Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 56

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       I loved animals/cats as a kid and still do.

2.       I drive the most amazing victory red GMC Sierra!!!!  (at least it is to me, I don't care that it is a '94 and showing some signs of aging...it's my first truck and I LOVE it!!!)

3.       I am currently reading Catcher in the Rye in book form for a read along, and am reading Lacrimosa in ebook form from an author for review.  :)

4.       I wish I could instantly have a body just like the one I used to have right after high school!  :-)

Theme Thursdays! March 29th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

March is going to be all about making life easy. This month we will do ‘Pick what you see first‘ themes. So open the book you are reading, continue reading; pick the first mention of any name in it and post the snippet. The only condition is ‘No Ebooks’.. lets go traditional. Easy-peasy!!

Pick the last sentence from the last page of the book. Yes, the very last sentence. I am assuming it would be mostly 'Happily ever after' but lets see how books end.

ENDING - Last sentence from the last page of the book.

Here's my snippet:  "And it made me more determined than ever to have as many more beautiful days together with her as I possibly can."  page 244 The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze & Lisa Niemi.

Cat Thursday! March 29th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy!

This is how I felt this whole week.  Lol.

I know mine does.  ;)

Good theory really.  

LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!

Book Review: Turquoise Girl

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  Turquoise Girl
Author:  Aimee and David Thurlo
Pages:  304
Publication Date:  2007
Version:  Hardcover
Genre:  Adult Fiction/Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Navajo Police Special Investigator Ella Clah has seen a lot of death in the decade since she returned to the Reservation, but nothing quite as bad as a series of violent murders of young Navajo. Something about the crime scene reminds Ella of her days in the FBI, and she calls on Agent Blalock for help. And that's not the only link to Ella's past--clues indicates that Ella's father may have tried to stop this killer before his own murder.  Working long hours, desperate to identify and stop the serial killer before he strikes again, Ella manages to squeeze in a few dates with Reverend Bilford Tome. Ella's father was a man of the cloth as well--is Ella following her mother's path, falling for a man whose faith she does not share?"


My Review:

Ella is a Navajo police special investigator.  Trying to incorporate new police science with old traditional Navajo beliefs is not an easy job.  Ella is not greatly welcomed by her fellow Navajo tribe when she decides to become a police investigator.  She tends to stray from old Tribal beliefs in ways of doing things and solving crimes, which is not looked kindly upon.  When a Navajo woman is found murdered in her home near a small diner on the Rez Ella and her crew are on the case.  Not everyone is happy about this, many Navajos believe that their new age science is not the way to deal with murder.  Ella and her crew then are forced to beat the race against time to try and solve this murder case before the local Navajos take the situation into their own, traditional, hands.  When things don’t seem to be moving fast enough for the Navajos on the Rez many things start happening that are clearly a threat, not only to the police force, but more so to Ella.  The deeper into the case Ella becomes the more confusing it gets for Ella.  She is forced to look at her family’s past and look at traditional values that she has long since moved away from.  Quickly the murder turns into threats against Ella’s family, friends, and Navajo family.  Can Ella solve the case with the help of her police and Navajo friends before it is too late?  Can she solve it before a mother’s grief of her murdered daughter causes her to enlist the traditional help of a Navajo group?  Can she protect her family and friends while she tries?

This book was not the first in the series, but it was a very well written book, so was an easy stand alone book along with part of a series.  I have not read any of the authors’ other books and did not have any problems following what was going on in this book.  I really liked and enjoyed this book.  I loved the Navajo plotline and characters.  I felt it was a great representation of what traditionalists really feel about modern police science being used.  It has many twists and turns as the plot thickens with the murder and protesters that don’t want a building built on the Rez and everything that happens because of these two things.  The characters were very likable and were easy to feel for throughout the book.  I thought I had the case solved at least three times, only to discover I was wrong.  I think Ella was by far my favorite character in this book.  I enjoyed reading about Navajo traditions throughout this book and learning how they view things.  I also loved how all the characters were respected by all the other characters, even if they weren’t liked by all.  I am looking forward to going back and reading more books written by this pair of authors.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a good murder mystery with great characters and with a great Navajo plot to it too.

