Category: Books Read-2008

Review: Finding Father Christmas

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Finding Father Christmas
AUTHOR: Robin Jones Gunn
PUB DATE: October 2007
ISBN: 9780446526296

Thanks to Miriam at Hachette for sending me this great book to read before the Christmas holiday. I loved it. The story was beautiful and well written. It almost felt like you were in Carlton Heath.

Miranda is in search of her father. Her mother never told her anything about her father. When her mother died she only had little clues to go on such as a photograph of a young boy sitting on Father Christmas’s lap. On the back of the photograph was the name of the photography studio. Having no family on Christmas Eve Miranda decides to fly to London and search for her father. Once she is in Carlton Heath she discovers her world is about to change. She heads to the Tea Cosy to warm up. There she meets a woman named Katharine. Miranda shows the woman the photograph and Katharine remembers seeing it somewhere but can’t remember where. She invites Miranda to go to the theatre with her to see the community play called Christmas Carole perhaps someone there will recognize it. Since her mothers death she was never to a theatre and that was her Christmas present to her mother by going. After the play she is invited to the Whitcombes for the party. It is once she is there that she spots the photograph. She is invited to spend the night with the Whitcombes. She decides to stay and in the morning she realizes she can’t tell them that she is Sir James daughter. She begs Katharine not to say anything to them but she won’t promise. Miranda eventually tells them Christmas day at the dinner table.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Review: Sister Wife

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Sister Wife
AUTHOR: Shelley Hrdlitschka
PUB DATE: October 2008
ISBN: 978-1-55143-927-3

Thank You to Shelley for sending me this book to read. I love it. I had a hard time putting it down. This is Shelley’s third book. She is a best selling author and lives right here in Canada. This is my first book by Shelley. Looking forward to reading her other two books.

The book is about Three girls who live in Unity. Its a polygamy sect.

Celeste is born and raised in Unity. She is struggling to fit into Unity. She is finding it hard to cope with the fact that once she is 15 years old she will be assigned a older husband and becoming a sister wife. She doesn’t want to do anything that will bring shame upon her family by refusing to marry. Even though she is in love with Jon she won’t rebel. Jon leaves the movement because he was seen kissing Celeste. The prophet then assignes Jon’s father, Martin, to be Celeste’s husband. Will this announcement push Celeste to run away?.

Celeste meets Craig an outsider who has been making Inuksuk, rock sculptures on the beach. Her and Craig begin to get close and when he tells her he is leaving one day, she becomes upset. What will Celeste do?

Nanette is Celeste’s younger sister and she is the ideal sister wife. She longs to be married and to be a sister wife. She has her eyes set on Martin and thinks she would make a perfect wife for him. When she spots Celeste with Jon, she runs right to their father and tells him everything. She thinks she is doing good until the day she finds out that Celeste is going to marry Martin. She is upset and angry. She wonders if Celeste was to leave would she she finally gets to get marry the man she has dreamed about, Martin and have his children?

Taviana is an outsider that was allowed to stay at Unity. She is a girl with a troubled family and past and Jacob brought her back to Unity to help her out. She has adjusted to life in Unity. Then when cops show up Taviana is hidden and when the cops leave the Prophet tells her she must leave at once. They don’t want the cops poking around and disturbing life there.

If Celeste leaves Unity will Jon and her be together again? I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommended it.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Review: When Life Stinks, Its Time to Wash the Gym Clothes

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: When Life Stinks, Its Time to Wash the Gym Clothes
AUTHOR: Kelly Epperson
PUB DATE: April 2008
ISBN:978-0-9796634-2-0

Thank you to Dorothy and Kelly for sending me this book to read and review. Join Kelly Epperson as she virtually tours the blogosphere in December on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. Thanks again Dorothy for asking me to be a part of this tour.

The book is a compilation of Kellys articles that have appeared in various newspapers. Its a humorous book that takes about life, getting older, fashion, parenting and world events such as the death of Princess Diana and 9/11.

