Spotlight: Champagne Lies by Wendy VanHatten

by Carol2 Comments
About Champagne Lies: She should have been on her 30th wedding anniversary trip. Instead, Stacie stumbles upon a body where it should not be…an upscale beach on the Mexican Rivera. She also should have been celebrating with the man she has been married to for those 30 years. Instead, she finds out she may not have really known what he did or who he was. Things happen to her she can’t explain. Who is the mysterious Maria in Italy, why did her husband need secret, hidden rooms, who do the guns belong to, and who was the man she married? Nothing is as it appears…and Stacie keeps finding more surprises the more pieces she uncovers. From dead bodies to stolen jewels…it just keeps getting worse. Add: Goodreads Purchase: Amazon About the author: Wendy VanHatten is a published author, Editor of Prime Time Living Magazine, professional editor for authors, and contributing writer in additional magazines. Her children’s books, the Max and Myron series, teach children to read as...
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Spotlight: Shadows Present, Shadows Past by J. H. Sanderson

by Carol1 Comment
About Shadows Present, Shadows Past: A mysterious legacy from an old neighbor is a dream come true for the Evans sisters. However, the unexplained phenomenon they encounter soon turns the dream into a nightmare. The search to discover the explanation for these events uncovers secrets that were never meant to be revealed, including murder! Will the search for the truth put all this to rest, or plunge them in deeper? Purchase: iUniverse About the Author: J. H. Sanderson is a bishop with the Liberal Catholic Church International and lives in New Hampshire with his two sons and four dogs. Pump Up Your Book and J. H. Sanderson are teaming up to give you a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash! Terms & Conditions: By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old. One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one $25 Amazon Gift Certificate or Paypal Cash. Good luck everyone! ENTER TO WIN! a Rafflecopter giveaway...
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At the Movies: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

by Carol3 Comments
Title: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Director: Ben Stiller Writer: Steven Conrad In theaters: December 25, 2013 from 20th Century Fox Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama Rating: PG Rating: 4 out of 5 stars The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is James Thurber's classic story of a day-dreamer who escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job along with that of his co-worker are threatened, Walter takes action in the real world embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined. We saw The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in the theater yesterday. It wasn't one that I had on my must-watch list, but we wanted to see a movie and it seemed like something we would all enjoy. I've never read Thurber's story, but it doesn't seem like it really has much to do with the movie anyway, aside from featuring a day-dreamer. I'm not a...
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Audiobook Review: Pagan Spring by G. M. Malliet

by Carol7 Comments
Title: Pagan Spring (Max Tudor #3) Author: G. M. Malliet Read by: Michael Page Category: Mystery Audio published: Nov 13, 2013 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars Add: Goodreads Purchase: Audible | Amazon Vicar Max Tudor, reveling in his new-found personal happiness with Awena Owen, feels that life at the moment holds no greater challenge than writing his Easter sermon. With Awena away, he looks forward to a dinner that includes newcomers to the village like West End dramatist Thaddeus Bottle and his downtrodden wife Melinda. But when one of the dinner guests is found dead in the pre-dawn hours, Max knows a poisonous atmosphere has once again enveloped his perfect village of Nether Monkslip. Connections to long-ago crimes, some sparked by the paintings of a famous local artist, help Max unravel the clues - but can he restore peace to Nether Monkslip and still manage to finish his sermon? Pagan Spring was my last book for 2013 and it was a nice way to end my reading year....
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Thursday’s Tale: The Brothers Grimm

by Carol5 Comments
Happy New Year!! Today, I decided not to focus on a specific story, mostly because I want to show off some photos from the Cathedral of Learning's German room. We got to see them back on December 21st. The stained glass windows depict various characters from the Grimms' stories. The stained-glass windows were designed by master stained glass artist Charles Connick, however they were not completed until 1953 by Connick protege Frances Van Arsdale Skinner. Aren't they gorgeous? Did you recognize the stories? A little about Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859), were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, lexicographers and authors who together collected and published folklore. They are among the most well-known storytellers of folk tales and I've featured many of their stories here. Their first collection of folk tales, Children's and Household Tales (Kinder- und Hausmärchen), was published in 1812. Kinder- und Hausmärchen was not an immediate bestseller, but its popularity grew with each edition. The early editions attracted lukewarm critical...
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