4/5 Stars!

This book counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books, 1,000,000 Pages Read, A to Z Title Challenge, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, and Rainbow Reading Challenge.

Mount TBR Checkpoint!

Oh my, it is time for the Mount TBR Checkpoint post.  I am typing this post in blue...this is how I feel about how far I have climbed my mountain so far.  :-(  I have not done very well at all with this challenge in the last 3 months.  Here is what I DID accomplish:

Progress!
1. I is for Innocent by Sue Grafton
2. Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
3.  Milwaukee Autumns Can Be Lethal by Kathleen Anne Barrett
4.  Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

So, four out of twenty five books....ya I know, not too much of a climb up my mountain, but I hope to do better in the coming months.  I know I shouldn't really make excuses, but in my defense I have been reading a lot, just not books I had on my shelves.  I have been reading things authors have asked me to read and books that I have gotten as gifts or have bought new.  

Here's to hoping the coming months prove to be great climbing weather!!!  :-)

An Award!!!

Many thanks to Quill and Parchment for awarding me this award!  What a wonderful thing to find on my blog!!!  :-)

Liebster, I am told, means "favorite" or "beloved." The award is given to bloggers with under 200 followers. These blogs are "the best kept secrets" out there.

Now, the fun part, I get to honor five other blogs I follow with this award!!

Here is who I picked from my list!

1. annaaa in a fairytaleee

2. Babbling Books

3. Bluest Ribbon

4. Book Whales

5. Kikay Reader

Winners, here are the rules to participate:

1. Thank the person which nominated you in a blog post.
2. Nominate up to five other blogs.
3. Let them know via comment on their blog.
4. Post the award on your blog.

Book Review: What Looks Like Crazy

Image from amazon.com



Title:  What Looks Like Crazy on an ordinary day…
Author:  Pearl Cleage
Pages:  244
Publication Date:  1997
Version:  Paperback
Genre:  Adult Fiction

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"In a remarkable debut novel that sizzles with sensuality, crackles with life-affirming energy and moves the reader to laughter and tears, author Pearl Cleage creates a world rich in character, human drama, and deep, compassionate understanding. After a decade of luxe living in Atlanta, Ava Johnson has returned to tiny Idlewild, Michigan -- her fabulous career and power plans smashed to bits on one dark truth: Ava has tested positive for HIV. Bur rather than a sorrowful end, her homecoming is a new beginning. Because, in the ten-plus years since she left, all the problems of the big city have invaded the sleepy community of her childhood. Because dear friends and family sorely need her help in the face of impending trouble and tragedy, and Ava cannot turn her back on them. And because, most importantly, Ava Johnson is inexplicabley and undeniably falling in love."

My Review:
An African American woman from a small town, living in a big city discovers something that changes her life and the way she views it forever…she was told she is HIV positive.  Ava is a successful business woman, running her own salon in Atlanta.  Her life may have been a bit full of sex partners, but she is a good woman and a hardworking woman.  She feels, when told she is HIV positive, that the men she has had sex with deserve to know.  So she sends out letters telling them all and telling them that they may want to get tested themselves to be sure they don’t have it too.  She has no idea how long she has been carrying this disease, so she just sends out letters to any man she had sex with.  She then continues on with life, dealing with the disease and trying to still run her salon.  Which is working ok…until a man’s wife comes in screaming at her for sending out a letter like that to her husband and telling everyone that Ava has “the AIDS”.  After this the salon goes under and Ava sells it for a wonderful price and moves back home to Idlewild, Michigan to be with her sister Joyce for the summer.  Joyce (who has had rough times herself, losing her husband to an ice accident) is wonderful support for Ava and is more than willing to have her.  While in Idlewild Ava has lots to deal with on top of dealing with her own sickness.  Joyce is a “do-gooder” and “helper”, she thinks she can “fix” things just by caring enough to try to.  Joyce has a club for young African American women/girls that is meant to help them better cope in life, called the Sewing Circus.  This is a club through the local church.

