Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch

Hello everyone!

Welcome back to the Friday edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…the place to be when you’re ready to kick off your weekend with a good book.

Today’s featured title was a hard pick as I have a few “finished” books hanging about that need reviewing but once I caught a glimpse of the cover I said to myself....self, you HAVE to pick that one!  Why was this book so adamant to be chosen? Take a look at the cover and TELL ME that it doesn’t simply invite you in…and secretly want a purple chair of your own.  But as with all books, my fair readers, this story is about MUCH more than time spent in a gorgeous and comfortable chair doing the thing we all LOVE to do.  It’s about life and its many beginnings, those we welcome and those we try to startle away.  It’s about loss and forgiveness, for both actions taken and the times when action was taken from us.  It’s about discovering the gifts we are given unexpectedly and how the decision to utilize them to their fullest can be both enlightening and a welcome reprieve.  Ready to read all about it, especially since I’m pretty much giving you my review in the opener here?  Take a load off your feet, and open your hearts to today’s book of choice…

Tolstoy and the Purple Chair:

My Magical Year of Reading

By

Nina Sankovitch

From the publisher…

Caught up in grief after the death of her sister, Nina Sankovitch decided to stop running and start reading. For once in her life she would put all other obligations on hold and devote herself to reading a book a day: one year of magical reading in which she found joy, healing, and wisdom.

If the cover didn’t get your attention, the title certainly will, especially if you are a reader.  “My Year of Magical Reading”…sounds heavenly, no?  Agreed on the wording, but how she got to this place of bookish nirvana was anything but.  It took a life changing event, a loss felt so deep it shook her to her core to catapult this sometimes reader to a full time reader not merely as a way to simply bring some joy to her day but as a way of finding her way back to herself.  It was a long journey, taken one page at a time and 365 days/books later, she found her footing once again. 

Along the way, she made connections she never imagined with friends, neighbors, family and even perfect strangers….ever notice how books have a way of doing that?  The process of giving and taking suggestions for her next read helped forge friendships not formerly there and support systems that could be counted on when days proved harder than anticipated.  Literary wise, she took a chance on Edward and Bella, said “hello” to Abbot’s Ghost, joined the “Potato Peel Society” and several other groups on their adventures…a complete list of which can be found at book’s end (all 365 titles) and surprisingly enough, there are MANY I have yet to read myself!  (Talk about an instant TBR List enhancer….this is like a super dose of all natural bookish vitamins!) 

Though the journey was started for herself, in order to fully commit and not stray from the path she’d chosen, she decided to put her thoughts on each book read into words….and so the READ ALL DAY site was born.  On it, she chronicled her year in books thus allowing her projects reach to touch even more hearts and minds…and to this day, the purple chair is still warm and fresh reading material always at the ready.  With each entry, she was piecing another part of her own picture back together and in the end, she found the voice that would one day grace the pages of her own story.  The writing voice discovered was friendly and inviting, allowing readers to glimpse not only the pages that passed before her eyes (though I adored the quotes shared at the opening of each chapter) but the feelings and memories that went along with them.  We see a bit about the story she’s indulging in (thus adding to our own desire to read it as well) but we also get a clear view of the love shared between sisters and how deep that connection goes.  I don’t envy her her loss, but I am grateful she found the chance to work through it so eloquently. 

It’s not all heartbreak and revelations though; sometimes it’s simply a good time.  Of the many quotes I shared along the way through my GoodReads updates, there are moments that cover the whole spectrum of emotions; now I would like to add a humorous one to the fold. This one comes to us from her adventure through Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz…page 168 of this work…

To his grandmother, he is a “genius”; to everyone else, he is a mutant:  “You really want to know what being an X-man feels like?  Just be a smart bookish boy of color in a contemporary U.S. ghetto.  Mamma mia!  Like having bat wings of a pair of tentacles growing out of your chest.”

The magic that we glean from the written word serves as an escape from the day to day, allowing us to forget for at least a moment the troubles at our feet.  For Ms. Sankovitch, it was a way to reconnect with the memories of days gone by, a way to fill the hole in her soul left by the passing of her sister.  It was an unwanted yet, in the end, welcomed reminder that life is too short to let the moments pass us by.  Each one is precious and needs to be captured the best way we know how.  So, whether you share a few moments with friends or a loved one, partying like it’s 199…um, 2012…or relaxing in quiet solitude with a good book (the likes of which we will share later with friends, family, blogging buds and anyone who will listen…^_^), the way you choose to capture it matters not; the fact that you acknowledge its passing and celebrate it in your own way, however means the world. 

Review copy received courtesy of Regina at HarperCollins Publishers.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog, be sure to visit them online.  This book was released earlier this year via Harper Perennial and should be available on a bookstore shelf near you.  To discover more about the author’s journey through the pages both past and present, be sure to stop by her official site, like her on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.

