tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-236926092011-11-27T19:45:05.504-05:00Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.comBlogger421100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-56198730311524772392011-08-02T12:30:00.003-04:002011-08-29T13:30:07.252-04:00

I have always made a habit of reading only one book per year by certain novelists. On that list include my favorite "treats"; Patricia Cornwall, Stephen King, John Grisham, Jonathan Kellerman ... just to name a few. I really enjoy the books by these authors, but reading  too many of their in a short span can be like too much cheesecake. You can love the cheesecake, but one slice usually does

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-48148885750046370482011-08-02T11:01:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:28:50.121-04:00

Sherry & Narcotics is an outstanding debut novel by author, Nina- Marie Gardner. Intelligently written with not one word wasted, Gardner has created a fictionalized version of her own experiences with addiction, a love affair gone wrong with a well known writer, and feeling purposeless in a foreign country. Gardner describes her writing as "chic-lit noir"; the anti-thesis to the popular

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-73190216579437196562011-07-18T15:03:00.005-04:002011-08-29T13:34:30.895-04:00

 Deadly Indefference: The Perfect (Political) Storm: Hurricane Katrina, The Bush White House, and Beyond  provides Michael D. Brown's rebuttal to criticisms of his performance as head of FEMA during the Hurricane Katrina crisis. Brown (better known by the George W. Bush anointed nickname of "Brownie") hurls blame anywhere where it may stick. Yes, there is plenty of blame to toss around, but what

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-57972181571410614302011-06-08T10:28:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:35:05.022-04:00

ARCThis review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. Doctor Confidential: Secrets Behind the Wall by Richard Sheff, M.D. offers readers an opportunity to vicariously share in the experiences of a medical student in training. Dr. Sheff shows the emotional wounds that doctors garner through the highly pressured years of their medical school education. In order to survive student doctors

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-25927054779201670632011-06-07T15:36:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:35:52.651-04:00

We need more journalists like Charles Kuralt. Engaging, professional and an outstanding storyteller, Kuralt left me reminiscent for the days when television news reporting was actual journalism and where good news could still nab the undivided attention of American viewers.  (  ) A LIFE ON THE ROAD available at You Are What You Read Bookstore

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-21992311525906117202011-06-06T11:43:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:37:09.677-04:00

Waltzing With the Enemy: A Mother and Daughter Confront the Aftermath of the Holocaust ARC Review This book is a dual memoir written by a mother, Raisa Kliot, and her daughter, Helen Mitsios. Raisa Kliot was an Eastern European Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust by hiding often times in plain sight, thus the title "Waltzing with the Enemy". Raisa's story is unlike the published memoirs

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-14128980785177147142011-02-09T17:03:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:38:21.543-04:00

Clara's War : One Girl's Story of Survival   left me absolutely humbled. Once in a great while you come upon a book that will completely change your perspective on life. This book certainly taught me how much in life is taken for granted. With the skilled writing of Stephen Glantz, Clara Kramer shares her story with simplicity and humility. I could not put this book down... and I

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-46141244476932292742011-01-28T10:43:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:39:52.557-04:00

I had no idea. I had no idea how bad, no, not bad... horrific the situation is for our soldiers. Yes, I have read books about war; fictional, historical, biographical and autobiographical. Yet,  Lethal Warriors by David Philipps  has created a gut wrenching depiction of the very real toll suffered by American soldiers. And it is happening right now. This book is a page turner but, I had to read

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-86513949207465350882010-05-10T16:06:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:42:19.870-04:00

Author, Robert Rotenberg, is a native of Toronto who brings his years of experience as a criminal lawyer and a radio producer for the CBC together to create a highly readable work of fiction titled OLD CITY HALL. I really loved this book. First of all the city itself, Toronto, becomes a living breathing character in its own right under the writing skills of Rotenberg. And Rotenberg's

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-74399771338101227692010-05-01T11:59:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:43:19.564-04:00

See How Much I Love You  by Luis Leante (Translation by Martin Schifino ) is an enticing tale of love between two Barcelona teenagers, Montse and Santiago,  that spans thirty years. I would not dare call this book a romance novel; definitely, the wrong genre, but it is a love story. And the backdrop of the Western Sahara leads the reader into a world that few of us truly understand. The

