THE BOOKMAN'S TALE by Charlie Lovett and ****GIVEAWAY****

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I just devoured Charlie Lovett's new book, THE BOOKMAN'S TALE.  I am always drawn to literary mysteries. Especially when they involve books. These types of tales aren't always successful, though.  In this case, I was pleasantly surprised.

Peter Bylerly, an antiquarian bookseller, is still reeling from the sudden death of his wife Amanda.  He escapes to the English countryside to try and work through his grief while re-establishing his career. As Peter browses through some titles at a local bookstore, a Victorian watercolor portrait falls out of a book about Shakespeare forgeries. The portait looks just like Amanda. Peter becomes obsessed with finding the origins of the mysterious portrait.  As he does so, he becomes caught up in a game of forgery and the potential discovery of a lifetime regarding William Shakespeare.

I loved how Lovett not only gave us a wonderful portrait of a grieving widower trying to lose himself in his old interests but also interweaves the tale of the various owners of what may or may not be the Holy Grail of Shakespeare scholarship.  We follow the book's progress through various owners over time as, in the present day, Peter works to uncover its origins and to decide whether or not the book is a fake. In some ways, this novel reminded me of PEOPLE OF THE BOOK by Geraldine Brooks.  It made me want to run out and take a few courses on bookbinding and book restoration.  The pacing of the book was really well done and the story was entertaining. While the climax was slightly cheesy, it didn't deter from my enjoyment at all.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended.  A great read for bibliophiles.  Perfect for Summer vacation.

I get to give away a copy of this great book!!!

Entry #1:  Leave me a comment telling me why you are interested in this book.

Entry #2:  Follow me on Facebook.

Entry #3: Follow me on Twitter.

Please leave a comment for each entry along with a way for me to contact you.  This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only and closes on May 31, 2013 at 4:30pm PST.

WHEN A DAD SAYS "I LOVE YOU" by Douglas Wood

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I was so pleased to have the opportunity to review this sweet book just in time for Father's Day.  Sometimes, people express their love in ways other than using words. This book offers a variety of ways that dads say "I love you" that are out of the ordinary.  The illustrations are charming:

Each page features a different animal pair and represents both sons and daughters doing all sorts of activities with Dads.  We have dads making pancakes, dads playing chase, dads tickling, dads singing, dads doing magic and much more.  The book ends with a dad saying "I love you" in the traditional way at bedtime. It is so sweet!

This would make a great Father's Day gift and I love the fact that it would encourage dads and kids to read together.  It's the perfect bedtime story. I absolutely loved it!

BOTTOM LINE:  Highly recommended. A sweet cozy read full of the many ways that dads can say "I love you."

May Read: SIMPLICITY PARENTING

I am still working on LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS and I am really enjoying it. At this time of year, it is an excellent reminder about the importance of getting outdoors and into nature.

For May, I thought we'd try a book I have been wanting to read for awhile now:

Can't wait to see what you think!!!

TOM'S TREE: A Book for Arbor Day

National Arbor Day is this Friday, April 26.  I happened to find a delightful book in a bargain bin that I plan on giving my little boy for Arbor Day:

TOM'S TREE by Gillian Shields and Gemma Raynor is an incredibly sweet book about a little boy who plants a tree and makes big plans about all the things he will do when the tree gets big.  But trees take a long time to grow and the boy grows up before the tree does.  At the end of the book, the returns as a man and brings his own son who gets to have all the adventures with the tree that his father always dreamed of.  While the book has a lot to say about patience, it is also a wonderful reminder of the beauty and joy of nature in general and trees in particular.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! It definitely brought a tear or two to my eyes.

CLOSE MY EYES by Sophie McKenzie

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

A lot of people were comparing this book to GONE GIRL when I received it so I was really excited to read it. I love a good suspense novel that plays mind games with the reader. In some ways, this is that kind of book.  Geniver Loxley's daughter was stillborn eight years ago and she cannot move on.  Her husband, Art, has been able to pick up the pieces and create a successful business but Geniver can't seem to cope.  One day, a strange woman shows up at Geniver's door and tells her that her child is still alive.  How can that be? Is it true?  Geniver can't let go of the possibility and begins to try and find out the truth.  Her journey turns to fear and paranoia the deeper she goes into the past and the truth. 

This was such a fun read. I couldn't put it down. I took it with me wherever I went. As a mom myself, I found the story to be such a nightmare and I just had to know what was going to happen.  That being said, I found the ending really disappointing. It just wasn't believable to me.  Still, this is fun read that would be perfect for taking on vacation.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended. Even though the ending was disappointing, I still found this to be a fun and exciting read.  I couldn't put it down! Bring it on vacation with you and plan on staying up late to read it!