One final note, besides the fact that I SO want a chair like that of my own…gotta say, I’m LOVING the author’s list of HOW TO READ ALL DAY ideas from her website.  Simply had to share it with you….

HOW TO READ ALL DAY

Always have a book with you.

Read while waiting.
Read while eating.
Read while exercising.
Read before bed.
Read before getting out of bed.
Read instead of updating FB.
Read instead of watching TV.
Read instead of vacuuming.
Read while vacuuming.
Read with a book group.
Read with your kid.
Read with your cat.
Read to your dog.
Read on a schedule.
Always have a book with you.

Let’s see, I already practice TEN of them. ^_^  How many do you already employ?

Until next time….HAPPY READING!

Because It Is My Blood by Gabrielle Zevin

Why hello there!

How are you this fine Thursday?

Great I hope….or at least in a better situation than our lead characters finds herself in in today’s featured title; trust me, it’s a doozy.  What’s that?  WHY trust me?  Well because…this is Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers and the aim of our game is to give you something new (or new to you) to chew on every day of the week!

Today’s featured title, already vaguely mentioned above, is the long awaited (well, any day you have to wait makes it LONG when it’s a GREAT story…in my mind at least ^_^) sequel to All These Things I’ve Done….the first book in the newly christened Birthright trilogy.  For a quick reminder of what’s transpired, feel free to click on over to my review for a brief overview of that opening title and then hurry back because you WON’T want to miss this…

*whistles*

 _waits_

^checks clock^

Ah, there you are!

Ready to continue?

Let’s DO this!

WARNING to those that haven’t read book one…yet…a few spoilers may abound but nothing to get yourself in a tizzy about.  Now that that’s settles, the title of the day is…

Birthright, Volume 2:

Because It is My Blood

By

Gabrielle Zevin

From the publisher…

Since her release from Liberty Children's Facility, Anya Balanchine is determined to follow the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, her criminal record is making it hard for her to do that. No high school wants her with a gun possession charge on her rap sheet. Plus, all the people in her life have moved on: Natty has skipped two grades at Holy Trinity, Scarlet and Gable seem closer than ever, and even Win is in a new relationship. But when old friends return demanding that certain debts be paid, Anya is thrown right back into the criminal world that she had been determined to escape. It’s a journey that will take her across the ocean and straight into the heart of the birthplace of chocolate where her resolve--and her heart--will be tested as never before.

It’s another twisted road for Anya Balanchine; daughter of and heir to a chocolate empire, target of those with ill intentions towards her name and her family, and above all a teenager simply trying to find her way in life and love.  Yes, it’s a hard life she leads but she was made for it.  Who else but Anya could juggle the many faces she must wear?  Who else but Anya could willingly choose a life on the lamb in order to protect her family, friends and the boy she loves?  Who else but Anya could even TRY to take down the psycho trying to kill her in the middle of a cacao plantation?  Her violent past and uncertain future give her the strength to withstand almost anything thrown her way making her a force to be reckoned with…but even she is not invincible.

You see that last line there…the mention of a flaw in her armor…that’s just one of the things I LOVE that the author built into Anya’s character.  Above all else, the independent streak, the “I-can-handle-everything” attitude….she is human.  Her veins may run with brown gold from her family tree but her heart is 100% pure…even if her intentions are not always so (hey, she has underhanded dealings to deal with…she can’t always lay all the cards on the table; it’s called leverage).  She would do anything for her family and friends…ANYTHING…but she never expects anyone to do the same for her.  When she does let her guard down, she gets bitten…in the worst way possible considering everything else that’s already happened but it’s a lesson learned and one that she’ll not likely forget.  Trust is something very important to Anya and her family; once broken, you can believe that the road back to her graces will be anything but easy.  Fool me once, shame on me.  Fool me twice, or should we saw try to fool Anya twice and you may not be around for the “third times a charm”.  Moving forward…

The characters introduced this time around are varied and a wee tad hard to keep track of, but rest assured they are well worth knowing, or at least knowing of.  There’s a connection made between the story’s beginning and end that you won’t see coming but in hindsight, it’s totally sitting there on the outskirts of it all.  Back to the people though, I had a love/hate relationship with SEVERAL of them this time around.  From Mr. Kipling, Anya’s lawyer (oh yes, he CAN do wrong) to Theobroma Marquez, aka Theo (a funny kid from a bit further South that can teach her a thing or two about many things), Charles Delacroix (Win’s father and loser of the election…HA! Sorry…) to Gable Arsley (who is STILL just like his last name sounds), it’s a big mixed bag of characters but it keeps things interesting…though I could have done with a less “interesting” take when it came to Win Delacroix.  Honestly Win, the road was clear for you!  Lighten up on the “leave it behind business”, get on the “yay chocolate” bus, and step up to the plate already!  Sorry, but he has a lot of pretty words and some great actions but then flips like a switch; makes my head crazy.  Anywho…

All in all, a fabulous follow up to all the greatness that was introduced in book one with enough story to hold its own and tide us over until the final installment is released.  (Soon, I hope…soon?)  Step into a world where chocolate is taboo, paper books are scarce and love weaves just as tangled of a web as ever before…just a bit more dangerous.  You’ll be swept away as Anya wages war in battles that were never meant for her, carried off by promises too sweet to be denied, and lose your footing when the carpet is grabbed from beneath your step once again.  In the end, you’ll rise like the phoenix Anya has proven to be showing the world that some things CAN be counted on for life….and her word is 100% pure.