While Ava is in Idlewild for the summer many things happen…Joyce is banned from having the Sewing Circus at the church because of  a meeting that circled around ways to practice safe sex (by using jumbo hot dogs on chopsticks to practice putting condoms on).  Also, a young mother addicted to crack has a baby with Joyce’s help, and leaves the hospital in the middle of the night…without the baby, never to come back again.  The family of the girl doesn’t want the baby and is also a crack house, so Joyce gets temporary custody of the baby.  Joyce and Ava come to love the baby and are bewildered when child services come out of the blue to take the baby back to give her to the family of the mother (because they found out there is money given to whoever takes care of the baby).  On top of all that going on, the small town is now having break-ins, there is something weird going on with the Good Reverend and his wife from Chicago that just doesn’t seem right, the secret comes out in town that Ava is HIV positive and the boys in town make that news a living hell for Ava, AND Ava finds herself falling in love for the first time, but she is scared to because of knowing that her disease makes relationships hard and a future almost impossible.  Ava and Joyce make it their goals to:  keep the Sewing Circus together, even if it isn’t through the church; try to get an innocent baby out of the custody of a crack house on wanting her for the money; and digging in deeper to see what secrets the Good Reverend and his wife have.  But can they do all that before it is too late?  They learn that all of the goings on are connected to someone that they least expect.  Can they save the baby before something bad happens to her?  Can they keep the Sewing Circle together for supporting the women in it?  Maybe there are some things that can’t be “fixed” by a loving woman who tries…or can they be?  What about Ava and her new found relationship with Eddie?  Will she tell him about her being HIV positive and risk losing yet another person in her life?  If he doesn’t run from her and her disease can she bring herself to keep him in her life when she is doomed for death?

This book was amazing!  I fell in love with the characters in this book.  Ava was an exceptional character and woman in this book.  She is strong in the face of her illness.  She is determined not to let it beat her down.  Ava has such strong support from her sister Joyce and friend Eddie that she decides Idlewild is where she is meant to stay, not move on after the summer.  They help her see that things are worth fighting for and that love is a beautiful thing, no matter how short it may be.  To give a summary of this book in a short version would be impossible, so much happens in this book.  Even in my summary above I had to leave some things out.  So much happens and so much is addressed.  This book may be fiction, but it has a very true story plot and feel to it.  As I read this book I found myself forgetting that is was indeed fiction.  This was a very touching and enlightening read for me.  I love that it’s main component was a disease that you hear about, but never really hear about as far as the lives of those that have it.  This book has touched me in a way that is not easily described.  I would highly recommend and have recommended this book to anyone.  

5/5 Stars!

This book counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Versatile Challenge

Versatile Challenge Book Review: What Looks Like Crazy

image from amazon.com

Title:  What Looks Like Crazy on an ordinary day…
Author:  Pearl Cleage

Ava has such strong support, which she needs in light of her being diagnosed HIV positive, from her sister Joyce and friend Eddie that she decides Idlewild is where she is meant to stay, not move on to San Francisco after the summer.  They help her see that things are worth fighting for and that love is a beautiful thing, no matter how short it may be.  To give a summary of this book in a short version would be impossible, so much happens in this book and so much is addressed.  This book may be fiction, but it has a very true story plot and feel to it so as I read this book I found myself forgetting that is was indeed fiction.  This was a very touching and enlightening read for me.  I love that it’s main component was a disease that you hear about, but never really hear about as far as the lives of those that have it.  This book has touched me in a way that is not easily described.

My favorite character by far in this book is Ava.  She is a strong, independent, yet soft hearted woman, who was very easy to love in this book.

My least favorite character was Gerry, the Reverend’s wife.  She is discriminating, deceitful, and close-minded.

