I Love Sarah Jio!!!!!!!!!!!

This blog post will be a bit different from all the rest. A while ago I read my first Sarah Jio book (I heard about her from Jodi Picoult, who I "like" on Facebook.) I decided to start with her first book, The Violets of March, but it does not matter which one you start with (they are stand-alones.) After reading TVOM in one evening (I refused to go to sleep until I knew what was going on), I decided to contact Sarah and ask her if she would answer a few quick questions for me that I could post on here. She was very kind and immediately said yes. She is currently working on her fifth book and is very busy, so while waiting for her answers I decided to read her second book, The Bungalow (also read in one evening.) I have received Sarah's answers and I am so excited to post both her answers, as well as my review for both The Violets of March and The Bungalow, in this blog post. I hope you will give her books a try and maybe someday you will love Sarah Jio as much as I do!!!!

Title: The Violets of March
Author: Sarah Jio
Release Date: April 26, 2011
Publisher: Plume (Penguin Canada)
Format: Trade Paperback
Genre: General Fiction


Summary:
"A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author.

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

A mesmerizing debut with an idyllic setting and intriguing dual story line, The Violets of March announces Sarah Jio as a writer to watch." (http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780452297036,00.html?THE_VIOLETS_OF_MARCH_Sarah_Jio)


About the Author:

Sarah Jio is a frequent contributor to major magazines, including Real Simple, Glamour, Cooking Light, and Redbook, and is also the health and fitness blogger for Glamour.com. She lives in Seattle with her family.

Review:

This book was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! The journey the main character has to go on and the story she learns about are absolutely incredible and magnificently written! I got sucked into this story from the get-go and had such a hard time putting it down (which is why I finished it in one night!) I felt like I was part of the story when I was reading it and that everything Emily was learning was having the same effect on me as it was on her. Jio certainly has a way with words and they flow together as though they were always meant to be that way. I think if I continue to say anything more it will just be gibberish and I won't be making any sense. The most important thing I can say is YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK!!!!! And I hope you will...

Related Links:

Sarah Jio Website  http://www.sarahjio.com/

Penguin Canada http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780452297036,00.html?THE_VIOLETS_OF_MARCH_Sarah_Jio

Chapters.ca http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Violets-March-Novel-Sarah-Jio/9780452297036-item.html?ikwid=the+violets+of+march&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/The-Violets-March-A-Novel/dp/0452297036/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331841631&sr=8-1

Interview with Sarah Jio

Tammy: When did you know you wanted to write novels?

Sarah: I'm one of those people who knew what they wanted to do at a very early age. I wrote my very first "book" at the age of seven, and it was called "A Tug Boat's Dream." Funnily enough, it won a young author award, which is what I think inspired me as a child. I have always loved to tell stories, and after working as a journalist for 12 years, I find it quite freeing to be able to sit down at my desk and use my creativity in different ways (aka "make stuff up"!).


T: Where did the idea for The Violets of March come from?

S:  The idea came to me over time as I was thinking about the type of story I wanted to tell. I knew it needed to be a story that came from my heart, and one I felt an affinity to. So, I assembled all of my favorite things, places and ideas—Bainbridge Island, the 1940s, a lost love, and a long-held mystery—and created a story that resonated with me. Now, working on my fifth novel, my rule is that I will not continue writing  a novel if the story doesn't haunt me by day and keep me up at night the way VIOLETS did as I was writing it.

T: TVOM is a pretty complicated story. How did you write a book such as this one? Did you have to work backwards?

S: I admit that I did get tangled in the web of details and past-and-present sometimes. I kept a good diagram going of notes, and frequently checked in with myself to make sure I was keeping things straight as I went. But, as I always do with my novels, I did write the last chapter first. I found that it gave the story a cohesive feel and I loved knowing where I was going and that I had a destination in sight. (Besides, as a writer, there is nothing more satisfying than typing the words "the end"!)

T:  Who is your favourite character and why?

S:  I connected with Emily, for sure, but I think my heart belongs to Bee. I love her quirkiness and her strength. I also think I could move right into to her big home on the shores of Bainbridge Island. Forget the month of March—I'd live there year-round! :)

T:  Do you have any future stops in Canada?

S:  Not yet, but I adore Canada, and hope to get up to visit on tour, perhaps, for my third novel, BLACKBERRY WINTER, which comes out on September 25th! I'm so excited about this new story, and can't wait to share it with the world.