Recommended read for teen readers and beyond; while the story gets a tad violent a time or two, nothing rates as “TOO much” to be handled on my radar. Special thanks to Ksenia at MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC package for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog, be sure to visit them online, check out their blog, like them on Facebook, or follow along on Twitter.  To discover more of the literary worlds of author Gabrielle Zevin, stop by her site, check out her blog, like her on Facebook or follow her Twitter feed.  This book is available now on a bookstore shelf near you from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Until next time… and happy reading!

BLOG TOUR: The Miracle Inspector by Helen Smith

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…the place that readers call home from across the globe, or at least they are more than welcome to; the more the merrier!

  Today, we’re playing host to a blog tour courtesy of  Pump Up Your Book Online Book Publicity (Thanks, Dorothy!) featuring a mighty dystopian thriller that may shock, could awe, but most definitely will have many of you running for your nearest bookstore or online outlet.  Why?  Because…it just SOUNDS good! Ready to take a look?  My pleasure.  First, a peek inside the cover….

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The Miracle Inspector

By

Helen Smith

The Miracle Inspector is a dystopian thriller set in the near future. England has been partitioned and London is an oppressive place where poetry has been forced underground, theatres and schools are shut, and women are not allowed to work outside the home. A young couple, Lucas and Angela, try to escape from London – with disastrous consequences.

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Good, right?

I know I was outraged by the oppression even glimpsed in this brief synopsis and what kind of future are we expecting to have if schools are shut down and any form of literature is sent underground!  *-*  Gotta say, I’m already rooting for Lucas and Angela and I haven’t even met them yet…though those consequences don’t sound so good for them.  Moving forward….

As my reading schedule is a bit tight at the moment, in lieu of a review of today’s featured title, I opted for a guest post from none other than the author herself.  Subject?  It was an open door, but she filled it with something I think you’ll all be anxious to read.  Without further ado, please welcome Ms. Helen Smith!

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GUEST POST:  My Top Five Dystopian Books

…with Helen Smith, author of The Miracle Inspector

Dystopian books offer a bleak, disturbing vision of the future. Often in the story there is a totalitarian government that controls and deceives its citizens, and rebellion is dangerous or futile. There may be a threat to the survival of the population, perhaps because of declining fertility or environmental problems. The endings of such novels are often downbeat or ambiguous. They hold a mirror to the way we live now, and an implicit or explicit warning about what may happen if we don’t preserve our freedom and individuality.

The Children of Men

P.D. James’s novel, The Children of Men, is set in England in 2021, when infertility problems among the population mean that no child has been born for twenty-five years. England is ruled by a despot called Xan with a private army. As the population is dwindling, foreign workers are brought into the country and exploited. Older people are a burden on society and commit suicide, and childless couples find child substitutes to love, such as pets or dolls. The story is told partly through the diary of a man called Theo who discovers that a woman called Julian is pregnant. If she has a baby, there is hope for the population – so long as the baby doesn’t fall into Xan’s power.

The Children of Men was published in 1992 and made into a film starring Clive Owen in 2006.

A Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s bleak novel is set the Republic of Gilead which is ruled by men in a right-wing totalitarian theocracy.  Women have been stripped of their rights and we follow the story of Offred, a woman who is ‘handmaid’ to a man called Fred and his wife, forced to have sex with him in order to conceive a child for the couple. She must give birth to a healthy child, ‘a Keeper’, but this is almost impossible given that so many children are born with birth defects, and because Fred is probably infertile. There is a resistance movement and the possibility of a way out for Offred – but can she trust the people who say they want to help her?

A Handmaid’s Tale was published in 1985 and made into a film in 1990 starring Natasha Richardson as Offred.

Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell’s book is set in Oceania, a republic ruled by Big Brother. Surveillance, censorship and ‘doublethink’ prevail. Torture is used to break down resistance among citizens. Political language – what we might now called ‘spin’ – is important as a way of controlling the population’s understanding of their situation. Winston Smith works for the Ministry of Truth and though at first he loves Big Brother, he rebels, begins an illicit romance with a woman called Julia, is captured and tortured, and betrays his lover. Though he has been approached by someone who claims to be a member of the resistance, it seems that even this may not exist except to flush out rebellious citizens so they can be re-educated. On reading or rereading this book, you see that many of Orwell’s invented terms have become part of the lexicon, especially when discussing political ideas.

