Jolly Holiday!

I always loved Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins! It was one of my favorite musicals when I was growing up. This random fact popped into my mind today as I was trying to think of a simple way to say the kind of holiday I've decided to take for the next two weeks:

"Ohhhh, it's a jolly holiday with...no technology!"

Okay, so it doesn't go quite as well as "a jolly holiday with Mary," but you get the idea. I usually post every weekend, usually on Sundays, but I've decided to step away from phones and computers and internet technology, as much as possible, for my holiday over the next two weeks. While I enjoy the positive things these types of technologies add to our lives, I also don't mind living without them from time to time. 

I hope you're all enjoying your summer and finding great books to read! I am currently enjoying Daphne du Maurier's novel, My Cousin Rachel. I'm halfway through it and really enjoying it. It reminds me of her novel Rebecca in the way it feels. I'm taking my time reading it and enjoying the author's writing style, which I admire. I usually only take my Kindle with me on holiday, but I've already made numerous notes and tabs in the book version of My Cousin Rachel, so I'm taking it (and a couple of other "real' books) with me.

I look forward to sharing some of my good book finds this summer when I'm back from holiday!

Happy reading! :)

Christmas Time Already?!?!

Wow...

Where DID the time go?! Wasn't it Halloween just...yesterday? It certainly feels like it. Time moves at warp speed for me when school is in session. Even Thanksgiving Break flew by too quickly, but I found it quite relaxing...and productive. There's a lot going on around my house and my job these days. "Busy, busy, busy..." (to quote Professor Hinkle in "Frosty the Snowman").

I'm happy to say I've found some time to read (though, not as much as I'd like), and I do have a couple of books to mention to you I found quite entertaining.

First...

The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley is a wonderfully enjoyable book. It's part mystery, part historical fiction, and part supernatural (in a haunting kind of way). I saw a reviewer compare it to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, and I have to agree it does have that kind of feel to it. It's set in Scotland and the plot surrounds a woman who has come to help on an archaeological dig, based on the search for an old Roman military camp that vanished centuries ago and no one knows what happened to them. Excellent read. And I love Susanna Kearsley's writing. (If  you like this one, you'll definitely enjoy her The Winter Sea.)

Next...

After Her by Joyce Maynard was a random choice for me. I've never read anything by her, but the synopsis on the back intrigued me. The story is told by a grown woman who is looking back at her childhood and telling about the time the Sunset Strangler hunted women on the California hillsides behind her house. Her father was the lead detective on the case. The story is as much about her childhood, her bond with her sister, and her confusion over her parents' relationship, as it is about the murders and the serial killer. The story is written well, and I enjoyed it on many different levels.

I consider this story historical fiction, as it is loosely based on the real Trailside Killer and a detective who worked on the case. The author acknowledges she based the story on the real one, as told to her by the two daughters of the detective. It's a fascinating (and, sometimes, a bit creepy) read.

And, last but not least, (not by a long shot)...

Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson was a fun ride! Of course, Ms. Jackson never fails to entertain me with her writing style. I fell in love with her when I read A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. She writes interesting, colorful characters that both surprise and amaze. Her characters are greatly flawed in the most beautiful ways. I feel like her stories shout to the world, "Hey, we all screw-up, but that doesn't mean we're not good people!"

In Someone Else's Love Story, it all begins when two people make a connection during an unexpected moment - when they're held at gunpoint by a convenience store robber. Any story that starts that way must be good, right? Absolutely. The great thing about Jackson's writing? You never know what twists and turns she's going to take you on. You just have to trust the ride,...and I do. I learned that from A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty.

In fact, I trust Jackson with my valuable reading time so much, she's my first choice for this weekend. I'm just about to start gods in Alabama (yes, little 'g'), and I can't WAIT to see what she has in store for me with this one!

Happy reading to you all and to all a good read! :-D

Second Post Today?!

What can I say? It's either a drought or a downpour when it comes to me. There's been so much dryness lately, I need a flood of writing for awhile. Perhaps, I want to write more because I know spring break is one week away, and I feel I'm finally beginning to breathe again. Or maybe, just maybe, I've finally decided my priorities need to be adjusted a bit. (Okay, more than "a bit.")

No matter the reason, here is my second post of the day:

I read the classic Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, and I absolutely loved it! I know, I know,...I should have read it before now. Everyone should have read it by now. I don't know how I missed it all these years - and I mean completely missed it. I had no idea it had been made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock (which, now, I can't wait to see because I hear it's really good). I didn't know Maurier also wrote a novelette, The Birds, which also became one of Hitchcock's movie - one I've loved since childhood.

I know there is more to learn about this wonderful authoress, but I hesitate to research her any further for now. I enjoy her style of writing and look forward to reading more of her work. I've already bought Frenchman's Creek and My Cousin Rachel. I'd like to read those before I delve into who she was as a person. I hate to admit this, but learning about a writer sometimes taints my view on their writing. I'd rather love the work first, learn about the author second.

As for the novel Rebecca, I loved everything about it. I love the way the story unfolds, the reader not knowing anything more than the narrator knows. I found myself questioning whether the narrator was reliable or not. I didn't know if things were really as they appeared to her on the surface or was she just being overly dramatic. And, trust me, there is plenty of drama in this novel. Drama, suspense, thrills, chills, and love - they're all there in perfect portions.

Reviews have told me that Frenchman's Creek is closest in style to Rebecca, which is why it's the one I'm beginning tonight. I hope I've found another writer whose literary works are the kind I can soak my brain in and enjoy the mental rollercoaster rides. If they are anything like Rebecca, I'll be riding with my hands in the air and screaming for more. :)