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-57153148153209109962010-04-09T14:13:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:44:16.509-04:00

The Last Child by John Hart is the story of a thirteen year old child's quest to find his missing twin sister. Being that I am a parent... I usually do not seek out tales involving child abduction; just way too scary a subject to contemplate. Now that being said, Hart's page turning suspenseful plot touches at the deepest core of human emotions: profound grief and how one comes to terms

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-54342766414946130302010-03-29T13:22:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:45:09.632-04:00

The story of Harmony Dust is frankly honest and compelling. I could not put the book down. She truly describes the life altering trauma of sexual abuse and how a person can succumb to life in the sex industry. She found her way out through a spiritual conversion. The telling of her conversion is never preachy, just simple and real. She turns her suffering into a labor of love

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-49090912618218935502009-12-01T15:26:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:46:11.726-04:00

   The Good Plain Cook by Bethan Roberts  AVAILABLE: November 2009 Life is lived through the simple small tasks of daily life... the making of a cup of tea, peeling potatoes, going for a walk... The Good Plain Cook  demonstrates author, Bethan Roberts',  talent for telling a story simply and in eloquent detail through the experiences of a young "plain cook" named Kitty. Roberts

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-69102778369997128402009-11-10T13:03:00.002-05:002011-08-29T13:47:10.773-04:00

There are times when I am so grateful to receive advanced reading copies of soon to be published books. This is one of those times. The Angelic Way: Angels through the Ages and Their Meaning for Us by Rami Shapiro is a scholarly work that is highly readable and quite thought provoking. How fascinating was this work? Let's put it this way... I wrote 18 pages of notes to myself about topics

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-23948874918917994352009-09-06T16:05:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:48:19.228-04:00

Last of my 2009 summer reads. (boohoo... back to more serious reading now) I really liked this one. Lots of loose ends tied up from the last Scarpetta story, but... an editor! An editor! This story needs someone to chop away at least 25% of this book. Annoying nuisances pop up like repetitious sentences, the criminal deluge of adverbs... and rehashing the plot progress too much. What

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-20772263737612874192009-08-24T10:35:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:49:38.038-04:00

You have to read From the Dust Returned: A Novel by Ray Bradbury with the Charles Addams cover artwork. Bradbury had planned to do collaborative work with the Addams family artist, but the plan never came completely to fruition. You have here the author who has inspired countless science fiction authors, and the artist whose work has obviously influenced artists like Timothy Burton. Bradbury

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-49387901065603708552009-08-05T12:03:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:54:11.443-04:00

Patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) are now having shortened hospital stays. The result of this circumstance is less time in hospital for patient education. The Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Moving Ahead with Your Life is an outstanding educational resource for patient and family use that offers the extensive information needed to help a SCI patient on the

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-75904864124761628032009-07-22T14:59:00.003-04:002011-08-29T13:57:26.835-04:00

I am not prone to reading love stories. I like surprises and unconventional characters and the such that I usually find lacking in the "romance" formulas of pop fiction. But, now I must jump off of my reading snob soap box and admit that GENTLE RAIN by Deborah Smith was a pleasant literary visit. I found the story to be predictable, but comforting in its predictability. I think what

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-50913709348918853032009-07-22T10:10:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:59:06.518-04:00

GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize (2005) winning work of fiction. The story is told through a collection of letters written by an elderly dying minister for the benefit of his young child. I think I need to read this book again. Why? Because I had several false starts which caused me to lose track of the characters and the story line. This problem was due to my own

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-91506661182202249302009-04-20T17:49:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:59:56.558-04:00

DATE OF RELEASE: JANUARY 2009 Cleaning Up: How I Gave Up Drinking and Lived is the frankly written personal story of author, Tania Glyde's, journey away from living with alcohol. Actually, Tania Glyde gave up much more than alcohol. She had been a “poly drug” user, but admits in a radio interview that the book title would have just been too long to have included the list of substances she had

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-34562932845714986392009-03-31T11:52:00.002-04:002011-08-29T14:01:06.072-04:00

Award winning columnist, Deborah Ross, has a club, and I desperately want to be a member. She calls her organization the NDGC (GB)… that is the Non-Domestic Goddess Club of Great Britain. Assuming that you can get motivated enough to attend a meeting (a true Non-Domestic Goddess will shiver at this point at the thought of a meeting), you will be welcomed with a cup of Nescafe’ made from

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-25913208457270503122009-03-10T11:28:00.003-04:002011-08-29T14:03:48.016-04:00

First of all… An Heirophant is an interpreter of sacred mysteries. Yes, I had to use a dictionary to understand the title, even before I had cracked open the book. The Hierophant of 100th Street by Cullen Dorn is a metaphysical themed story of life on the streets of East Harlem; somewhat resonant of Dito Montiel’s autobiographical film A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints sans the vulgarity.