Nineteen Eight-Four was published in 1949. In 1984 it was made into a film starring John Hurt as Winston Smith. (On a side note, Suzanna Hamilton, who played Julia in the film, appeared in a play of mine called The Memory Man that was produced in London in 2011.)

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley’s book is set in London in 2450. A peaceful World State rules the citizens of the world, dividing them into castes and educating them to work and behave in pre-defined ways suitable to those castes. There are no families, and children are incubated and hatched rather than being conceived naturally. People seem happy but this is because they’re medicated by Soma, a drug that takes away their creativity and individuality and stops them questioning their existence. An outcaste or ‘savage’, John, who was conceived naturally by a woman called Linda who exiled herself in shame, is brought to London at the age of eighteen to see this ‘brave new world’ for himself. He is intrigued and horrified by it, and, mourning his mother, he becomes a spectacle for the citizens of London who are excited by his passionate feelings.

Brave New World was published in 1932. It was made into a TV film starring Leonard Nimoy in 1998.

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro’s book is set in England. It begins in a boarding school where three characters, Kathy, Tommy and Ruth, are friends. The story is told from the point of view of Kathy, using her slightly limited vocabulary and outlook – she’s quite a passive character. As adults, they are housed in cottages, and Kathy becomes a ‘carer’. It’s difficult to describe what happens in the book without giving away an important ‘reveal’ that will spoil the opening chapters of the book if you know what will happen while reading them. But this is a haunting, sad book that came together for me when I read the last page, which made me cry.

Never Let Me Go was published in 2005 and made into a film in 2010 starring Carey Mulligan as Kathy.

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About the Author:

Helen Smith is a member of the Writers Guild of Great Britain and English PEN. She traveled the world when her daughter was small, doing all sorts of strange jobs to support them both – from cleaning motels to working as a magician’s assistant – before returning to live in London where she wrote her first novel which was published by Gollancz (part of the Hachette Group).

She is the author of bestselling cult novel Alison Wonderland. She writes novels, poetry, plays and screenplays and is the recipient of an Arts Council of England Award. She’s a long-term supporter of the Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture and mentors members of an exiled writers group to help them tell their stories.

Her latest book is the dystopian thriller The Miracle Inspector.

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Wow!

How’s THAT for a list of future reading options…after of course checking out The Miracle Inspector.  ^_^  Whilst traipsing about her site, I also discovered why the author’s name was familiar to me when I first caught wind of this tour.  She’s ALSO the creative mind behind Alison Wonderland (as noted in her bio as well), a sort of modern detective-type play on the tale we know so well (and a resident of my own personal Mount TBR).  Love when coincidences work out that way…

Special thanks to Dorothy at Pump Up Your Book Online Book Publicity for the chance to host a spot along this tour….and of course my thanks to author Helen Smith for giving us a little insight into your own reading world.  (THANKS ladies!)  For more information on this tour as well as their future adventures yet to come, be sure to check out their official website, like them on Facebook, plus them on Google+, follow along on Twitter, or sign up for their FREE newsletter!  To discover more about author Helen Smith as well as her complete body of works, be sure to visit her online, friend her on GoodReads, like her on Facebook, or follow her Twitter feed.  This book is available now on a bookstore shelf near you as well as on Amazon.com. 

Until next time…happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week...is a chunkster of a title that just so happens to be the second book in a trilogy I sampled last year.  Ready for a taste?  Here we go!

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The Healing Crystal, Book 2:

Fall of Eden

by

Michele Poague

Hours later a steady drizzling rain obscured the morning sun, stretching out the dawn.  Running for one's life isn't the most pleasurable way to spend the day, and the cold rain made it all the more uncomfortable, their new blankets now heavy with moisture.

-- pg 161

Siede laughed.  He'd flustered her, and she was adorable.  He wanted to kiss her, but as he turned her head to face him he heard the unmistakable sound of horses coming up the hill.

-- pg 230

The first is right along the lines of what they are doing now (some 100 pages before this tease) but the SECOND is an unexpected exchange between Siede and...well, it doesn't say and I didn't peek but I can't say I'm not CURIOUS to know just who was on the receiving end of the laugh.  It's an interesting series that combines past, present, and future with a mix of cultures all adding up to one BIG adventure.  Stay tuned for the blog tour swinging through later this month!

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read 

*Open to a random page 

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

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Until next time....happy reading!

My Berlin Kitchen by Luisa Weiss

Hi there!

Welcome back to the site that aims to please the reader in you....Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.  

Today's post couldn't be a more perfect fit, when you consider the theme of my site....insatiable readers.  Those readers that can't get enough books and are always craving more.  This time around, you'll be satiated both story wise AND hunger wise.  How so?  You'll see.  Without further ado, today's book of choice is...

My Berlin Kitchen:

A Love Story (with Recipes)

by

Luisa Weiss

From the publisher...