I hope you enjoyed this interview with Sarah Jio! It was a very exciting opportunity for me, and Sarah is the first author I have interviewed! I am hoping to have more interviews with authors in the future! I just received a response from another author, so look out for another interview soon!

Title: The Bungalow

Author: Sarah Jio

Release Date: December 27, 2011

Publisher: Plume (Penguin Canada)

Format: Trade Paperback

Genre: General Fiction

Summary:

"A sweeping World War II saga of thwarted love, murder, and a long-lost painting.
In the summer of 1942, twenty-one-year-old Anne Calloway, newly engaged, sets off to serve in the Army Nurse Corps on the Pacific island of Bora-Bora. More exhilarated by the adventure of a lifetime than she ever was by her predictable fiancé, she is drawn to a mysterious soldier named Westry, and their friendship soon blossoms into hues as deep as the hibiscus flowers native to the island. Under the thatched roof of an abandoned beach bungalow, the two share a private world-until they witness a gruesome crime, Westry is suddenly redeployed, and the idyll vanishes into the winds of war.
A timeless story of enduring passion, The Bungalow chronicles Anne's determination to discover the truth about the twin losses-of life, and of love-that have haunted her for seventy years" (http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780452297678,00.html?THE_BUNGALOW_Sarah_Jio)

Review:
She's done it again. I could NOT put this book down and, again, I read it in an evening! It was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good! Honestly, I hope she writes forever because I can't get enough and I would be so sad if she ever stopped! I loved the setting in this book, the South Pacific. I also really like books in war settings, so this was a real treat for me! This book is full of love, loss, betrayal, but most importantly, hope. It is beautifully written and, being a hopeless romantic, I can't get enough of the love story! Jio does not write like other writers and give the reader what they expect, but throws in twists and turns, and keeps you wondering what is going to happen in the end. I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope you try this book! Recommend it to a friend! Recommend it to ALL of your friends! Happy Reading everyone!!!!!

Related Links:
Penguin Canada  http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780452297678,00.html?THE_BUNGALOW_Sarah_Jio
Chapters.ca  http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/The-Bungalow-A-Novel-Sarah-Jio/9780452297678-item.html?ikwid=the+bungalow&ikwsec=Home
amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/The-Bungalow-Novel-Sarah-Jio/dp/0452297672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331911168&sr=8-1
The Literary Life of the Well-Read Wife Blog http://www.wellreadwife.com/2012/01/08/book-review-the-bungalow-by-sarah-jio/

ALSO BY SARAH JIO:
*Blackberry Winter Release Date: September 25, 2012

Vampirates Series by Justin Somper

 

Titles:

Book 1 - Demons of the Ocean

Book 2 - Tide of Terror

Book 3 - Blood Captain

Book 4 - Black Heart

Book 5 - Empire of the Night

Book 6 - Immortal War

Author: Justin Somper

Release Date: September 11, 2009

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Young Readers

Summary (Demons of the Ocean, Book 1):

"Twins, Connor and Grace, never dreamed that there was any truth to the Vampirate shanty their father sang to them before he died, but that was before the two were shipwrecked and separated from each other. For Connor, who is taken aboard a pirate ship, there''s the chance to learn to swordfight, but for Grace, aboard a mysterious ship of vampire pirates, the danger is great. What will it take for them to find each other" (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Vampirates-Demons-of-the-Ocean-JUSTIN-SOMPER/9780316013734-item.html?ikwid=demons+of+the+ocean&ikwsec=Home)

About the Author:

"Justin Somper is an exciting creative talent in children’s book publishing. Beginning his career as a writer/editor for Usborne, he joined Puffin Books as a publicist in 1992 and moved to Random House as Children’s Publicity Director in 1996. In 1998, Justin broke free to become one of the UK’s first specialist children’s book publicists. He has since worked with Anthony Horowitz, Louise Rennison, the Roald Dahl literary estate and the Narnia literary estate amongst others.

Justin Somper is the bestselling author with the Vampirates sequence. The first title, Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean debuted in 2005 and has sold over 100,000 copies to date in the UK. Justin was dubbed “The Next Big Thing” by Sunday Times Magazine while, in Waterstone's "Harry Potter Report", the chain’s buyers selected Demons of the Ocean as their top recommendation for fans of Harry Potter. The Sunday Times said Vampirates “promises to be an addictive series”. The Evening Standard welcomed “a vivid and bloodthirsty debut”, whilst The Times acclaimed “a clever combination of two genres that could make it as popular as Pirates of the Caribbean”.