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-73237547674837052412008-10-24T17:32:00.002-04:002011-08-29T14:02:38.721-04:00

THE LOST EPISODES OF BEATIE SCARELI By: GINNETTA CORRELI DATE OF RELEASE: JUNE 2008 ARC YES The Lost Episodes of Beatie Scareli is a novella that reveals a tale of surviving childhood abuse as told by the 12 year old narrator, Beatie Scareli. The crisp and minimalist writing reads like a screenplay. Being that I am a retired clinical social worker, I immediately fell into this book. It

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-30512305261712565272008-09-23T16:05:00.002-04:002011-08-29T14:04:58.835-04:00

If you ever have had the experience of being caught off guard with the most hilarious moment and laughing so hard that you blew grape juice (or whatever you were drinking) through your nose , I can guarantee you that you will have a comparable repeat laughter outburst with Silent But Deadly: Another Lio Collection . So… You have been warned. No fluids (or Cocoa Puffs) while reading this

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-87658366842686190002008-09-09T15:37:00.003-04:002011-08-29T14:06:24.509-04:00

Take a Swedish literature scholar ( who also happens to be a very talented novelist), toss in a Victorian era mystery in London, add in a fictional narcissistic mystery writer by the name of Euthanasia Bondeson, and some sleuthing through such places as a “molly house” for cross dressing gentlemen of 1851 during the Great Exhibition… Well… You have the makings of an absolutely

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-9901802701523965412008-08-26T11:49:00.003-04:002011-08-29T14:07:14.690-04:00

RELEASE DATE: June 2008 On the surface The Spirit of the Place could be looked upon as a romantic novel about a physician who must grudgingly return to his hometown upon receiving word of his mother’s death. Relationships ensue, old wounds are reopened, insights are gained, and life moves on. But, that is truly not what this story is about. This work is layered with theme upon theme about

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-52383927188753364562008-08-01T13:08:00.003-04:002011-08-29T14:08:14.593-04:00

I have entered a new terrain; the world of audio books. Our public library system now has OverDrive--Library Services which allows one to download library audio books from the comfort of the home computer. I have gotten totally hooked. Though, I have discovered that having fiction read aloud doesn’t work well for me. I don’t want to hear someone else interpret the characters’ voices or their

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-39597655103341518162008-07-09T16:25:00.002-04:002011-08-29T14:09:37.826-04:00

Not everyone will be able to read this book. The story opens with the horrendous details of childhood sexual abuse told fearlessly in the disassociated voice so common among those who survive such trauma. Readers may want to close the book and walk away because the human suffering is so raw. But, those who have survived such attacks know that this turning away is what the world perpetually does

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1088528380056363862008-02-04T15:57:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:07:42.849-04:00

Confusion rages from the noise of the television, the stereo, the computer, the traffic outside, the dog barking in the yard, the neighbor's vacuum cleaner roaring through shrill sirens racing to another emergency as the boom box on the sidewalk resonates and shakes the fillings in my teeth. Unperturbed, I lay down silently with my quiet companion, opening the leaves that submerge

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-62401055075654460502007-10-16T18:27:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:08:34.500-04:00

"Of all the diversions of life, there is none so proper to fill up its empty spaces as the reading of useful and entertaining authors." Joseph Addison (1672-1719) Thomas Moore: "The many great gardens of the world, of literature and poetry, of painting and music, of religion and architecture, all make the point as clear as possible: The soul cannot thrive in the absence of a garden. If you

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-45246305006255415542007-08-11T12:30:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:09:28.491-04:00

LibriVox is a service that offers free audio readings of books available in the public domain for the United States. You can search for specific texts here: LibriVox Catalog Pages Or browse using this link: LibriVox Catalog Pages ENJOY!