It takes courage to turn your life upside down, especially when everyone is telling you how lucky you are. But sometimes what seems right can feel deeply wrong. My Berlin Kitchen tells the story of how one thoroughly confused, kitchen-mad perfectionist broke off her engagement to a handsome New Yorker, quit her dream job, and found her way to a new life, a new man, and a new home in Berlin—one recipe at a time.
Luisa Weiss grew up with a divided heart, shuttling back and forth between her father in Boston and her Italian mother in Berlin. She was always yearning for home—until she found a new home in the kitchen. Luisa started clipping recipes in college and was a cookbook editor in New York when she decided to bake, roast, and stew her way through her by then unwieldy collection over the course of one tumultuous year. The blog she wrote to document her adventures in (and out) of the kitchen, The Wednesday Chef, soon became a sensation. But she never stopped hankering for Berlin. 

This is the story of one woman's life told through her experiences of both the world and with food.  Many might label this a "foodie memoir" and rightfully so as food plays such a key player in the events that transpire, HOWEVER to merely limit its reach to those that enjoy a tasty read would be a crime against readers everywhere.  Why? To put it simply, though it is true food plays a big part within these pages, they are more of a binding agent, the string that ties things together, the memory that brings her out of her downward spiral and back to reality, the ever open heart that reminds her that even when things are at their worst, they can and will look up again.  Okay, so perhaps that wasn't simply put, but it was accurate in my mind.  ^_^

We've had this discussion before, memoirs can be a hard beast to review...but this one?  Not in the least!  Ms. Weiss has a way with words just as she does her recipes (which I will certainly be trying a multitude of!) that brings the reader in for a hot cup of tea and acquaints you with the rest of her family whether they be spread clear across the miles or in the very next room.  You travel from her childhood of being "torn" between her parents  on opposite sides of the globe to her college years of trying to find her footing amongst all those that seemed firmly set upon their ways.  We're shown love in its many forms; that which is held between friends, the one held on to for too long and the one that was meant to be.  We see the world through another's eyes and find out what it means to be of two minds as she finds a way to meld the two halves of her self...and all along the way, we are tempted by the tastes and smells of recipes from the heart.

From early morning breakfasts of Omelette Confiture in her childhood to her Dad's Depression Stew that makes the most out of so little.  From picnic favorites like Fake Baked Beans and Kartoffelsalat (Potato Salad) to Apple Tarts and Roast Goose, the spectrum of palates is covered as we make our way through a lifetime of ups and downs all the while finding a welcome respite in cooking.  Ironically enough, another blogger/cook is mentioned here.  Remember Julie & Julia (you know, the blog turned book turned movie)?  This author's story was still unfolding as that was catapulting to the big screen, and even helped give this future writer a push to get out there, start her own site (The Wednesday Chef), and eventually share her story of life, love and food with the world at large.  Traveling with Ms. Weiss from the US to Italy to Berlin to Paris....it's kin to traversing the world in 80 days and yet miles covered in a lifetime.  The experiences she had with friends both new and old, the memories created and shared year in and year out...if you don't already have the travel bug, you will after reading this story.  Just desserts if I do say so myself, and a journey I was more than pleased to undertake literary wise.

So, if you're ready for a taste of something new or perhaps on a journey of your own right now in life that could use a little help staying together, I'd highly recommend this book.  It crosses the continents several times over while seeking a few universal goals....happiness and a place where we belong.  Some find it near, some find it a world away; it matters not which happens for you.  All those steps and misteps we take along the way, help shape us into who we are, making the easy road just a smidge less "new toy shiney" in the end.  So count your blessings and hold close to your heart those you love dearly; come rain or shine, they'll see you through...and a little comfort food never hurt anyone.

ARC for review possibly received courtesy of the publisher or rescued from work....honestly not certain!  In either case, this book was officially released last week and is ready for your immediate consumption courtesy of Viking Adult / Penguin Group USA.  For more information on this title as well as their complete catalog, be sure to visit their official website.  To discover more about Luisa Weiss, follow her Twitter feed or connect through the other links scattered throughout the post.

Until next time...happy reading!

Welcome to the world of Clayton J Liotta!

Hi there!
Welcome to the Sunday edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers...the place to be even when it's raining on one side of the street (yours ironically enough) and not the other. Eh, it happens...why let it get you down?

Today we are exploring the world of Clayton J Liotta, a children's author and illustrator in one! You may recognize the name as I've featured one of his works previously, but this past week I received a surprise package with 3 more titles that were recently released and today I shall share them with you.  Some were for the better, some...not so much. Ready to take a looksie?  Here we go! 