With Demons of the Ocean, Justin won the Birmingham KS3 “Explores” Book Award and the Solihull Children’s Book Award. He was runner-up in the North East Children’s Book Award and short-listed for the prestigious Red House Children’s Book Award. Justin’s work has also won praise from fellow children’s book authors including Darren Shan who calls it, "An intriguing mix of piracy and vampirism. Justin Somper has brought new terrors to the blood-drenched seas - bravo!!!""(http://www.vampirates.co.uk/captain-somper/)

Review:

There are not enough words to express my love for this series. It caught my eye a few years ago because it was something different and I did not know anyone who had read it/did not have customers come in and ask for it. I finally picked it up last year or the year before and I was hooked from the get-go. Man, addition to bucket list: become a vampirate!!!!! Haha. It is such a fun and creatively written series, there is something for everyone in it! And imagine my surprise, being a primatology major, to discover there was an aye-aye in it (for those of you who do not know what this is, look them up - they are horrible looking, but kind of cute lol)!!!!! I do not want to say too much about this series as I fear my lips may reveal some key events, but it is a MUST read! I am usually pretty happy when I end a series because it is another series done and the last book always gives you the closure you are looking for (well, most of the time.) But this time? Honestly? I miss the characters. I am not ashamed to admit that at 29 years old, I got emotionally involved with this series. I had tears in my eyes during some of the events that took place, and I actually yelled out loud at Grace in the last couple of books lol!!! It is fun, funny, adventurous, and quite frankly, amazing. So, to those of you who made fun of me for reading it (you know who you are, lol): I cannot express to you how glad I am that I read this series. I just finished Immortal War on March 5th (4 days ago) and I am already considering doing a re-read. Go out and try it! And if you don't enjoy reading kids books yourself (which is a shame), buy it for someone you know who does! I am holding out hope that Justin Somper will write a sequel or a side series, as I cannot get enough of this world he has created! THANK YOU Justin Somper! Happy Reading everyone!!!!!

Releated Links:

Vampirates Website http://www.vampirates.co.uk/

chapters.ca http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Vampirates-Demons-of-the-Ocean-JUSTIN-SOMPER/9780316013734-item.html?ikwid=demons+of+the+ocean&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/Vampirates-Demons-Ocean-Justin-Somper/dp/0316013730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331309377&sr=8-1

Wondrous Reads http://www.wondrousreads.com/2010/02/review-vampirates-demons-of-ocean-by.html

Vampirates has been turned into a play! Check out this link to Scene Productions! Would have LOVED to see this!!!!!

http://sceneproductions.co.uk/productions/vampirates/

Night of the Living Deed by E.J. Copperman

  

Title: Night of the Living Deed (book 1 in a Haunted Guesthouse Mystery)

Author: E. J. Copperman

Release Date: June 1, 2010

Publisher: Berkley Mass Market (Penguin Canada)

Format: Mass market paperback

Genre: Mystery

Summary:

"Welcome to the first Haunted Guest House mystery-the getaway every reader can afford.

Newly divorced Alison Kerby wants a second chance for herself and her nine-year-old daughter. She''s returned to her hometown on the Jersey Shore to transform a Victorian fixer-upper into a charming-and profitable-guest house. One small problem: the house is haunted, and the two ghosts insist Alison must find out who killed them." (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Night-Of-The-Living-Deed-E-J-Copperman/9780425235232-item.html?ikwid=night+of+the+living+deed&ikwsec=Home)

About the Author:

"E.J. Copperman is a mysterious figure, or has a mysterious figure, or writes figuratively in mysteries. In any event, a New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It will be followed in 2011 by An Uninvited Ghost, the second in the Haunted Guesthouse mystery series.

E.J., having worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, magazine editor, and screenwriter, writes stories that combine humor and mystery with just the right amount of spooky supernatural happenings and a large does of Jersey attitude.

Sound like we’re being evasive? Well, the fact is that E.J. Copperman is the pseudonym of a well-known mystery novelist, now embarking on a new type of story that includes some elements of the supernatural as well as a fair number of laughs. And the Copperman novels will have a different attitude, a different setting and completely different characters than anything that has come before, so E.J. really is a new author.