Being Safe in the Face of Tragedy

"Safe means that you are being your best self and living the life you’ve imagined even in the face of uncertainty. It means that you are being kind and brave – to yourself and to others – even if you are afraid. Even when you don’t know what’s going to happen next."

-Glennon Doyle Melton

Climbing out of the Muck

So far, 2013 has been a year of illness in my little family.  I have been down for the past few weeks with a severe sinus infection among other ailments.  But I'm finally crawling out of the muck! And I have so many reviews to share with you!

In the meantime, I did manage to drag my sickly body (complete with giant cold sore) to a booksigning with Jenny Lawson. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet one of my favorite writers.  Many of you will remember that her memoir, LET'S PRETEND THIS NEVER HAPPENED, was one of my favorite books last year.  I was happy to hear that she will have a new book on mental illness coming out next year. 

Lawson famously suffers from social anxiety among other disorders but she seemed completely at ease to me.  She couldn't have been sweeter or more gracious and patient.  Made me love her even more!!!

(me with The Bloggess!)

I wore my shirt with the cats on it in honor of the occasion.

I don't get to attend many booksignings these days but I'm so glad I got to go to this one.

I can't wait to share with you what I have been reading!  Stay tuned!!!

(In the meantime, I'm thinking about soap and other weight issues on my creative blog today.)

April Read: LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS

I hope you enjoyed the "light" selection for March. After reading BRINGING UP BEBE, I realized that I was already intuitively doing a lot of "French" parenting.  It made me really jealous reading about the superlative French creche system.  What I wouldn't have given for a state-sponsored childcare program like that!!!!

This month, we are moving away from focusing on education and success to a different aspect of child development: the importance of getting out in nature.

We'll be reading Louv's book on the importance of connecting children with nature. I'm excited to read this one. I've had it on my bookshelf for awhile and it seems appropriate to read it in Spring.

Hope you enjoy it!!!

SEDUCTION by MJ Rose

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I must admit that I wasn't a fan of M.R. Rose's THE REINCARNATIONIST. It just didn't grip me.  Still, I was intrigued by the premise of this new book. After Victor Hugo lost his beloved daughter in 1843, he began to get involved in the spiritualist world with a series of seances as he desperately tried to contact her.  Those seances may have brought something beyond his daughter.  In the present, mythologist Jac L'Etoile travels to the isle of Jersey to research its Neolithic roots. While there, she reconnects with troubled childhood friend Theo Gaspard and is drawn into his family's secrets while uncovering other hidden mysteries on the island.

There are three story threads in this novel.  The first thread is Victor Hugo and his seances on the isle of Jersey in the 1800's. The second thread follows Jac in the present as she tries to uncover both the mythological roots of the isle as well as the family secrets of the Gaspard Family and Victor Hugo.  The third thread follows a set of Neolithic druids. There is a lot going on here!!!  Still, Rose manages to create a compelling and entertaining novel. I had a hard time putting it down. All three threads were equally interesting.  My main problem with the novel is its title.  A terrible title for such an entertaining book!  I worry that the title will be off-putting for some readers.  The title and book cover make it look like a romance novel when it is truly a novel of mystery and suspense.

BOTTOM LINE:  Recommended. An entertaining novel with both historical and fictional roots.  This would make a great vacation read.

ART FORGER by B.A.Shapiro

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

I was one class short of majoring in Art History in college and I still have a soft spot for any stories having to do with art and the art world.  This fun book combines the world of forgery and art history with a little intrigue thrown in.  This much is true....In 1990, thirteen works of art were stolen from the Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston.  They have never been recovered. This theft is the jumping off point for B.A. Shapiro's story.  Struggling artist Claire Roth is a pariah in the art world after having been involved in an art scandal with her former lover years ago. In order to make ends meet, she makes a living reproducing famous works of art for an online art retailer. When she is approached by famous art dealer Aidan Markel to forge a Degas masterpiece---the very one stolen from the Gardner Museum, Claire jumps at the chance to make some money while re-establishing herself as a legitimate artist. However, this Faustian bargain has consequences. As Claire works, she begins to suspect that the stolen art itself was forged long ago. She begins to research the piece and starts to unravel a mystery one hundred years in the making.

This was such a fun book!!!  It certainly got me thinking about how there are no guarantees that any of the works of art we see hanging in museums are the genuine article.  I thought Claire was a great character and I loved the backstory of how she got involved in her own art scandal. Not only do you get a fun art mystery but also a glimpse into the often cutthroat machinations of the art world.  Shapiro made the discovery of the missing piece and its origins so believable and compelling. After I finished reading the book, I had to go look up more information on the Gardner art heist to learn the truth.

BOTTOM LINE: Recommended. A really fun read about famous works of art, forgery and the modern day art world. With a little suspense and mystery thrown in! This would be a great vacation read.