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UP A TREE WITH CHICKEN SOUP

The story in this one sounds pretty much like the title states, a young boy is out on the walk of discovery happening upon a giant tree that just NEEDS climbing and what's in his backpack but a thermos of chicken soup. Along the way he shares the soup with the animals there by learning a valuable lesson... a little bit goes a long way when generosity is involved.  I found the story sweet, the ending a bit odd but the illustrations adorable!  The pencil line drawings and shading used keep the story perfectly timed and add visual appeal for youngsters.

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WHEN VERDELL COMES TO VISIT

This story put me in a bit of a tizzy.  While I can certainly appreciate the imagination used in the reference to a visiting friend or relative, the fact that Verdell was actually a dragon coming to visit a small boy was a little far fetched even for this Imagineer.  Still perhaps if the friend or relative is someone your not on the best of terms with...ahem, anywho; let's check out book three...

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THE HOUSE AT 25 CLEARVIEW DRIVE

Now this one of the three was my absolute favorite! The surprise at the end that you can sort of see coming, depending on the age of the reader, was sweet as was the outcome of the long anticipated meeting.  It will definitely help young ones deal with unexpected situations or at least those that don't go the way they originally intended... not to mention it might help dispell the rumor of cooties before it gets started. ^_^

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All in all not a bad selection of reading if I do say so myself.  The rhyming at times is a stretch as is the plausibility of the story but the illustrations add that sparkle we look for in these types of books and the heart they share beats with resounding truth.  Certainly a crop of books for shared reading time amongst family and friends that will not only teach valuable life lessons but get the imagination brewing.

Review copies received courtesy of Clayton J Liotta.  (THANKS!) For more information on these titles as well as a full listing of both past and future releases, check out www.liottastudios.com.

Until next time...happy reading!

Dina's Tea-Time by Julia Dweck

Hi there!

Welcome back to the Saturday edition of Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers....the place that aims to bring you bookish delights every day of the week!  Today's featured title is no different, in fact it brings the treats in more ways than one, but my overall experience with it was...a bit less than expected.  Curious to find out more?  Well, since we all know what they say about the cat and curiosity, let's get to it, shall we?  Today's book of choice is....

Dina's Tea-Time

by

Julia Dweck

illustrated by

Patricia Saco

Can you imagine?  A tea party with....DINOSAURS!  I can, although I'm seeing a room with A LOT of broken china and a severe lack of pinkies raised while drinking.  *-*  Still, it sounds like a hi-ho time...especially when you take a look at the guest list as they get duded up in their tea-timey best.

As much as I loved a few of the author's other works, I gotta say this one....not so much.  It wasn't bad, in fact it was quite cute especially since I loved dinosaurs as a child (and still do) after visiting the Museum of Natural History; I can TOTALLY see how this story will capture the attention of the younger set...it just lacked a little of the sparkle her tales usually hold.  What exactly?  I can't quite put my finger on.  Was it the repeating phrase of "some thing is missing"?  Was it the lengthy stream of party guests showing up late?  *wears scrunchy thinking face*  While they were factors in my "final thoughts", there wasn't ONE thing that just shut the door on my experience...hence, why I didn't not like this one, just not as much as I had hoped.  Getting back to greener pastures....

While the story was creative, the illustrations were the cherry on top.  A more muted color scheme roams these digital pages, but it doesn't take away from the dolled up Dina in little party dress or the T-Rex with her hat and bag.  You can't help but laugh out out loud just a smidge at the wigs and lipstick though....it's funny but it's adorable!  ^_^

So, my fair readers....would I recommend this ebook story?  Certainly...just maybe predominantly for the younger kiddos as opposed to the wider audience her other titles embraced.  That being said, I can't neglect to mention the awesomeness that is included to extent the reading adventure....that's right, recipes!  The final pages reveal all the delicious goodies that the dino party goers brought to tea time in their full "how-to" colors so that you too can throw a dino-mite party....just don't forget the "tea-rex"!  (^_^)

Ebook for review courtesy of author Julia Dweck.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title as well as her full catalog of ebooks, be sure to visit her official website, check her out over on Amazon, like her on Facebook or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time...happy reading!

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers….the site that aims to please readers of all ages and interests, well MOST interests anyway.  ^_^

So it’s Friday….a day typically seen as payday, the end of the work week and to some as…DATE NIGHT.  *insert scream here*  Yes, yes….for those of you out there that haven’t found Mr. or Mrs. Right yet, tonight could possibly be another break in your day to day schedule to take a chance on someone else who just might be “the one”.  *sigh*  A tedious task for even the most light hearted amongst us, imagine if only for a moment if it didn’t have to be that way.  What if someone could put one and one together and it actually equal two?  All you had to do was supply all the info about yourself and submit to a myriad of psychological tests and POOF….a few months later, your perfect match is by your side.  Too good to be true?  Perhaps…or maybe, given the right circumstances, it’s just what the “love” doctor ordered.  Today’s book of choice is…

Arranged

By

Catherine McKenzie

From the publisher…

Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, close friends, and a potential book deal for her first novel. When it comes to finding someone to share her life with, however, she just can't seem to get it right. When her latest relationship implodes, and her best friend announces she's engaged, Anne impulsively calls what she thinks is a dating service—only to discover that it's actually an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. Anne initially rejects the idea, but the more she learns about the service, the more she thinks: Why not? After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world; maybe it could work for her.