In Night of the Living Deed, Alison Kerby buys a huge Victorian on the Jersey Shore to renovate into a guesthouse. Not long off a divorce, Alison is hoping she and her nine-year-old daughter Melissa can find a fresh start in the town where Alison grew up.

But she has a problem. Two problems. Their names are Paul and Maxie, and they’re ghosts. And they won’t let Alison’s renovations go on unless she helps them with a little problem: The ghosts want Alison to find out who murdered them. Doing so will speed up the home improvement project, but there’s a pretty serious catch: The killer seems to be intent on making Alison the next ghost to haunt her guesthouse." (http://www.ejcopperman.com/bio)

Review:

This was another random pick for me. If you follow my blog, you know by now that I am crazy about cozy mysteries! So, naturally, I had to find another series to start and I did, A Haunting Guesthouse Mystery series! I liked that this one was different from other cozy mysteries I have read because it has GHOSTS! One of them is a Canadian man (YAY!!!) and the other is a horribly tempered American female. I love the main character, I find her very likable. She is independent, her dad taught her to be "handy" (not many people are these days!), and she absolutely adores her daughter! There is a lovely family "trait" that seems to have been passed down (albeit to different degrees) and I was shocked to find out about it! This book made me laugh and it was an all-around fun read! I hope you will try this cozy mystery series! The next one, An Uninvited Ghost, is at home waiting for me to start! Can't wait to see what Alison is up to next! Happy Reading!

Related Links:

E.J. Copperman Website http://www.ejcopperman.com/

Penguin Canada http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780425235232,00.html?strSrchSql=night+of+the+living+deed/NIGHT_OF_THE_LIVING_DEED_E.J._Copperman

chapters.ca http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Night-Of-The-Living-Deed-E-J-Copperman/9780425235232-item.html?ikwid=night+of+the+living+deed&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca  http://www.amazon.ca/Night-Living-Deed-E-J-Copperman/dp/0425235238/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331306929&sr=8-1

Lesa's Book Critiques http://lesasbookcritiques.blogspot.com/2010/05/night-of-living-deed-by-ej-copperman.html

The Angel of the Opera by Sam Siciliano

Title: The Angel of the Opera (part of The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)

Author: Sam Siciliano

Release Date: reissued May 15, 2011

Publisher: Titan Books

Format: Trade Paperback

Genre: Mystery

Summary:

 "Paris 1890. Sherlock Holmes is summoned across the English Channel to the famous Opera House.

Once there, he is challenged to discover the true motivations and secrets of the notorious phantom, who rules its depths with passion and defiance.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's timeless creation returns in a new series of handsomely designed detective stories. The Further Adventures series encapsulates the most varied and thrilling cases of the worlds' greatest detective" (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Further-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-Angel-Sam-Siciliano/9781848568617-item.html?ikwid=the+angel+of+the+opera&ikwsec=Home)

About the Author:

"Early on, Sam Siciliano developed a taste for fantastical worlds better than the one he was stuck with. He grew up reading the golden-age juvenile science fiction of Heinlein and Andre Norton, the Mars and Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Baum's Oz books and Brooks' tales set on a New England farm where Freddy the Pig had his adventures.  And of course, last but not least was the London of Sherlock Holmes.  Siciliano has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Iowa and did some college teaching, but because of the terrible academic job market, he worked many years in business as a database administrator. His reading tastes remain diverse, with a special fondness for genre fiction. Jane Austen may be his all time favorite author, the Victorian writers and Raymond Chandler his inspiration, but he is also a big fan of Tim Powers and Alastair Reynolds.
Siciliano was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah.  After undergraduate work at the University of Utah, he went on to the University of Iowa in Iowa City.  There he met and married fellow English graduate student Mary Slowik.  The two defended their dissertations, the last step in their doctorates, on the same memorable day.  They have raised three children and several cats together.  They attribute their long and happy marriage to the fact that neither of them believes in ironing." (http://samsiciliano.net/biography.html)

Review:

I am a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, so naturally I wanted to pick up this book. I just happened across this series, but it intrigued me right from the get-go. I love the idea of mingling Sherlock Holmes with classics. I think it is a fantastic idea and I cannot wait to read more in this collection. If you are a stickler for all things real and true Sherlock Holmes, you may not like this book. Sherlock is a bit different in this one and the story is not told by Watson, but by Holmes's cousin, Henry. It was such a neat read and I really enjoyed it. I hope you love classics and Sherlock like I do and will give this book (and series) a try!!! Happy Reading!