The quote in this book that inspires and touches me most is this one thought by Ava while in the airport bar waiting for her flight watching a talk show:  “They were interviewing some women with what the host kept calling full-blown  AIDS.  As opposed to half-blown AIDS, I guess.”

A-Darn Great Read!!!

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 55

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1.       I love getting hugs from my son when I need a pick me up (after a bad day).

2.       No matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get my husband's car to be fixed for longer that a month or two lately.  It's one thing after another after another.

3.       Spending time with my family and friends makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

4.       I can’t resist a sale on BOOKS!!!  :)

Theme Thursdays! March 22nd

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

March is going to be all about making life easy. This month we will do ‘Pick what you see first‘ themes. So open the book you are reading, continue reading; pick the first mention of any name in it and post the snippet. The only condition is ‘No Ebooks’.. lets go traditional. Easy-peasy!!

Pick the first sentence that has any relevance to any movement(car, boat, motorcycle, walk, run, swim etc...). 

MOVEMENT - First snippet from the book having any relevance to movement

 

Here is my snippet for the week!

(they are talking about haircuts) "'Sure,' I said.  'How short do you want it?'  'Like yours,' she said.  'It looks good and if it's that short, I can go swimming every day.  They've got a pool.'"  page 134 What Looks Like Crazy on an ordinary day...

Cat Thursday! March 22nd

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy!


Some pics found on my Facebook from friends:

Yeah, I could SO see my cats trying to do this.  LOL!!!

LOL!!!!

This is my thought today exactly!  :-)

Book Review: If Errands Could Kill

 

Image from amazon.com

Title:  If Errands Could Kill
Author:  Jim Bronyaur
Pages:  240
Publication Date:  2012  
Version:  PDF format free from author for honest review
Genre:  Mystery/Fiction

Summary Via Amazon.com:

"Up at sunrise to enjoy the quiet of a sleeping household, Eve Bailey gets her coffee, prepares breakfast for her three children, and has a spare tie ready knowing that her husband, Ben, will definitely spill something on the one he is wearing. Their oldest daughter, Delaney, is one game away from moving onto the soccer championships, their son, Cody, skipped school yesterday, and innocent 7 year old Penny is trying to communicate with her goldfish. Eve’s days are that of a typical stay at home mom. Her typical day changes drastically after she drives Cody to school as part of his punishment for skipping school. Cody’s creepy science teacher, Mr. Jackson, approaches Eve to let her know that her check for Cody’s field trip had bounced. Knowing it had to be an error, Eve heads to the bank to figure it out. While in line, she chats with her mother in law who works at the bank. Then she notices Janet, another bank employee and self-made town outcast, acting very strange at the back counter. Eve’s concern grows when she is leaving the bank and sees Janet open the gas tank door and then drives away. Against her better judgment, Eve follows Janet. What happens next is something unheard of in quiet Marysville, Pennsylvania. Janet is murdered in front of Eve’s eyes, and the police find drugs in her car. Murder and drugs? It doesn’t make sense. Eve is now a witness and determined to disprove the “drug deal gone wrong” theory. Can she convince the police that she knows who the killer is, save her family, and make it to Delaney’s big soccer game in time?"

My Review:
Stay-at-home Mom’s can really be super heroes, but how dangerous of a situation is too much for a Mom?  Eve is “wonder Mom”, she takes care of all the household duties, keeps the kids in order, goes to her daughter’s soccer games, makes sure the other two kids are taken care of too, makes sure her husband always has a spare tie (for those oops moments of his) and has decided to take up finding a murderer too!

