in the Scriptures Theme

(Go HERE for complete details)
Wow, tons of participants!  So far I'm last, #1481.


So I've seen some posts about this upcoming Blogging from A to Z Challenge and thought what an incredible idea.  I filed it in the back of my mind and guess what?  It's the middle of the night and I'm going for it!  Needless to say I don't have any pre-posts done so I'll be one of those bloggers "flying through this thing by the seat of their pants" as Arlee Bird (one of the A to Z Team members) eloquently stated.  Yikes, I'm scared and excited!!  Truly a challenge for me.

The theme just came to me also ..characters in the scriptures.  Since I've got a lot of repenting on the grounds that I've been awful at studying the scriptures and such, this chosen theme will help me focus on spiritual things.  Now that my blog is a book blog, this theme would fit right in!  How fantastic is that?!  This challenge is a blessing.  Thank you A to Z Challenge team!

Okay, this starts in less than 20 hours so I'm going to go back to sleep.  --Wish me luck.  :) 

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Blog Tour and Giveaway of Hope's Journey by Stephanie C. Worlton


Book blurb:  As part of the human condition, we all make mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are the result of choices we make without fully understanding the intensity of the consequences. Because, sometimes the world lies to us. And sometimes, we simply fool ourselves into believing that we are less than who we really are!
"Hope's Journey" is the story of two individuals who, not understanding their true value, make choices that result in serious, unchangeable consequences.
A life changing mistake.
A soul changing journey. (from author's website)

I just wanted to give you a head's up on this book's Spring Blog Tour going on that I'm participating in.  My review isn't scheduled until towards the end of the tour and since there's a giveaway during the tour I wanted to make sure you get a jump on it. 

Here's what's up for grabs:
  • One autographed copy of "Hope's Journey"
  • Two digital copies of "Hope's Journey" (pdf or epub)
  • And... as a bonus, if Kreating Krazy gains 100 followers during the course of the tour, she'll add: A $25 gift card to Amazon!

Go HERE to enter.  Good luck!

Participants on the tour:
March 20 - From the Other Side of the Mirror
March 21 - Cami's Books
March 22 - I'm So Funny
March 23 - Interview on Mormon Mommy Writers
March 26 - The Write Path
March 27 - Cindy C. Bennett, author
March 30 - Taking It One Page at a Time
April 2 - Preserving the Past
April 3 - Getting Your Read On
April 4 - Books and Sensibility
April 5 - Two Kids and Tired
April 6 - Maria Hoagland, LDS Novelist
April 9 - Renae's Writespot
April 10 - I write I read I review
April 11 - Why Not Because I Said So
April 12 - Minding Spot
April 16 - I'd So Rather Be Reading
April 18 - Bloggin Bout Books
April 19 - Bookworm Lisa
April 24 - Jinky is Reading
April 25 - So Simply Sara
April 26 - Bees Knees Reviews
April 27 - Feminist Mormon Houswives

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

"Irises"

by Francisco X. Stork, YA, 2012, audio CDs, 7.5hrs, rating=4
Source: library

Kate is bound for Stanford and an M.D.—if her family will let her go. Mary wants to stay home and paint. When their loving but repressive father dies, they must figure out how to support themselves and their mother, who is in a permanent vegetative state. Then three men sway their lives: Kate’s boyfriend Simon offers to marry her, providing much-needed stability. Mary is drawn to Marcos, though she fears his violent past. And Andy tempts Kate with more than romance, recognizing her ambition because it matches his own. Kate and Mary find new possibilities and darknesses in their sudden freedom. But it’s Mama’s life that might divide them for good—the question of if she lives, and what’s worth living for. (Goodreads)

I'm a sucker for sister stories because my sister and I are tight so I am intrigued about portrayals of sisters.  This one was tender.  I was attracted to the struggle these two sisters Kate and Mary found themselves to face at a fairly young age.  Raised strict by a preacher father who soon dies at the beginning of the book.  Left with a vegetative mother to take care.  Kate and Mary had to be adults rather quickly (though Kate at 18yo was technically an adult).  Making hard decisions for the welfare of their present and future.  The struggle of deferring dreams or being ambitious came to play.  How do they properly take care of themselves and their mother?  They had to go beyond the black and white thinking thus the matter of sinking deep to understanding the division of living life vs living in sacrifice took a huge toll on the sisters.  Should they let their mother go?

