Food, Fiction & Fellowship - Don't Get No Better!

Life just gets so dang busy!  Often, it is difficult to find the time for something I really want to do!!!  (Imagine just a bit of foot stomping as I type that....)

If you know me, then you know reading is a passion for me!  It's definitely one of those things I really WANT to do!  Even as a child, one of my favorite outings was a trip to the library.  I could have spent hours upon hours there, browsing the shelves and making my selections.  I would read any chance I got, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning.  To this day, I love to get lost in the pages of a good read!  So, making the time to just curl up with a book is a priority for me.  

Last night brought a meeting of a very small book club, which I have participated in for the last several years.  There are only five of us - and one doesn't even live in town full-time anymore.  So, we don't make it together once a month.  These days it is more like once a calendar quarter.  We have read a variety of books through the years - fiction, non-fiction, inspirational Christian works, you name it.  

Our current selection was "Hold Me Close - Revolutionary Faith Book One", 

by local author Marguerite Martin Gray. 

You can order this book HERE

Marguerite teaches French at one of the high schools AND I have discovered she writes beautiful books.  (One of our members used to teach with her and knows her quite well.)  This series is historical fiction, set in pre-revolution Charles Town, with Christian themes and light romance.  (You know, it's hard to "categorize" a book at times - I hate just classifying it as one genre when it's really more complex than that!)  I was pleasantly surprised as I read this book and look forward to the next in the series this Fall.  

Now, as for this book club, one of the things we enjoy most about our little get-togethers is the fellowship and food.  We spend as much time selecting the restaurant as the book!  We dined at Miguel's MexTex Cafe last night and I am sorry to tell you, friends, but this is a LOCAL restaurant. Too bad for those of you who don't live in Abilene!  I totally over-indulged on puffy beef tacos - they were amazing!!!  And I got in two full tumblers of water with my meal - which sorta offsets the dessert of bread pudding with bourbon sauce and vanilla bean ice cream I ended up devouring......

I was home well before 8:00 pm - just before the heavens opened and poured some more blessed rain upon our town.  With the sound of rain and thunder just outside the windows, I slipped into some comfy flannel pj's and curled up with a book.  What a way to end the evening!

By the way, our next selection is "The Husband's Secret" by Liane Moriarty. 

For sale at Amazon - HERE

I can't wait to get started on this one!  But, I will probably wait until closer to the time of our next meeting in May  - so, it is still fresh in my mind.  (Can you relate???)  

I have not read anything by this author before - have you?  Would love to hear about it in the comments below, if you have - but, hey!  No spoilers on this one!!!  In fact, our group is always looking for new authors and writings to explore - so, we welcome suggestions. 

What are you reading right now???

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A Book a Day.....

Okay, well, maybe not a whole book a day.  I mean, after all, Life is busy!  But, I always feel the need to carve out a wee bit of time to open a book and transport myself through the written word.  Usually, it is at the end of the day, when I crawl into bed that I find the time to partake in this activity.  So, on my bedside table always sits my current read and my funky reading glasses.  What a way to unwind and finish the day!  (Thank goodness, Eddie enjoys reading before retiring just as much as I do.)

While pondering on the subject of Kindle vs. Nook, my mind went a-ramblin' over books....and what I enjoy reading.  Honestly, I could write a book on this very subject myself!  I enjoy such a wide array of reading material that I find it difficult to limit myself to "favorites".  But, here are some......

Lately, I have been heavily into mystery - particularly a series by Diane Mott Davidson.  They revolve around a caterer who has a knack for solving mysteries with (and without) the help of her detective husband.  The books are heavy on food and recipes.  The tantalizing descriptions of food make me ravenous while I am reading, though.  I find myself rummaging through the kitchen for snacks and nibbles while reading!

Having worked in the legal profession for many years, I also developed a fondness for legal thrillers.  Of course, John Grisham and Tim Green fit the bill perfectly.  However, I also discovered Lisa Scottoline and her series of legal thrillers with a cast of female legal eagles is a delight!  Full of humor and deftly placed sarcasm, her works are always a delight.

I admit to enjoying a great romance now and then.  I think most prefer to call this genre "women's fiction" now, but romance is romance.  Although I don't care too much for historical romances or "bodice rippers", I do enjoy a good tale of "Girl meets Mr. Right" from time to time.  Stef Ann Holm and Claire Cook are excellent examples of contemporary writers who don't get too sappy, but spin a nice yarn with touches of humor and wit.  For a little more "ernst" and complex story, try Kristin Hannah; her works are beautiful. And for a trip to Pawley's Island or the Outer Banks, Dorothea Benton Frank will transport you to another world with a tale of family and romance.

As for pure thrillers, I think Patricia Cornwell does a bone-chilling job.  While extremely graphic and sometimes bordering on the macabre, the Kay Scarpetta novels are tension-filled and full of twists and turns; somehow very fascinating in their detail.

A good biography, or autobiography, can make a very enlightening read.  Such as with Sarah Palin's first book, which shed a lot of light on the politics within politics.  And for a fun autobiography, check out Tori Spelling's books.  They are funny, revealing and insightful.  I never expected to like Tori the way I do!

For a lovely and inspiring story, I reread one of Jan Karon's Mitford books.  The entire series is priceless.  Such adorable and relateable characters and an awesome example of pure story-telling.  If you haven't tried them, read them all - in sequence.  You will laugh and you will cry.

And, finally, who can deny the prophetic prose of Frank Peretti?  His books on spiritual warfare read like any thriller and will leave you smelling the sulphur stench of demons' breath when you turn out the lights and watching for signs of angels guarding over you around every corner.  Truly thought provoking subject matter.

See what I mean about being able to write a book about books I like????  I could go on and on....

What about you?  What's on your bedside table right now?  Any favorites that you can read over and over again? 

Happy page turning on this hot Summer Sunday!

Janie 

Give Me Some Feedback....

So, I'm thinking about getting a Kindle.  Anyone have one and can give me some product feedback?

I have always been an avid reader!  I remember my first trips to the public library as a child for story time; the unique-somewhat-musty smell of the place and the weight of large picture books in my arms as I proudly walked through the heavy doors of the Children's Department with my mother.  I still do the library thing quite a bit.  I mean, that's a great deal - getting to read books for absolutely free!  But, there's that tricky little thing called a "due date" that seems to get in my way....

Generally, I pick up used paperbacks.  But, occasionally I spring for a new one, particularly if I am going to be traveling.   However, there's the issue of what to do with the paperback once you've read it - particularly if it wasn't what you would consider a "keeper".  These seem to pile up in a box until I've accumulated enough to carry to the hospital auxiliary for donation.  

With all the latest technology, it appears you can order just about any book and download it directly to your Kindle quickly and for less than the cost of the paperback.  This idea is very appealing to me!   I can just envision myself, curled up with a good "book" displayed on this lightweight, portable device.  They advertise that the screen can now be viewed easily in bright sunlight.  I can imagine adding to my library of good reads without taking up a single inch of space on a bookshelf. 

So, tell me.  Have you tried the Kindle yet?  Or perhaps one of the other devices, such as the Nook?  I would love to hear how you're liking - or not liking - this little modern-day gadget!  So, share away!

Headed off to curl up with a paperback...for now.  Sweet dreams to all!

Janie