To prove a point one day, Eve takes her son to school (an embarrassment tactic to make sure he never skips school again) and her life is changed forever.  At the school her son’s teacher sees here there and swings by her car to tell her that there was a problem with her check she made out for her son’s field trip and he just wanted her to know so she could get it straightened out before the trip so her son could still go.  Well, Eve knows there are more than enough funds in the bank and there should be no reason for any issues, so she decides to go to the bank and check it out.  That is where her day changes from normal “Mom stuff” to amateur sleuth.  In the bank she notices Janet (a woman from the neighborhood and bank teller) acting funny and extremely out of the ordinary.  When Eve is outside getting ready to go back home after straightening out the check issue, Janet comes out and opens her gas door on her car and then proceeds to drive off.  Confused, but also wanting to help Janet in case any light was on in her car due to the open gas door, Eve follows her in hopes to catch her when she stops to tell her the door is still open.  Following her and then stopping because of a phone call on her cell, Eve witnesses something she never would have imagined seeing that day…Janet being murdered…shot in her car by someone in a black Lincoln.  Eve calls police, but she just can’t let it go, she wants to help solve the murder because she thinks the police are looking at all the wrong leads.  Her husband, mother in law, and the local police tell her to back off and let the police do their job.  Eve just can’t bring herself to do that though.  She just knows they are looking at leads that were meant to lead them away from the real killer.  So, she takes it upon herself to investigate more and try to figure it all out for the police.  Is this a smart thing to do?  Will this “helpfulness” lead to Eve’s own murder?

I just loved this book!  From page one I was hooked on the character Eve and her personality.  Eve is the perfect wife/Mom.  She makes sure everyone’s needs are met and that the house is always in order and that her wifely/motherly duties are always done before her personal wants.  In a small town like Eve and her family live in nothing happens that they all don’t know about.  I love that fact in this book.  It makes the murder all that much more…out of place or mysterious.  This book takes off near the beginning and doesn’t let the reader rest until the end.  It is action filled and has comedy too.  Not only is the plot very well written, but the characters are developed in such a way that you can’t help but think of people you know that they remind you of.  Every time I thought Eve had it figured out and so did I something would be added that made me and the character back pedal our conclusions and re-examine things.  When Eve does figure it out, it may well be too late to matter, for now the murderer has another target set…Eve.

Great read and book, would highly recommend to anyone wanting a small town mystery and unforgettable characters.

5/5 Stars!!

This book counts toward the following challenges:  100 Books, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Mystery and Suspense Challenge.

My Scouting Blog

 

I have started a blog for my Cub Scouting Adventures!  Come check it out and follow our fun and crazy times!

http://scoutinganotherwordforfun.blogspot.com/

I will be sharing my den leader adventures and what we do in our meetings.  If anyone knows how to have a fun time it is us scouts.  :-)

Book Review: Blood Oath

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  Blood Oath (A Gabby Girls Adventure Novel, #2)
Author:  T.L. Clarke
Pages:  300
Publication Date:   2012
Version:  PDF version free from the author for honest review
Genre:  Young Adult Mystery/Paranormal

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"Welcome to the dark and powerful world of the Eternals. 
Gabrielle Martin discovers that she was born into a secret society called the Eternals—Warriors sworn through blood to annihilate dark and evil creatures that walk the shadows of the earth. Everything she has known to be true is a lie…just smoke and mirrors to disguise a deadly world filled with half-human, half-vampire Underworld Warriors with one goal—to kill all Eternal Warriors. 
The battle against pure evil begins. Friendships are betrayed. Rivals bond…and powers collide."