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-52000028546686478982007-05-21T16:52:00.003-04:002011-08-29T13:11:49.435-04:00

Any bibliophile is going to be jumping for joy over this site: Internet Archive: Text Archive ENJOY!

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-88995299516703159892007-05-07T13:58:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:12:45.912-04:00

Surprised by joy -impatient as the wind I turned to share the transport - Oh! with whom But Thee, deep buried in the silent tomb, That spot which no vicissitude can find? Love, faithful love, recalled thee to my mind - But how could I forget thee? Through what power, Even for the least division of an hour, Have I been so beguiled as to be blind To my most grievous loss? - That

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-13912145651367097262007-04-26T19:46:00.002-04:002011-08-29T13:13:57.688-04:00

I will admit that I selected this book out of the library because it is only 196 pages in length. I was looking around for a quick read and had recognized the book title. Hollywood has already made a flick out of this one. Best to read this before producers mangle the text. I was not prepared for the incredible nuggets of wisdom dropped throughout this book like a trail of diamonds. Each

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-49404797938231853502007-04-26T15:49:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:14:21.794-04:00

This is my thinking chair. It is an old kitchen chair given to me by one of my sisters . It was originally black with the paint faded and worn around the edges. I saw a documentary called BORN INTO BROTHELS. I was inspired by bountiful colors from the film and its companion book. powered by frazy.com The color scheme reminds me of the unwavering hope of so many of the

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-23623510406795497912007-04-12T12:35:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:15:41.053-04:00

Dear Mr. Vonnegut, Thank you for bringing enlightenment to my pathetically narrow minded self. Thank you for humor that is the best teacher for lessons that are bitter to swallow. Thank you for waking me up to the realities of this world... lessons I am only now beginning to appreciate. Thank you for teaching me about asterisks. I am going to miss you. Sincerely, A Devoted Reader

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-36864044654028935582007-02-23T12:11:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:16:33.123-04:00

Books are like friends. You need to meet new friends during the proper time in your life. Sometimes you are ready to greet a new friend and sometimes not. The growth of a friendship depends on where you are in your life's journey. The events in your life dictate whom you can relate to... your circumstances often determine which people will "gel" with you. You may

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1166810002217571052006-12-22T12:27:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:17:12.087-04:00

Life of Pi powered by frazy.com Sometimes a reader is graced with what I like to call: The right book at the right time. LIFE OF PI is that book. If you are in the appetite for a plot driven tale of survival you will find that here. And if you hunger for a spiritual journey revealing the inner workings of human nature... that's also available at this banquet of fiction. I read a few reviews

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1144172379757534592006-04-04T13:28:00.001-04:002011-08-29T13:17:50.809-04:00

The year of the Titanic. 1997. We saw the movie THREE times at the theater. Film lovers that we are... even still, this was excessive for us. And when the video came out... bam... we bought it. I can not tell you how many times we have watched that ship sink. What is the fixation? We were living in the world before September 11th. The story of the Titanic asks that great question... How

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1143664141958567502006-03-29T15:10:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:00:12.084-04:00

One of the joys of teaching is being able to revisit with fresh eyes the joys of childhood. I spent my childhood living in the wonderful world of books. So returning to that life as a teacher was great fun. During the summer of 1994, I took up tutoring some children as I prepared for graduate school and a career change. One student was getting ready for a local private high school. So I got

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1143649691185699662006-03-29T11:08:00.001-05:002011-08-29T13:15:07.157-04:00

Bookreporter.com - Author Profile: Frank Mccourt July 1999. That summer was blistering hot and full of anticipation. Waiting for my beautiful son to arrive into our arms from Korea. I had just finished up working full time in a children's Day Treatment program. I wanted the summer to "nest"... to prepare for my son's arrival. I spent the past two years of my social work career, day after

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23692609.post-1141860394175856322006-03-08T18:20:00.001-05:002011-08-02T10:51:04.056-04:00

Author, Philip K. Dick is best known for his substantial body of work in the science fiction genre. I became acquainted with DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP by viewing (several times) the now cult classic sci-fi film, BLADE RUNNER. Philip K. Dick has the talent for addressing and questioning the dualities of our existence. Born a twin, his sibling tragically died six weeks after their

Lorettahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05041603151355416506noreply@blogger.com0