Arranged marriage.  Sounds like something from the Stone Age, right?  Surprisingly (or not), it is something practiced in some cultures of the world to this day.  Does it result in a fairytale happy ever after?  Yes and no as Anne discovers on her journey of self discovery and what really happens when you let all the pieces fall. 

This was my first time reading Ms. McKenzie’s work and I am happy to say that it WON’T be the last.  I found the story very easy flowing with an approachable “heroine” (hey, she IS a heroine in my book despite her flaws and poor judgment….she gives her heart a chance even when she seemingly gave up on it and then STILL manages to put things back together when Humpty Dumpty falls off the proverbial wall!), an abundance of laughter (strip bingo, diving into a prearranged marriage, being named by your parent after Anne of Green Gable characters…) , and yet plausible steps and missteps along the way.  One in our Western society would never imagine turning the reins over to someone else, let alone a company to choose our significant other….or would we?  I mean look at all the online dating options, dot com sites and so on where all you do is submit your profile and POOF, matches appear.  A semi-blind date is one thing but a marriage?  Yikes!  I’m not certain if put in the same situation I could go along with something like that…but then again, it would cut through so much of the drama before hand.  *ponders*  Anywho….

If you think you’ve heard the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you person in the sky, you’re wrong!  There’s a twist, yes a twist, you won’t see coming that REALLY throws things for a loop.  No really.  It’s surprising that anyone makes it out unscathed and yet despite all that happens, the pieces of heart exposed are picked up, put back together and given another go.  Like I said, I name Anne the heroine.  The friends she makes along the way only add more color to this rainbow of a world from her best friend to her work fremeny, her interested boss to the psychiatrist that comes as a package deal with the potential arranged marriage; there is room to grow with and from each of them and grow Anne does (whether she wants to or not!).

In summary, a fascinating look at the dating world from the eyes of the forlorn with a heart full of wishes, some of which take flight and others crash and burn.  What do we learn?  It’s in the TRYING that we find our true selves and perhaps that “other half” that one day will make us the happiest “whole” version of ourselves.  In the mean time, there’s no shame in playing the game because really, you never know if the next “I-just-met-you-and-this-is-crazy” situation may turn into your happily ever after.  As for me, I had a WONDERFUL time and can’t wait to check out more of this author’s work.  To the all fellow singles out there, good luck!  To all the attached, good night! 

Review copy received courtesy of Mary at William Morrow Paperbacks / HarperCollins Publishers.  (THANKS!)  For more information regarding this title as well as their complete catalog, be sure to visit their official website, like their Facebook page, or follow along on Twitter.  To discover more about author Catherine McKenzie, feel free to check out her site, like her Facebook page, or follow her Twitter feed.  This book was released earlier this year and should be available on a bookstore shelf near you.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks as her latest release Forgotten makes its paperback debut October 16^th, 2012!

Until next time…to everyone….happy reading!

Temp: An Accidental Fairytale by A.E. Mayer

Well hello there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers…the place that welcomes the tall and the small, the happy and the not-so-much, the glam and the wistful because when it comes right down to it, READING IS FOR EVERYONE.

Today, we’re taking a look at a bit of an unusual title….in not only the actual title, but the cover art and story as well.  It came to my attention thanks to Adam over at Cricket Ink (THANKS!) and after I read the brief synopsis, I knew I had to check it out.  Why?  Well….take a look (or rather READ) for yourself….today’s book of choice is….

Temp:  An Accidental Fairytale

By

A.E. Mayer

From the publisher…

You might imagine the Collision that catapulted magical creatures to Earth would make every moment miraculous. But jobs were just as dull, and life could be just as boring. Traffic still stunk, only now with dragon Flyways above highways, the stink was worse than ever. Jackson Bee Belle Elders (Bee for short) is a promising Magical Sciences major who ends up smack in the middle of the Southern home town she tried to escape. Her lofty dreams of adventure only land her under fluorescent lights as she turfs creatures to temp jobs for Beveled Star Magical Staffing (B.S. for short). But everything changes when the cautious temp meets a friend who will dramatically alter her holiday weekend and her life. Nevermind that the friend is a wolf working for a despicable djinn who might use him to destroy the planet and everyone in it. Nevermind that the wolf can talk, but no human except Bee can hear him. Bee has a lot of secrets—some she knows about, and some she doesn’t. Fizzing with wit and adventure, Temp is a tale for anyone who has ever fantasized about a more magical life.