The two sisters had different views about their struggles.  They hoped their aunt would be able to help more but come to find that she had sad issues as well.  Then, the men of their lives showed promise of semblance of a future.  Ultimately Kate took charge to search out facts and legal help.  What she found she shared with Mary and together they decided their future.  Bittersweet.

An emotionally draining and insightful story.  A tender accolade to bonds of family, particularly sisterhood.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Quick, Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet?


Help!  My birthday is seriously around the corner and I've been eyeing on a Nook Tablet (the associates in my local Barnes & Noble must feel sorry ~maybe annoyed~ for me for bugging them so much) but then I see a bunch of Kindle bargain books that many of you bloggers feature and wonder if Kindle's the way to go?  Any thoughts or experience on either of these e-readers?  I'd sure appreciate it. 

My wants:
  • Ease of use
  • Excellent help resource
  • Great book deals
  • Capable of downloading pdf books I already have in my computer
  • Be able to browse the Internet
  • Extra features

Side note:  I just saw advertised, the Nook Tablet on sale at Target for $199 and you get $10 Target gift card for purchasing it.  Oh, Kindle Fire is also $199 but no gift card.

THANK YOU!!  (:

Saturday, March 24, 2012

"Man of La Mancha: A Musical Play"

This is the only image I found of the book cover I read from ..source here.

by Dale Wasserman, Lyrics by Joe Darion, Music by Mitch Leigh, 1966, 92p, rating=4
Source: library

"Winner of the New York Drama Critics Award for Best Musical, 1966
To me the most interesting aspect of the success of Man of La Mancha is the fact that it plows squarely upstream against the prevailing current of philosophy in the theater. That current is best identified by its catch-labels--Theater of the Absurd, Black Comedy, the Theater of Cruelty--which is to say the theater of alienation, of moral anarchy and despair. To the practitioners of those philosophies Man of La Mancha must seem hopelessly naive in its espousal of illusion as man's strongest spiritual need, the most meaningful function of his imagination. But I've no unhappiness about that. "Facts are the enemy of truth," says Cervantes-Don Quixote. And that is precisely what I felt and meant."--Dale Wasserman. (Goodreads)

This is a musical play based on Miguel de Cervante's book Don Quixote.  Mr. Wasserman's interpretation tells the story as a play within a play.  It follows the man, Cervantes, as he awaits a hearing from the Spanish Inquisition.  Cervantes and his co-prisoners act out a play about a half-baked knight, Don Quixote, through his fanciful adventures.

I see this as an interesting introduction to Don Quixote which I look forward to reading for "The Classics Club" I joined.  I just wanted to dip my toes until I get there so I started with this play version.  Moreover, my only qualm about this written play was my lack of imagination to hear and see it in action.  It came as a realization how actors do wonders to telling a story.  Seeing and hearing this play live would have been more meaningful for me.  Hooray for actors!

Now, here's "The Quest" song, aka "The Impossible Dream", that inspired me to look into Don Quixote again (I vaguely recall the story in Junior High).  This is awesome!  I got to get my hands on the full film version and watch it.  Such powerful words.  Enjoy!


Thursday, March 22, 2012

"Private #1 Suspect"

by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, Scott Shepherd -narrator, Jack Morgan #2, AF, 2012, Playaway digital audio, 7.5hrs, rating=2.5
Source:  library

Since former Marine Jack Morgan started Private, it has become the world's most effective investigation firm--sought out by the famous and the powerful to discreetly handle their most intimate problems. Private's investigators are the smartest, the fastest, and the most technologically advanced in the world--and they always uncover the truth.
When his former lover is found murdered in Jack Morgan's bed, he is instantly the number one suspect. While Jack is under police investigation, the mob strong-arms him into recovering $30 million in stolen pharmaceuticals for them. And the beautiful manager of a luxury hotel chain persuades him to quietly investigate a string of murders at her properties. (book cover)

Another adventurous crime book from duo James Patterson and Maxine Paetro.  Four cases to solve in this installment for this high power investigation firm.  One of which involved Jack Morgan, head honcho of said firm.  Accused of murder of his ex-girlfriend no doubt.  But, no fear!  He does head the world's top detective agency so he's putting his men to work.  Will they be able to pull it off?