Related Links:

Titan Books  http://titanbooks.com/the-further-adventures-of-sherlock-holmes-the-angel-of-the-opera-4958/

Sam Siciliano  http://samsiciliano.net/

chapters.ca  http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Further-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-Angel-Sam-Siciliano/9781848568617-item.html?ikwid=the+angel+of+the+opera&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/Further-Adventures-Sherlock-Holmes-Angel/dp/1848568614/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331146713&sr=1-1

Deserted Phans http://desertedphans.forumotion.net/t79-the-angel-of-the-opera-by-sam-siciliano

Lucky's Lady by Tami Hoag

Title: Lucky's Lady

Author: Tami Hoag

Release Date: December 30, 2003

Publisher: Random House Canada

Format: Mass Market Paperback

Genre: General Fiction

Summary:

"As wild and mysterious as the Louisiana swamp he called home, Lucky Doucet was a dangerously attractive Cajun no woman could handle.  His solitary life left no room for the likes of elegant Serena Sheridan, but Lucky couldn't deny her desperate need to find her missing grandfather.  He would help her, but nothing more—yet once he felt the lure of the flaxen-haired beauty, an adventurer like Lucky couldn't help playing with fire.

Serena felt unnerved, aroused, and excited by the ruggedly sensual renegade whose gaze burned her with its heat, but she did not dare tangle with a rebel whose intensity was overwhelming, who claimed his heart was off limits?  Deeper and deeper they traveled into the steamy bayou, until with one electrifying kiss her resistance melted into liquid desire.  And the devilish rogue found he'd do anything to make Serena Lucky's Lady." (http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553587180)

About the Author:

 Bestselling author Tami Hoag's novels have appeared regularly on national bestseller lists since the publication of her first book in 1988. She lives in Los Angeles (http://www.randomhouse.ca/author/results.pperl?authorid=13138)

Review:

I absolutely LOVE Tami Hoag! There is not one book of hers that I have read and not liked! She has a way of sucking you in, the characters are great, and you never know what twists and turns she is going to throw into the mix! This one was especially fun because it takes place in the Bayou, a place which I think is fascinating, but scary beasts live there lol. I love the characters in this story, and I was constantly flipping back and forth between people, trying to figure out "who dun it". Her stories just fly by and I am always sad when they end. This is a fantastic read and I hope you will give it a shot! Happy Reading!

Related Links:

Random House Canada  http://www.randomhouse.ca/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553587180

chapters.ca  http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Luckys-Lady-Tami-Hoag/9780553587180-item.html?ikwid=lucky%27s+lady&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca  http://www.amazon.ca/Luckys-Lady-Tami-Hoag/dp/0553587188/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331145207&sr=1-1

Lady Jayne's Reading Den http://ladyjaynesreadingden.blogspot.com/2011/07/review-luckys-lady-by-tami-hoag.html

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

Title: Heaven is for Real
Author: Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Release Date: November 2, 2012
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: Trade Paperback
Genre: Non-Fiction Religion

Summary:

"Do you remember the hospital, Colton?" Sonja said. "Yes, mommy, I remember," he said. "That''s where the angels sang to me."
When Colton Burpo made it through an emergency appendectomy, his family was overjoyed at his miraculous survival. What they weren''t expecting, though, was the story that emerged in the months that followed-a story as beautiful as it was extraordinary, detailing their little boy''s trip to heaven and back.
Colton, not yet four years old, told his parents he left his body during the surgery-and authenticated that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital while he was being operated on. He talked of visiting heaven and relayed stories told to him by people he met there whom he had never met in life, sharing events that happened even before he was born. He also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, though he had not yet learned to read.
With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton tells of meeting long-departed family members. He describes Jesus, the angels, how "really, really big" God is, and how much God loves us. Retold by his father, but using Colton''s uniquely simple words, Heaven Is for Real  offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, "Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses."
Heaven Is for Real will forever change the way you think of eternity, offering the chance to see, and believe, like a child." (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Heaven-Real-Little-Boys-Astounding-Todd-Burpo-Lynn-Vincent/9780849946158-item.html?ikwid=heaven+is+for+real&ikwsec=Home)

About the Author:

"Todd Burpo is the pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska (Population: 1,762) where his sermons are broadcast every Sunday via the local radio station. In emergencies Todd can be found working shoulder-to-shoulder with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department as a fire fighter. He is also the chaplain for the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighter's Association. In addition, Todd works with an overhead door company. Todd graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1991 summa cum laude with a BA in Theology. He was ordained in 1994.
Todd and his wife Sonja, who is a children's minister, busy pastor's wife, mom, and office worker at a local realtor, are the parents of Colton, now an active 12-year old, Cassie, his older sister, and Colby, his younger brother." (http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/AuthorDetail.asp?CreatorID=7231&name=Todd_Burpo)

Review:
I wanted to read this book because when I was still working at a bookstore, there was SO much hype about it. I am not usually one to follow the trends necessarily (I read what interests me or sounds good), but this book is so far out of my realm I thought I would give it a try. I have never before read a religion book, so this was a first for me. It was interesting to read, and actually quite easy to read. I sometimes have a hard time getting through non-fiction books because they can be very dry, but I whipped through this one pretty quickly. I don't honestly know what my feelings toward this book are. I am not religious and I do not believe in God, so I did not have any kind of emotional connection to it. Having said that, I was not thinking "this is so fake" the whole way through either. I hope, for other people's sake, that this is not a work of fiction, but I'm not really affected either way. I really just read this book to see what it was like and while it is not something I would pick up again, I suggest others who are curious give it a shot. Happy Reading!

Related Links:
Thomas Nelson  http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/product_detail.asp?sku=0849946158&title=Heaven_is_for_Real&authors=Todd_Burpo_and_Lynn_Vincent
chapters.ca  http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Heaven-Real-Little-Boys-Astounding-Todd-Burpo-Lynn-Vincent/9780849946158-item.html?ikwid=heaven+is+for+real&ikwsec=Home
amazon.ca  http://www.amazon.ca/Heaven-Real-Little-Astounding-Story/dp/0849946158/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331144952&sr=8-1
Heaven is for Real Website http://heavenisforreal.net/
Libris Notes http://librisnotes.blogspot.com/2011/06/heaven-is-for-real-by-todd-burpo-with.html
Fallen From Grace http://fallenfromgrace.net/tag/todd-burpo/

Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand

Title: Barefoot
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Release Date: July 2, 2007
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company
Format: Trade Paperback
Genre: Adult Fiction

Summary:
"It''s summer on Nantucket, and as the season begins, three women arrive at the local airport, observed by Josh, a local boy, home from college. Burdened with small children, unwieldy straw hats, and some obvious emotional issues, the women--two sisters and one friend--make their way to the sisters'' tiny cottage, inherited from an aunt. They''re all trying to escape from something: Melanie, after seven failed
in-vitro attempts, discovered her husband''s infidelity and then her own pregnancy; Brenda embarked on a passionate affair with an older student that got her fired from her prestigious job as a professor in New York; and her sister Vickie, mother to two small boys, has been diagnosed with cancer. Soon Josh is part of the chaotic household, acting as babysitter, confidant, and, eventually, something more, while the women confront their pasts and map out their futures." (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Barefoot-A-Novel-Elin-Hilderbrand/9780316018586-item.html?ikwid=barefoot+elin+hilderbrand&ikwsec=Home)

About the Author:

"Elin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa." (Facebook page)

Review:

This is the second book by Elin Hilderbrand that I have read (the first being Silver Girl) and I absolutely loved it! All of her books take place in Nantucket and they are all stand-alones. I love that you get the perspectives of three different characters, all who are going through vastly different issues in their lives. I just find them so easy to love and I love the setting of Nantucket. There is not a moment when you are not wondering where each person's story will take them, and you find yourself hoping that everything will turn out alright. Just like with Silver Girl, I was absolutely sucked into Barefoot and I cannot wait to read another one of Hilderbrands books!

Related Links:

Little, Brown, and Company http://isbndb.com/d/book/barefoot_a_novel_a01.html

Indigo.com http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Barefoot-A-Novel-Elin-Hilderbrand/9780316075817-item.html?ikwid=barefoot+elin+hilderbrand&ikwsec=Home

amazon.ca http://www.amazon.ca/Barefoot-Novel-Elin-Hilderbrand/dp/0316018597/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330023354&sr=8-2

Oprah Article on Elin Hilderbrand  http://www.oprah.com/spirit/What-Elin-Hilderbrand-Knows-for-Sure-about-Summer