See?  What did I tell you….fun, right?  Filled with wit and worry of all shapes and sizes, for the most part I was entertained.  I mean who wouldn’t be when faced with the likes of unicorn loving Gilda (~shudders~….no I like unicorns but dear-me-oh-my the length this one goes to is SCARY…) or Bee’s outspoken Auntie who means well, but generally manages to suffer from foot-in-mouth syndrome rather often….not that she’d admit to that.  Aside from Bee herself, these two TOTALLY opposite “people” would have to be amongst my favorites in the book, plus it doesn’t hurt that they provide for a lot of entertainment whether intentional or not. 

Let us not forget Angus now because…well, really….how could you?  *wink*  No really, he’s more than meets the eye in SO many ways, but at his core he has a good heart…something that another certain someone can DEFINITELY not claim (*grumbles*  ….greedy little, good for nothing, getting her in danger….)...don’t worry, by book’s end though their journey is not complete (as in “psst-author-type-person-can-we-have-another-go-at-it-soon” please?), true colors and forms (~whistles~) are revealed.  What?  You’re curious what I meant by that?  As you SHOULD be…but you’ll have to read the book to find out more.  (^_^)  Trust me, you'll want to because I haven't even mentioned Ninwicket or Saul or Crackers or....suffice it to say the cast is varied, large but only just and worth the introduction.  Moving forward…

No post would be complete without a little limelight reserved for Bee.  She’s smarter than she knows, full of fire and spunk, and manages to kick a little magical butt when the mood strikes.  Okay, some of that “butt” is not so little (really…we’re talking Moby Dick size), but she holds her own and by keeping her wits about her, shows them what’s for.  It’s nice to see the little human come out on top once in a while, you know?  Oh, well….not that that happens here or anything…umm, yeah….the ending has a bit of a close call; how close, won’t say but it will keep you reading until the wee hours if you happen to be reading past your bedtime. 

All in all, I’d say it was an enjoyable read.  The blend of real life with fantasy was great and provided that option to connect with characters one might find themselves held apart from by more than simply a paper door (that looks like a typo, I know….put these paper doors are portholes!) or magic eye (a scanner of sorts).  The shift that caused everyone to be dumped from Tallwood into the same world was curious and yet believable at the same time…especially when reflecting on who did it and why.  

The opposing chapters of current events versus the journal entries shook things up a bit as well, giving readers insight to something about to transpire in the coming pages without giving it all away (and somehow for the life of me, I never connected whose journal it was til the end….DOH!).    Now, I will say the cover could possibly use a makeover (eye catching yes, but attention holding...maybe not as much as it could be) and there are a few dry spells where the journey overtook the adventure, but they don’t last long and you’re thoroughly rewarded for any troubles you may have experienced (though a nice waffle dog MIGHT have been nice…*ahem*).  So, what are you waiting for?  The doors to Tallwood won’t open on their own (well, anytime soon at least).  Take a chance on this adventure in the making because you never know when your next “on purpose” accidental choice will lead to your next favorite read.

Review copy received courtesy of Adam at Cricket Ink!  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, be sure to check out the author’s website.  Interested in connecting with the author elsewhere?  Be sure to check out her blog, like her on Facebook or follow along on Twitter.

Until next time…happy reading!

Taste Testing Tuesdays...on a Wednesday!

Good morning (or whatever time it is where you are), everyone!

Welcome to another installment of Taste Testing Tuesdays here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers! Taste Testing Tuesdays was inspired by 'Teaser Tuesdays', a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. 

On the menu this week...a memoir that's showing me history from the front lines, the beauty of foreign lands and leaving me with quite the appetite....good thing there are recipes included!  Ready for a taste?  Here we go!

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My Berlin Kitchen

by

Luisa Weiss

(ARC)

Release Date:  09/17/12

In the days that followed, Max and I took the RER train out to Versailles and walked along a long canal behind the palace under steely skies.  He made dinner for me at Malte's apartment, letting me watch as he spooned peanut butter and creme fraiche into a big pan full of sauteed chicken chunks, red peppers, and corn.  The concoction was surprisingly good.  No guy had ever cooked for me before, so I suspect that was half the charm.

-- pg 56

I spent three days in the sunshine with them, picking grapefruits off the tree in the garden with a homemade, long-handled picker, going for a hike in the junglelike ferns surrounding their house, making requeson out of milk and bitter orange juice.  We ate it for breakfast along with rosy slices of guava paste and whole grain bread that Joanie made with homemade sourdough, fed up with the white bread filling the island's grocery stores.  At night, with the coqui frogs singing outside my window, I lay in bed and tried to figure out what I wanted.

-- pg 107

It's quite the read so far....much more enjoyable than I even thought it was going to be; always a happy surprise.  The combination of personal experience, history, and family recipes helps bind this work together in one appealing package.  Should be finished with this one soon....stay tuned for the review...

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Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

*Grab your current read 

*Open to a random page 

*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) 

*Share the title & author, too, so that other participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

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Until next time....happy reading!