Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler

by Carol9 Comments
Christmas at The Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler I do love Christmas mysteries, a combination of my favorite things really. Murder and theft for the holiday. This book collects 17 stories by am amazing list of writers. Each original story was commissioned by Otto Penzler, one a year beginning in 1993, printed and given to his bookstore customers as a holiday gift. The only requirements were that the story must take place during the Christmas season, involve a mystery and have a least some of the action take place at the Mysterious Bookshop in New York. I am so happy that he's sharing the stories with the rest of us! Each of the stories is written by a well-known author in the genre, and they vary from light-hearted and heart-warming to dark, like "The 74th Tale" by Jonathan Santlofer where a man discovers Poe and a penchant for burying people alive, and everywhere in between. As with most collections, I had...
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Snow White and Rose Red by The Brothers Grimm

by Carol10 Comments
"Snow White and Rose Red" by The Brothers Grimm Although I've heard of this story, I've never actually read it. I am much more familiar with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," a totally different story. This one does involve a dwarf, but he's a nasty little man who gets killed in the end. Snow White and Rose Red are sisters who live with their mother, a widow. All three live together happily. The sisters are dearest friends and wander the woods without fear, as all the animals are kind to them— the girls/young women  are just that perfect. One day, when the three woman are reading by the fire, they hear a knock at the door. They open it, assuming it's a traveler looking for lodging, and find a bear. The bear speaks, telling them he won't hurt them he just needs some warmth. They welcome him  in and he returns every night until summer. the girls tease, flirted and wrestled with...
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The Dream Woman by Wilkie Collins

by Carol7 Comments
"The Dream Woman" by Wilkie Collins There are several versions of "The Dream Woman" earlier known as "The Ostler." The one I read, according to the introduction, was the version prepared for Collins' US readings and is remarkably different from the one printed in the collections. The story is subtitled "A Mystery in Four Narratives." The first section is told by Percy Fairbank, a well-off man who is traveling with his wife in England. They have to stop at an inn when one of their horses goes lame and there they meet Francis Raven, the stableman. When they first stumble upon him, he's asleep, obviously in the middle of a nightmare involving a woman. Percy, by the way is quite amusing. His asides about the relationship between him and his wife are funny and true to life. they obviously love each other dearly and know each other quite well. In the second narrative is Francis' story to this point, told by himself. Ten years...
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Women Unbound Reading Challenge

by Carol2 Comments
  The Women Unbound challenge finished up today. Here's what I read that I think fits the topic. Non-fiction Embroideries by Marjane Satrapi - fascinating look at women's lives and relationships in Iran Stop Calling Him Honey and Start Having Sex! by Maggie Arana and Julienne Davis - really much more about empowering women than the title implies Fiction The Help by Kathryn Stockett - one of my favorites of the year The Miracle Worker by William Gibson - Annie Sullivan was just an amazing young woman and this play gave me a new respect for her Hotel du Lac by Anita Brookner - a modern classic about a woman and her relationships I think it's important to share stories about great or interesting women and girls with our kids, so here are a couple of books that fit  in this challenge that I've read with my daughter. Thank You, Sarah by Laura Halse Anderson- (Non-fiction) Quest for the Tree Kangaroo by Sy Montgomery - (Non-fiction)...
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Stop Calling Him Honey and Start Having Sex! by Maggie Arana and Julienne Davis

by Carol6 Comments
Stop Calling Him Honey and Start Having Sex! by Maggie Arana and Julienne Davis Not my usual choice I know, but worth reading, even if you don't think your sex life needs rekindled. Arana and Davis believe that our daily habits that can kill the spark in a relationship. Their advice is not about buying sexy lingerie or scheduling date nights or "just doing it" whether you're in the mood or not. They promote treating each other like adults with love and respect, which means no androgynous nicknames, no baby talk, keeping the bathroom door shut. A lot of the book isn't about sex necessarily though. It's about being your own woman, remembering that you are in fact an individual, that your husband compliments you but isn't your other half. It's really about exploring all the parts of yourself that are valuable and unique. As women and men, we are many things: wife/husband/partner, mother/father, career person, homemaker, cook, housekeeper, gardener, caregiver for humans...
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