With the multiple cases to follow, this was an eventful book.  There was enough twists here and there to keep my interest.  So overall, it was entertaining as if watching four mini-episodes of a television crime show ..bloody, mysterious, and amusing.  Moreover, the writing was good and the narrator did a great job "acting" out the characters .. just comprehensively not incredibly wowing. 

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Classics Club

Now this is a challenge that spoke to me!  I have found myself caught up in the contemporary books of our day and I want to be sure that I don't forget to envelope a full range of culture that classic literature stimulates.  So thank you Jillian @A Room of One's Own for setting this up.

Okay, now how does this work?  Well, basically each participant is asked to make a list of 50, 100, or 200+ (or anything in between) classic books that you want to read within 5 years (set a specific goal) and start reading!  Of course track your progress through your blog (review books if you so desire) and you're welcome to link up your list at Jillian's blog and/or join The Classics Club in Goodreads that Jillian has set up.  Your reward is the experience of the project but Jillian welcomed each member to think of a personal prize for accomplishing your goal.  Overall, the idea is to have a network to encourage each other and in general inspire people to make classics an integral part of our lives.  Sounds awesome to me so I'm in!

My time line is 3/21/12 - 3/21/17. I'll be tracking my progress on my The Classics Club page.    Oh, and the prize I will give myself at the end of this journey is the absolute joy and thrill of having had my horizon immensely broaden!!

Goodness, I didn't know where to start so I enlisted help from friends for suggestions.  The following is the result.  Thanks everyone!!

  1. 1984 by George Orwell
  2. A Farewell to arms by Ernest Hemingway
  3. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
  4. All Quite on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque
  5. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery
  6. Around the World in 80 days by Jules Verne
  7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  8. The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
  9. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
  11. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
  12. Candide by Voltaire
  13. Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
  14. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
  15. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
  16. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
  17. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
  18. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
  19. The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
  20. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
  21. Inferno by Dante Alighieri
  22. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
  23. Lend Me Your Ears by Shakespeare
  24. Les Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  25. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
  26. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
  27. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
  28. The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle
  29. Middlemarch by George Eliot
  30. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
  31. The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins
  32. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
  33. Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
  34. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  35. One Hundred and One by Rabindranath Tagore
  36. Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie
  37. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
  38. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  39. The Professor by Charlotte Bronte
  40. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
  41. Spring Snow by Yukio Mishima
  42. The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett
  43. The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
  44. Tess of the D'Uurbevilles by Tomas Hardy
  45. The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
  46. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  47. The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
  48. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  49. The Woman in White by Wilke Collins
  50. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

I like the flexibility of this challenge.  This list is not set in stone.  I can make changes as I see fit.  :)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Spring TBR


This week's topic: Top Ten Books On My Spring To-Be-Read list (could be new releases or just books you hope to read this spring).

Okay, I'll be going with the books I hope to read since I don't particularly follow what's upcoming.

Here's my list in alphabetical order by author:

1.
Saving June



2.
Descended by Blood



3.
To Kill a Mockingbird



4.
The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)



5.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter, #5)



6.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter, #6)




7.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows



   

8.
Big Fish



9.
Man of La Mancha



10.
Hope's Journey



What's on your list?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Win "Scary School" by Derek the Ghost

Steph @The Thoughts of a Book Junky is giving away a copy of this book.  Head on over HERE for a chance to win it!

*Crossing fingers* .. my son is hoping I win this for him!  (:

Book Loot Giddy!