My Review:
This book picks up where the first Gabby Girls Adventure ends…the four friends (Gabrielle, Jessica, Zora, and Rosalinda) have found out that they are part of a magical group.  They now are to move to a different “school” and learn how to use their gifts and powers as Circles (magical/powerful women).  Before they can make the trip to their new school the school they are at now is attacked and nearly everyone there is killed.  The four girls are taken to safety and do get to their new school for training, but now their training must happen much faster to prepare them to fight in the war that is coming.  Gabrielle is found to be the Akasha reincarnate and is seen to be the answer to the war problem, but how can a sixteen year old girl solve a problem like that?  When the girls get to the new school Rosalinda seems to be distancing herself from the other three girls.  She is acting weird and seems distracted a lot.  She says it’s her Dad’s latest conversation, but is it really that?  As training gets underway the girls form new friendships and gain new enemies too.  It’s not easy trying to focus on studies with a whole mess of major hot male classmates running around.  Gabrielle soon discovers that not is all how it seems.  Her Grandmother is on the Counsel at the school and is suddenly ill, but not because she is naturally sick…someone has put a black spell on her and she will be lost forever if Gabrielle can’t find and “borrow” the special book of spells that is hidden and well guarded at the school.  She enlists the help of her Gabby Girls again along with a new Gabby Girl, Brooklyn and a major cutie warrior, Justice (because he knows how to get to it).  The plan starts to fall apart when Gabi and Zora finally find the book, but set off an alarm when they take it off the pedestal it was sitting on.  Gabi and Justice stay behind to go up against the warriors coming, while the rest of the Gabby Girls are to take the book and run out and hide the book until Gabi gets back.  Sounded like a good enough plan.  So where’s the catch?  Not all the Gabby Girls should be trusted and Gabi makes a huge mistake handing the book off to the one Gabby Girl traitor of the bunch.  She later finds (while she is in the dungeon for stealing the book along with Justice) that the book has been stolen by none other than a trusted Gabby Girl and she or the book are nowhere to be found.  How can Gabi even try to fix things when she is locked away as punishment?  Can she trust Justice to help her escape somehow?  Can she find the Gabby Girl and the book in time to save her Grandmother’s life…and prevent a war?

All-in-all I would say this was a good young adult read.  It had action, adventure, humor, teen problems, friendships, and magic.  It kept a good pace of what was going on, but I didn’t find myself as sucked into this book as I did the first one.  The action wasn’t as Gabby Girl centered or quite as intense as in the first book.  There was more center on who Gabrielle really is and on relationships she tries to form.  I came to like the characters more in this book though because they became more in depth.  I saw more of who they were as people and what they were as Circles and what they could do.  It was interesting to see how they all stepped outside their comfort zones in the new school and with how they began to take an interest in the new boys that are at the new school too.  I was a bit blown away by the twists in this book.  Some of them flowed very well and I found myself thinking, oh man should have seen that coming.  Others left me thinking, what that heck is with this.  My favorite character is by far Gabrielle aka Gabi.  She is strong willed, not afraid to do what she has to, and is at the same time delicate and fragile.  I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend it.  I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book, but I will also say that I am looking forward to the third book very much.

4/5 Stars!

This book counts toward the challenges:    100 Books Read, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Cupcake Wars, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, Young Adult Challenge.

Book Review: Secret of the Scarlet Stone

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  The Secret of the Scarlet Stone: A Gabby Girls Adventure
Author:  T.L. Clarke
Pages:  242
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  Kindle Edition
Genre:  Young Adult Mystery

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"The Gabby Girls are drawn together by the only thing that they have in common, which is the mysterious scarlet pendant they each possess. But things seem even stranger when they find a clue that tempts them with the answer to the question they have longed to know. 

After all, Gabby Girls always stick together, and every day is a…Gabby Girls Adventure!"

My Review:
When Gabrielle is sent to a special school by her Grandmother (her caretaker since her Mother’s death), she is not too happy about it.  She thinks the headmistress is mean and rude and clashes with her personality.  She also shares a room with 3 other girls, Jessica (a plump, nervous, but very friendly girl), Zora (a super smart girl), and Rosalinda (a rich stuck up snobby girl).  While the girls are unpacking they discover that they all have one thing in common…a beautiful necklace with scarlet stones.  They know there is more to the necklaces when they find a clue indicating such.  There begins their adventure.  They name themselves the Gabby Girls because of a little incident in the school hall.  They begin their adventure after bed check one night.  They follow the clue which is more difficult that they ever would have thought to figure out.  The four girls have quite the adventure with much mishap and tension.  After all they are four teenage girls trying to cooperate.  Gabrielle takes on the leader role, as her personality makes that a perfect fit.  Rosalinda is the one most reluctant to go or to continue once they start.  If they want to get out of the mystery they have willingly started they will have to learn to work together and overcome personality conflicts.  As they work through the mystery they learn many things about their necklaces and themselves.  The question they all share is, why are they the ones that seem to be meant to solve the mystery?  Will it be explained when they find the end of the adventure, if they make it that far?  To find the answer they will have to go through many challenges, like the drop away floor, the waterfalls, and a rickety old bridge that overhangs a death drop to rushing water.

