I discovered Debbie Macomber about 8 years ago and was immediately in love with her stories. Being such a prolific writer, she has many, many stories out there and I think I spent an entire summer, fall, and winter just reading her books, mostly purchased from a used book store or eBay as many are out of print (but are now coming back or are available on Amazon). The first book of hers that I ever read was called A Good Yarn (which is the second book in this series) and I remember adoring the story and feeling so happy to know that A Shop on Blossom Street had come before and that she was planning lots more future books. Blossom Street Brides is the 11th in the series and with it's release came the question if she has plans for more or will soon call it quits, as she did with her popular Cedar Cove books (which is now a Saturday night drama on the Hallmark Channel and I am hooked! It's cool to see your favorite characters come to life!).
When I first starting reading Macomber's books, her style of writing was new to me and her books were complete surprises. But now, I know that each book will end with a marriage or a baby (or sometimes both), and the couples you never thought would end up together always do. (I may just have totally spoiled Blossom Street Brides for any readers out there. Sorry!) As a result, I can almost predict the endings, but she always throws in a twist or a turn that I never see coming, so I continue to read her stories. And I always will. I love hearing what's happening to characters I met long ago, as she gives most old characters a cameo in one book or another. What I like most about her stories is that they make you feel good, and they are light. I can read during TV commercials, in the car on trips, on the plane, at the beach and will walk away knowing I just read a good story.
If you are interested in reading Blossom Street Brides, you really should go back and begin the entire series. I have to be honest and admit that the first books in the series are the best. The stories are full of substance and the relationships are more complex. But, I am a loyal fan and I will continue to read whatever she publishes. I just love her stories!
Happy reading!
:) Dodie
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Friday, July 18, 2014
#32: Summer Friends by Holly Chamberlin
Summer Friends took me forever to finish, but that was in part to the extenuating circumstances surrounding this read. I needed a book to read on the plane to California, so I figured a book on my iPad would be best. So, I began Summer Friends and made substantial progress before landing. Then I picked it up again and read on the plane to Hawaii, getting even further into the book before putting it away and not reading for 8 days. I took my Nook to the pool instead of my iPad because I can actually read it in the sunshine. And, I was so close to finishing Tender that I chose to read that on the plane on our return trip, rather than finishing Summer Friends. And then we moved, and then I spent days and days unpacking. Blah, blah, blah...So, finally, last night I finished the book. Phew!
I do think that part of the delay in finishing this novel, other than what is described above, is that it was not a fun book to read. The story is about Delphine and Maggie, two friends who had been friends as children, teenagers, and throughout college, who took different paths in life and had lost touch. Because of various reasons, Maggie finds herself wanting to reconnect with Delphine, but meets with resistance. The bulk of the book recounts their often awkward struggle to remain friends and as you can imagine, it was difficult to read. Awkward. I felt at times as though I was watching a bad lunch date. To make matters worse, nothing ever got better. It was page after page and chapter after chapter of tense conversations and girl drama (which I get enough of in this house--I do not need to read about it in my down time). Because of this, I was not compelled to finish this book in a timely fashion, nor was it a page-turner. It was mostly just sad. (But, I think that was the point.)
However, was the story a good one? Yes. Did the awkward moments mirror the awkward feelings people have in situations like this? Yes. Was the story developed and filled with round characters? Yes. It was even written with some flashback chapters, which are always fun. And once I got to the end, I was met with an epilogue, which I LOVE and which gave me closure.
The bottom line is that female relationships are often a struggle for some (me) and this book hit the nail on the head with how difficult they can often be. I enjoyed reading the interview with the author at the end of the book because she mentioned that the idea for this story stemmed from some relationships she once had that did not turn out as she hoped because she had not treated friends as she should have. Reading this made me glad that I stuck it out and finished the book because it reminded me to take care of your friends. Real ones are few and far between. When you find a good one, don't let her go!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
I do think that part of the delay in finishing this novel, other than what is described above, is that it was not a fun book to read. The story is about Delphine and Maggie, two friends who had been friends as children, teenagers, and throughout college, who took different paths in life and had lost touch. Because of various reasons, Maggie finds herself wanting to reconnect with Delphine, but meets with resistance. The bulk of the book recounts their often awkward struggle to remain friends and as you can imagine, it was difficult to read. Awkward. I felt at times as though I was watching a bad lunch date. To make matters worse, nothing ever got better. It was page after page and chapter after chapter of tense conversations and girl drama (which I get enough of in this house--I do not need to read about it in my down time). Because of this, I was not compelled to finish this book in a timely fashion, nor was it a page-turner. It was mostly just sad. (But, I think that was the point.)