I was pretty giddy this week.  Here's my loot:

I won A Dark & Lonely Place from Wendy @Minding Spot (thanks Edna Buchanan)
and Beyond from Kathy @I Am A Reader, Not A Writer (thanks T.P. Boje)


Borrowed from the library
Midnight in Austenland, 77 Shadow Street, & Irises

I was highest bidder at silent auction
Yeay, first three of Harry Potter!

For review, Hope's Journey.  I'm excited about this one!
Look for my review and tour in April
Thanks Stephanie Worlton!!

By the way, Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  Here's my green, a picture that my niece took of a Chicago river (gets dyed green every St. Patrick's Day) from her pad back in 2009.  Yes, she lives in Chicago at a highrise building.  Pretty cool, eh?  ~Have fun all and be safe!!



Friday, March 16, 2012

TGIF: Social Networking


"Feature for Fridays to re-cap the week's posts & to propose a question ". Go HERE to join the fun!

This week's question: Social Networking: Do you use Twitter or Facebook to promote your blog? How has it benefited your book blogging experience? If not, how do you promote your blog? Share your twitter handle and/or Facebook link!

My answer:  I do have Twitter and Facebook accounts.  I have a Facebook "Fan" Page that I utilize to update followers of my blog posts (though lately it's been more of every several days/weekly summary) and occasionally have book giveaways exclusively for them.  Then I have another Facebook account (personal ..book related) and Twitter accounts that I joined to be in the social networking scene but it's so time consuming that I'm not there as often as I want.  Basically these avenues have given my blog some traffic so that's a big plus.  If I were more vigilant in utilizing them, I'd have more exposure but my time is limited as it is.  I must say, they're wonderful ways to ask questions, find out what people are up to, find interesting info, and to vent ..I mean to share something meaningful.  (:

Now, here's my social networking links:
Facebook Fan Page:  Books That Tug The Heart
Twitter:  @jinxtweet

Hope to see you there!  If you become a new follower there, leave me a comment and I'll follow you right back. :)

My Week's Recap (3/9-3/15):
  • Mail Giddy:  Book I won, library book loot
  • Book Review:  The Lost Saints of Tennessee by Amy Franklin-Willis
  • Book Review:  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  • Book Review:  The Descendants by Kaui Hart Hemmings

Thursday, March 15, 2012

"Descendants"

by Kaui Hart Hemmings, AF, 2007, 283p, rating=3
Source:  library

Narrated in a bold, fearless, hilarious voice and set against the lush, panoramic backdrop of Hawaii, "The Descendants "is a stunning debut novel about an unconventional family forced to come together and re-create its own legacy.
Matthew King was once considered one of the most fortunate men in Hawaii. His missionary ancestors were financially and culturally progressive-one even married a Hawaiian princess, making Matt a royal descendant and one of the state's largest landowners.
Now his luck has changed. His two daughters are out of control: Ten-year-old Scottie is a smart-ass with a desperate need for attention, and seventeen-year-old Alex, a former model, is a recovering drug addict. Matt's charismatic, thrill-seeking, high-maintenance wife, Joanie, lies in a coma after a boat-racing accident and will soon be taken off life support. The Kings can hardly picture life without her, but as they come to terms with this tragedy, their sadness is mixed with a sense of freedom that shames them-and spurs them into surprising actions.
Before honoring Joanie's living will, Matt must gather her friends and family to say their final goodbyes, a difficult situation made worse by the sudden discovery that there is one person who hasn't been told: the man with whom Joanie had been having an affair, quite possibly the one man she ever truly loved. Forced to examine what he owes not only to the living but to the dead, Matt takes to the road with his daughters to find his wife's lover, a memorable journey that leads to both painful revelations and unforeseen humor and growth. (Goodreads)

A thought provoking book.  I would imagine it would be hard to be angry at a comatose-dying spouse, even for infidelity.  This was what was going through Matt's mind.  So what did he do?  He loved and respected his wife, Joanie, enough to seek out her lover figuring that would be what she wanted.  Then off he goes with his unruly daughters to bring the man to Joanie.  Finds out that the lover had a riding on Matt's decision to sell his incredibly huge inherited land and something more personal.  This, along with the adventure of having to personally invite Joanie's close friends to visit her to say their goodbyes and prepare to be a single parent was quite a feat for Matt. 