When I read “Are You Wearing The Wrong Size?” JC Penney said that 8 in 10 people are wearing the wrong size bra. Wow that is alot of people wearing the wrong size and how did they know that?

This was a great funny read that will have you laughing right along with the book. I really could relate to this book. I admit I was one of those girls who wore sweat pants with the letters across my butt back in the day. I was also the girl who would never wear a hat no matter how cold it was.

If your looking for a last minute gift idea for any woman on your list then I really suggest this book.

“A Day to be thankful” was a cute and funny story of the things Kelly is thankful for. What I am thankful for is for Kelly stopping by to visit my blog and the book I got from her. Thanks Kelly!

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Review: Kosher By Design: Lightens Up

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Kosher By Design: Lighten Up
AUTHOR: Susie Fishbien
PUB DATE: November 17, 2008

I loved looking through this cookbook and was really excited when I got it. I have to admit I am not a big cookbook person. I have a few standard cookbooks that I use. So when given the chance to review this I jumped at the chance. As a family we are always looking to try new and healthy foods.

The book layout is great and informative. The first part of the book explain how to keep a kosher kitchen and make healthy choices in your eating habits. The next part is a section with definitions and explanations of flours, sugars, oils, etc. What is nice about the cookbook is that a recipe is on one page and the next page has a picture of the finished product. Which is a selling point for me when looking to make something.

The recipes are all great. The ingredients are all stuff you can find in your local grocery store. The directions are all easy to read and follow.What is nice about each recipe Susie always has a little history about the recipe which I find makes the book more personal.

To date I have made:
Salads: Sweet Potato Salad, deli salad, house salad, Marrakesh carrot salad, and creamy garlic salad.
Poultry: Braised Turkey and balsamic glazed chicken.
Dessert: Ancie’s Carrot Cake and my favorite Iced Cappuccinos

All have been really good and family approved to make again. Looking forward to make more from the book in the new year.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Review: MULTIPLE BLES8INGS

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: MULTIPLE BLES8INGS: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets
AUTHORS: Jon & Kate Gosselin and Beth Carson
PUB DATE: Oct 14, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-310-28902-9
PUBLISHER: Zondervan

“Today I could very well loose my mind” is a quote that we hear Kate saying during the introduction to the show. If you are a fan of the show like I am this is a great book to read. I have to admit I didn’t watch the first season of Jon & Kate Plus 8 on TLC, so there was alot I missed or didn’t understand. This is a great book that answers all those questions I had.

The first thing Jon said to Kate was “Are you going to let anyone else have a turn holding that baby?” upon seeing each other one day. He was a 21 year old soccer player and she was 23 years old having lunch with friends. After that Kate wanted to know more about Jon.

Six months later they were engaged and then on June 1999 they were married in a friends garden in Pennsylvania. Soon after the desire to have a baby set in. Kate discovered she had Poly cystic Ovarian Syndrome. (She couldn’t ovulate.) They went to a infertility specialist and Kate started injections. Their first attempt was unsuccessful. They tried again. Finally Kate was pregnant. They shortly discovered that Kate was carrying twins. (Cara & Maddy)The girls arrived in Oct 2000.

Through the severe morning sickness, Kate was in and out of the hospital for dehydration and was put on medication for the morning sickness. I can relate with Kate on this cause I too had suffered this during my pregnancy with my son. Thankfully medication helped us both.

Kate was a nurse at a dialysis clinic but went on to become a labour & delivery nurse when the girls were one years old. In the back of Kate’s mind she kept thinking about having another baby. Jon was very reluctant. Kate longed to be a mother and Jon finally agreed that they would try one more time. They went to a new fertility specialist that lived closer to where they lived. It was in Nov 2003 that they discovered they were expecting sextuplets. Their doctor wanted them both to think about terminating some of the births cause it could turn fatal for Kate. With their strong belief in God they stood their ground and said NO!