This was a very good book that was jam packed with adventure, magic, and the power of friendship and teamwork.  Bits and pieces of it reminded me of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone because of what they go through to get to the end to find the answers, much like Harry and his friends do to get to the truth of the Sorcerer’s Stone.  There was clues what the girls had to do to make it past obstacles and they had to figure out the clue to get a safe passage to the next step and clue.  What they find at the end of the mystery just made my jaw drop.  It was a wonderful way to make sure the adventures continued.  I really liked this book, it was well paced and well written.  The power of friendship is not lost in this book either.  The four girls may have their differences, but they have one thing that they all want…to figure out what is really going on.  They use that to build a crazy friendship and team that just seems to work for them.  I can’t wait to read the next book to see what crazy adventures the Gabby Girls go on next.  I couldn’t help but start to like the characters in this book, they are so realistic.  I found myself comparing them to people I know in my life because of their very realistic personalities.  Great Young Adult book!

4/5 Stars!

This book counts toward the challenges:  100 Book, 1,000,000 Pages Read, Cupcake Wars, Mystery and Suspense Challenge, and Young Adult Challenge

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!! Week 54

Follow Friday Four Fill-In Fun!!

This is a fun meme and it's hosted by Hilary at Feeling Beachie. 

This week’s statements:

1. I get my best ideas while laying in bed trying to fall asleep or when I am supposed to be focusing on something completely unrelated to the idea I just had.  ;-)

2. When I am in pain from my health conditions I just try not to let it get me down and I like to keep going and moving if possible.

3. When I have a cold, I like to suck on Ricola cough drops and have lots of water by me to drink, and have a full Kleenex box.  :-) 

4. Watching a newly walking baby move, can be hilarious, yet wonderful to watch.

Theme Thursdays! March 15th

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next.  It is hosted by Reading Between the Pages.  Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday's)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don't necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have "They kissed so gently" or "Their lips touched each other" or "The smooch was so passionate"

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

March is going to be all about making life easy. This month we will do ‘Pick what you see first‘ themes. So open the book you are reading, continue reading; pick the first mention of any name in it and post the snippet. The only condition is ‘No Ebooks’.. lets go traditional. Easy-peasy!!

FOOD - First snippet from the book having any relevance to food, drinks, eating, drinking

 

Let's see....here is my snippet after a tiny bit of looking (for a minute I thought no one in my book ever ate or drank):  "'That's not liquor.  It's way stronger.  They call it 'the ruckus' because it's a combination of a power elixir and a healing elixir.  It's like a crazy energy drink that keeps you going and going.  but it leaves you with a wicked headache after.'"  (page 199 Blood Oath by T.L. Clarke)    

Cat Thursday! March 15th

Hosted by The True Book Addict.

Welcome to the weekly meme that celebrates the wonders and sometime hilarity of cats! Join us by posting a favorite LOL cat pic you may have come across, famous cat art or even share with us pics of your own beloved cat(s). It's all for the love of cats! Enjoy!

Just some random pictures I found this week:  :)

This is SO my cats when pizza comes in the house.  

LOL!!