Oddly enough, I felt Matt to be too nonchalant.  Yes, he couldn't direct his anger at his dying wife but show me that he roughed up a punching bag or something.  I would have sent my two jiu jitsu brothers to pay this lover a visit!  Matt was also passive with his daughters, like allowing them to be vulgar in his presence. But there was a couple great supporting characters, Sid and the nanny, that brought in some spice and perspective.  Overall, I didn't like Matt's initial ignorance but I did like his renewed passion for life and commitment to be there for the family ..including respecting his heritage and leaving a proper legacy.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

"The Fault in Our Stars"

by John Green, YA, 2012, 318p, rating=2
Source:  library
*SPOILER ALERT*

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.
Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.
Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind. (Goodreads)

WARNING  --this review might sound preachy but it's merely what I felt during the read.  Anyway, this started off with a bang for me.  I was thinking, 5 stars definitely 5 stars.  Then that physical connection thing between Hazel and Augustus happened.  I was taken aback!  It bothered me.  It's just not an occurrence to be taken so lightly.  It seemed that subliminally it was saying that it's okay to have fornication (remember, they're teenagers) because you're dying of cancer and under the umbrella of "we're in love" syndrome.  Yes, this was not the main focus of the book but to me it shouldn't have been added.  It was so subtle that it could easily be missed but you've read it and it's saying that it's no big deal.  It is to me.  I want my children to reserve their gift of procreation to the person they have lawfully and legally committed to.  MY OPINION.

That aside, this book tackled the world of dying in varying voices.  Namely, two teenagers (Hazel and Augustus) and a broken literary writer (Van Houten).  Hazel's voice was one of acceptance of death ..que sera, sera; Augustus was one of "I'll be the dashing debonair to make a cancer girl's last moments great since I don't have it as bad as others" attitude (yikes, the twist!); and Van Houten was just an unpleasant man drowning in the excuse of self pity.  Quite a group of characters, eh?  Indeed the mixture was recipe for boredom buster.  But overall, I saw this book to be over my head philosophical.  --Oh, I did like a couple of the sidekicks ..Isaac (Augustus' best friend) and lady Lidewij Vliegenthart (Van Houten's personal assistant).  Those two rocked!!

I'm not soulless.  This book did make me cry but this time around the indiscretion overpowered that emotion to award a great rating.

Monday, March 12, 2012

"The Lost Saints of Tennessee"

bu Amy Franklin-Willis, AF, 2012, 320p, rating=4
Source:  library

With enormous heart and dazzling agility, Amy Franklin-Willis expertly mines the fault lines in one Southern working-class family. Driven by the soulful voices of forty-two-year-old Ezekiel Cooper and his mother, Lillian, The Lost Saints of Tennessee journeys from the 1940s to 1980s as it follows Zeke’s evolution from anointed son, to honorable sibling, to unhinged middle-aged man.
After Zeke loses his twin brother in a mysterious drowning and his wife to divorce, only ghosts remain in his hometown of Clayton, Tennessee. Zeke makes the decision to leave town in a final attempt to escape his pain, throwing his two treasured possessions—a copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and his dead brother’s ancient dog—into his truck, and heads east. He leaves behind two young daughters and his estranged mother, who reveals her own conflicting view of the Cooper family story in a vulnerable but spirited voice stricken by guilt over old sins and clinging to the hope that her family isn’t beyond repair.
When Zeke finds refuge with cousins in Virginia horse country, divine acts in the form of severe weather, illness, and a new romance collide, leading Zeke to a crossroads where he must decide the fate of his family. (Goodreads)

I really liked this read.  The unfolding of Zeke's struggles with life after the death of his twin brother was interesting.  Added spice was brought from the background told from his mother Lillian's point of view.  The author did a great job at making the see-sawing between the past (1940s) to the current (1980s) work.  On occasions this type of see-saw writing confuses me but it wasn't the case for this book.  In fact, it added richness to the story.  This was so in that the story was sad but through the telling of the events, the read wasn't depressing.  I was able to feel the pain, the confusion, the stumbling block, and the gist of mid-life crisis.  I certainly would be in a lull for a long while if I lost my sister.