However, was the story a good one? Yes. Did the awkward moments mirror the awkward feelings people have in situations like this? Yes. Was the story developed and filled with round characters? Yes. It was even written with some flashback chapters, which are always fun. And once I got to the end, I was met with an epilogue, which I LOVE and which gave me closure.
The bottom line is that female relationships are often a struggle for some (me) and this book hit the nail on the head with how difficult they can often be. I enjoyed reading the interview with the author at the end of the book because she mentioned that the idea for this story stemmed from some relationships she once had that did not turn out as she hoped because she had not treated friends as she should have. Reading this made me glad that I stuck it out and finished the book because it reminded me to take care of your friends. Real ones are few and far between. When you find a good one, don't let her go!
Happy reading everyone!
:) Dodie
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
#31: Tender by Mark Childress
Tender, by Mark Childress, is the fictional account of the life of the one and only Elvis Presley from birth until he is drafted and is sent overseas. It is told as a flashback, as the first scene (a rather unflattering scene for The King) begins with him rushing onto his plane, being drugged up so he can relax after a show, and then getting stuck in the seat belt which secured him to his bed aboard the plane. As his long time friend and body guard tries to get him unfastened, he says to his friend that things weren't always like this. And so the story begins.
It is important to note that this is fiction and that Elvis is not Elvis in this story, but Leroy (and anyone familiar with the Romance Languages can quickly see Le Roy or Le Roi, The King). I was glued to this book from beginning to end and wished that there had been about 500 more pages to continue his story, but it does make sense to end the fictional account as he was boarding the plane to Germany, with a freshly shaved head that he despised. Really, who wants to read about that part of his life?
I am a HUGE fan of Elvis, being named as I almost was for his daughter, Lisa Marie, and living with my mother as I did who was an even bigger fan than me. I remember the day Elvis died. Mom closed all of the blinds, lit candles all over the house, and played all of his albums back to back. I was 5 and really thought my mother had lost her mind. When I was in my early 20's, Rob and I went to Nashville and Memphis and visited Graceland. I cried as we drive up the drive to the house and just so hoped that he was going to peek around a corner and say hello. No, I do not subscribe to the school of thought that he's still alive somewhere, but I duo get saddened when people die before their life is really over. And his was not over. He had a lot of living left to do.
So, for my reader friends out there, this is a book I think you will love if you have any interest in Elvis at all. If not, skip it.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
It is important to note that this is fiction and that Elvis is not Elvis in this story, but Leroy (and anyone familiar with the Romance Languages can quickly see Le Roy or Le Roi, The King). I was glued to this book from beginning to end and wished that there had been about 500 more pages to continue his story, but it does make sense to end the fictional account as he was boarding the plane to Germany, with a freshly shaved head that he despised. Really, who wants to read about that part of his life?
I am a HUGE fan of Elvis, being named as I almost was for his daughter, Lisa Marie, and living with my mother as I did who was an even bigger fan than me. I remember the day Elvis died. Mom closed all of the blinds, lit candles all over the house, and played all of his albums back to back. I was 5 and really thought my mother had lost her mind. When I was in my early 20's, Rob and I went to Nashville and Memphis and visited Graceland. I cried as we drive up the drive to the house and just so hoped that he was going to peek around a corner and say hello. No, I do not subscribe to the school of thought that he's still alive somewhere, but I duo get saddened when people die before their life is really over. And his was not over. He had a lot of living left to do.
So, for my reader friends out there, this is a book I think you will love if you have any interest in Elvis at all. If not, skip it.
Happy reading, everyone!
-Dodie
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