Christmas eve Kate got the scare of her life. She awoke in pain and was rushed to the hospital. She thought that she was miscarrying. Thankfully she wasn’t. The pregnancy was taking its toll on Kate physically. She was put on complete bed rest and hooked up to fetal monitors etc. During this time Jon had lost his job and was worrying about what he was going to do.

Even in the book there isn’t much talk about the families of Jon & Kate. When Kate was in the hospital for the sextuplets her mother visited everyday and Jon’s dad (who later died) bought Kate a laptop with a web camera and calling cards so that she could keep in touch with the family. During the pregnancy Leah had low anomic fluid which was another thing I could relate with as Michael had low anomic fluid too. Thankfully Kate didn’t have to be induced like I was.

May 2004 the sextuplets were born: Alexis Faith (for the important role Faith playes in there lives), Hannah Joy (for how she felt carrying the sextuplets), Leah Hope (hope filled her days), Aaden Jonathan (named after Jon), Collin Thomas (after Jon’s dad), and Joel Kevin (after Kate’s brother).

I was always wondering how they knew Joan and Beth. The two ladies who always seem to be around them. Well Joan is a family friend. She was there when Jon was born and babysat him when he was young. Beth was a volunteer that came to help Kate when she brought the sextuplets home. She had written kate a letter and kate dismissed it until one night she read it and Beth and her got to talk and have been friends ever since then.

It was nice to read as the chapters all began with a biblical verse. You can tell they are strong in their faith as its well known throughout the book.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
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Review: Chasing Harry Winston

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Chasing Harry Winston
AUTHOR: Laura Weisberger
ISBN: 978-1-4165-9019-4
PUB DATE: May 2008

This is Laura’s third book. You might recognize her name, she is the author of The Devil Wears Prada. I have read all her books and I enjoyed this one.

Leigh, Emmy and Adriana are all best friends from college. They are all entering their 30’s and being single is not good. They are all determined to make changes in their lives.

Leigh is the neurotic character. She is in a relationship. She has commitment phobias and doesn’t like anyone being close. She is a hard working editor and is beginning to realize that she really doesn’t love her fiance even though he fits into her checklist. When she is forced to work with Jesse he makes her rethink things.

Emmy is a newly dumped chef. Her boyfriend has left her for a much younger girl. She wants to be married and have kids. She came very close to having that dream come true but a 23 year old girl took that away from her.

Adriana is the beautiful, spoiled, rich brazilian who uses men as sex objects. She has slept with more men then any of her friends put together.

Emmy and Adriana have challenged each other for a year, Emmy will no longer look at men as future husbands and Adriana will no longer use men as sex objects. Emmy is suppose to have a series of affairs with random men and Adriana is suppose to be a serial monogamist.

Will Adriana grow up and be more responsible or will she remain the spoiled rich girl not doing anything with her life but sleep around and shop?

Will Emmy finally met teh right guyand settle down and get married and have kids?

Will Leigh finally decide whats right for her and change her mind about what the perfect guy really is?

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.

Review: Mercury Under My Tongue

Posted on by Cindy


TITLE: Mercury Under My Tongue
AUTHOR:Sylvain Trudel, Sheila Fischman(Translator)
PUB DATE: January 2008
ISBN:9781933368962

This book was sent to me by Richard of Soft Skull Press. It was a quick read at 159 pages.

The book is told in the first person narrative. Frederick Langlois is a 17 year old boy who is dying from bone cancer.

He is your typical teenager. He has the know it all attitude. He write poetry in the hospital. He is seeing a therapist so that he can comes to term with the fact that he is dying. He comments on dying a virgin and that he has never left Canada before. The book takes place in Montreal. We are introduced to various family members of Frederick and fellow patients. As we read we are reading what he is going through and how he feels.

copyright 2010, Cindy (Cindy’s Love Of Books)
If you are reading this on a blog or website other than Cindy’s Love Of Books or via a feedreader, this content has been stolen and used without permission.