This is a good debut novel.  A wonderful book addition to take on a summer read or if you like Southern family stories with heartbreak.  Kudos to the author!

Friday, March 9, 2012

Mail Giddy

Here's what I got this week:

A Long Drive Home by Will Allison
won from Mary @ Book Hounds
Thank you Simon & Schuster and Mr. Allison
Already read the book, here's my Review


Borrowed from the library:
The Scorpio Races, The Kid, Private #1 Suspect

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Leap into Books Giveaway WINNERS

Using the services of Random.org, the winners of my Leap into Books Giveaway are:

Prize #1:  $20 Amazon/TBD is teressa oliver

Prize #2:  Book, "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen is Zee - A Voracious Reader

Congratulations ladies! Your prize is yours if you reply within 72hrs to the email I sent you or a new winner will be chosen.

A big thank you to those who entered and for the follow.  --Have a great day all!! :)

Stats:
Prize #1: 548 individuals entered, 1113 total with extra entries
Prize #2: 146 individuals entered, 308 total with extra entries

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

"Remy Broussard's Christmas"

by Kittie Howard, YR, Historical Fiction, 2011, Kindle Edition, rating=4
Source: purchased; Kindle for PC since I don't have a Kindle

When a classmate physically and mentally bullies Remy, the third-grader withdraws from friends and imagines the worst about his parents. Staring at the Christmas tree in the classroom enables the sharecropper's son to escape his poverty-stricken life and dream about opening a present on Christmas morning and having turkey for Christmas dinner, neither of which has ever occurred.
Friends blame the changes in Remy's behavior on Leonard's bullying and encourage Remy to talk to his parents, his teacher or his priest. Remy refuses, often with open hostility. As Christmas Day approaches, Remy's struggle to understand why he has so little and others have so much deepens. He concludes that Jesus is punishing him for hating Leonard and his bullying.
A bayou-laced, South Louisiana community comes together in 1952 to stop Leonard's bullying in a compassionate manner and open Remy's heart to the meaning of Christmas through love and forgiveness. (Amazon.com)

I am drawn to books that are set in the South. The characters are often down-to-earth and the stories are full of heart. This book definitely had those qualities.  The young characters stole my heart.  They embodied characteristics of coming out of innocence and into the early age of accountability.  What do I mean?  Well, these third-fourth graders are at an age where they know what is right and wrong so they're no longer innocent in that sense.  At this point they can be accountable for their actions yet too young to truly understand the consequences of their actions.  From Remy's story, we get a glimpse of the effects of making right or wrong choices.  Including the response of the adults.   I applaud the author's sensitivity and insights to the welfare of children.  Ms Howard took great care to present a plausible situation and then a solution to the problem of bullying that is applicable today as it was in 1952. 

This novella is a treasure.  I felt in the moment of the read that I was back in 1952 with Remy and his friends in that lovely classroom.  Feeling the despair caused by poverty, hopes for a better tomorrow, and ultimately the joy that the spirit of Christmas can bring.  It was a wonderful narrative that I truly enjoyed.  Thank you Kittie!

Side note:  I've been a follower of Kittie's blog for quite awhile and enjoy her wonderful free-standing stories and I think you will too so stop by and visit her some time ...oh, and purchase this book!  :)


"I blog stories gained through life's experiences, some good, some not so good, but thankful for both and my life's rich tapestry. I blog for the sheer joy of writing, the pleasure at hearing the keyboard's tap, tap, tap as it slices through the years, but well aware that the past is prologue. I primarily blog about growing up on a farm in South Louisiana, stories anchored in a family that first came to Louisiana in 1679. All of my stories are free-standing. You can jump in any time!"

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Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

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