Monday, April 29, 2013

A Poem for You

I have read a book
About which I will not write
Because I did not like
It.

But I have two that I LOVED and will write about later today.
Or tomorrow.
TBC

Monday, April 8, 2013

Good Family

I just finished Good Family by Terry Gamble.  Published in 2005, this is not a new book, but until I picked it up at my mom's it was new to me.  I'm glad I picked it up at my mom's.

Maddie Addison is the baby of her family.  Born in the late 1950's, she lives in Pasadena, CA, but spends her summers on the exclusive, WASPY Sand Isle in Lake Michigan where traditions, appearances and good taste are everything. (As Maddie's Aunt Pat liked to say of anyone flouting these rules: '"NOCD" for "not our class, dear"'.) But underneath the veneer the flaws lurk, as flaws tend to do, and Maddie's alcoholism, failed marriage and unbearable personal tragedy have served to estrange her from her family and the expectations on Sand Isle. After a long eleven years she is now returning to the family summer home, to the bedside of her dying mother, her quirky cousins and her memories.

Good Family by Terry Gamble is a story for everyone, for don't we all wish for the perfect family, and don't we all know that there is no such thing? It takes a crisis to reunite Maddie with her family. Craziness, conflict and redemption ensue, and in the end Maddie realizes there is no escape from the ties that bind us to our family tree, no matter how twisted and gnarled the branches are.


The Clockwork Princess

Finally, The Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare has returned, and it was worth the wait!  You can read about the first two books in my November 8, 2012 post.  This post is about the third book, The Clockwork Princess.

If you are familiar with this series, there is not much I can say to add to what I assume is your excitement.  If you haven't yet read these books, I don't want to ruin the story here! I CAN tell you that the Shadowhunters are facing major evil-doers and seemingly unsolvable life-threatening dilemmas, as well as political intrigue and negative public relations. I guess Victorian England was not that much different from life as we know it today. Also, the third book answers many questions, ties up some loose strings, and has a very satisfying ending. I am afraid to say anything more!

To recap:  If you are new to this series, read it and love it. If you have been waiting with bated breath for The Clockwork Princess, "by the Angel" you will NOT be disappointed! TBC



(Here, for your viewing pleasure, is the new trailer for City of Bones.  This is the movie based on the first book of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series.  It's coming out this summer.  I know where my daughter will be...ok, me, too!)