Too funny and probably exactly what this kitty is thinking.  :)

Book Review: A Healing Heart

Image from goodreads.com

Title:  A Healing Heart
Author:  Melissa Hanson
Pages:  270
Publication Date:  2012
Version:  Kindle Version  (gifted to me by author for an honest review)
Genre:  Young Adult Fiction, Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"On a bitter cold winter night Bailey Walsh’s family was killed in a traffic accident. Two years later as she lives with her aunt and uncle in Southern California, Bailey is still plagued by the nightmares of that terrible night. Everywhere around her are reminders of what she lost. Even her aunt, in a cruel twist of fate, is not just her mom’s sister, but her identical twin. Babysitting Riley, a spunky two-year old, is a sweet distraction and one constant light in her life. One day as she takes Riley to the park she meets Collin McKenna, a senior at her high school and her life is changed forever as he helps her find herself and realize her life is worth living. As the romance between them grows her broken heart begins to heal. However, still nagging in the back of her conscious is the fear that her new found happiness could come crashing down and she could lose everything she loves, yet again. Outside forces begin to tear them apart and Bailey must learn to trust in herself and realize that she is worthy of happiness. That sometimes love and healing comes in unexpected forms."

My Review:
Bailey is just an average teenage girl on her way home with her family from a little family trip to see nearby friends, when her life is changed forever and she becomes a teenage girl with a broken heart.  On their way home they were in a horrible car accident that left only Bailey alive, killing her Mom, Dad, little brother, and little sister.  Bailey is sent to live wither her aunt and uncle, who are very nice people that she loves very much, but her aunt is also her Mom’s twin sister so is a constant reminder to her what she has lost.  Since the accident Bailey just goes through the motions of everyday life and sleepless/nightmare filled nights.  She goes to high school, has a couple good friends, reads, baby-sits, and every once in awhile goes out with her friends to movies or for fun.  Bailey is living, but not really living.  She feels guilt for being the only one to survive the crash and even more that if she would have been in her usual seat in the family van she would be dead and her little brother alive.  The little boy Bailey baby-sits for is her saving grace, Riley.  His mom Eileen went through a lot of the same type of distress Bailey did, having lost her husband, so they become quick friends and support each other.  Bailey thinks she is destined to be “broken” her whole life and to never be happy or have a happy ending.  That’s when she meets Collin, a boy at her school who is a year ahead of her in school.  They have an instant bond and connection.  After she starts talking more and seeing Collin, Bailey’s nightmares stop and restful sleep comes to her and she is happier than she could ever have imagined.  Collin feels the same way, but fears his Dad’s tendency to move a lot will break them apart.  He is 18, but since his Mom left he is also the main caretaker of his 4 year old little sister Lacey and he knows if his Dad chose to move again he would have to go for Lacey’s sake.  As time goes by Bailey and Collin become more in love than ever and closer than ever.  But, as Bailey feared from the start, nothing is meant to last forever in her life.  Her life starts to change when old family friends of Collin’s come to visit with their kids, one of which is close to Collin’s age and thinks they are meant to be together.  Savannah wants Collin for her own and knows the only way to do that is to make sure Bailey leaves the picture.  Savannah stoops to horrible lows to get what she wants.  Then the inevitable happens, Collin’s Dad announces yet another move.  Can Bailey and Collin still make it work when they are hours apart and Collin is now living near Savannah?  And just how many obstacles can one young couple go through before it is too much for one or both of them?

I really enjoyed this book, read it in one sitting.  I found myself having many emotions with this book too.  There was happy, excited, wonder, relief, and sadness.  I think I cried through a good quarter of the book.  The author did an amazing job with making me feel connected to Bailey and what she was feeling and going through.  I couldn’t help but cry at one point when so much was going on with Bailey and her life, I felt so bad for her and wanted to just reach into the book and hug her.  Bailey is a strong teenager and person though.  She makes the ups and downs of her life seem almost bearable with how she responds to them.  She may have breakdown, but who wouldn’t after some of the things that she goes through?  Bailey, by far, was my favorite character.  Followed very closely by Collin.  This book reminded me that even though life can be very unstable and rough, if we push through there is something good on the other side of all the bad somewhere.  It is all in how we look at things, that makes or breaks us as human beings.  Very touching and deeply emotional book, and I loved every minute of reading it, even if my emotions did go up and down like Baileys because I was so into the book.  Would definitely recommend this book!

4/5 Stars!

Counts for challenges:  100 Book, 1,000,000 Pages Read, and Young Adult Challenge