Book Review: The Ruins of US

Title: The Ruins of Us
Author: Keija Parssinen
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book: Paperback, 352 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis: 

           More than two decades after moving to Saudi Arabia and marrying powerful Abdullah Baylani, American-born Rosalie learns that her husband has taken a second wife. That discovery plunges their family into chaos as Rosalie grapples with leaving Saudi Arabia, her life, and her family behind. Meanwhile, Abdullah and Rosalie’s consuming personal entanglements blind them to the crisis approaching their sixteen-year-old son, Faisal, whose deepening resentment toward their lifestyle has led to his involvement with a controversial sheikh. When Faisal makes a choice that could destroy everything his embattled family holds dear, all must confront difficult truths as they fight to preserve what remains of their world.

        

         The Ruins of Us is a timely story about intolerance, family, and the injustices we endure for love that heralds the arrival of an extraordinary new voice in contemporary fiction.

Review:

          I am always drawn to exotic novels placed in far away lands, as it is another form of traveling for me. This book takes me to Saudi Arabia, where an American woman lives with her Saudi husband and has raised their family there. She thinks everything is going perfect until she discovers the second wife and it throws her whole world upside down. The men in this story have strong personality types, but are hard to like. However, you automatically want to root for Rosalie given her misfortunes.

           The hardest part for me was to understand the traditions and culture involved in this book. A second wife in America is not even allowed, yet in Saudi culture it is part of old tradition, though not always practiced. It's hard to understand why Abdullah would want another wife, especially since Rosalie gave up her life to be with him. Another conflict of the story is their son, who is starting to drift into the world of rebellion and extremism, which could send their whole family into chaos and shame.

           As beautiful as the setting and culture of this novel was, I couldn't get as into it as I would have liked. It could have been the cultural differences were hard to understand, or the story itself moving at a certain pace. Regardless of my feelings on the novel, it is well written by someone that you know has experience to put down on paper. It may not be for me, but you can try it out and see for yourself if this adventure is worth experiencing. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours.  

Busy Bee

Hello my wonderful readers, I apologize for the lack of posting. The holidays have left my work life as hectic as ever and I rarely get a chance to catch my breath, let alone blog. A lot has happened since I last blogged; for one, I am now one year older!

I celebrated my birthday January 11 and got a very beautiful and special gift from my husband... my first Tiffany's jewelry!

For my birthday, I decided to treat myself and purchased a Michael Kors Hamilton tote bag in navy. I'm not going to lie... even on sale, it was still the priciest bag I've ever purchased, but I love it!

One of our New Year's non-resolutions (because I don't believe in them) was to workout and eat healthier. In doing so, we decided to purchase a used elliptical to work on our fitness. The display is not calibrated but it definitely works.

I also did a little makeover on myself and got a new hair-do. I'm still trying to get used to the bangs but so far people seem to like it.

That's all my news for now. I'm still reading and reviewing books and I'll have a book review coming up tomorrow on an exotic novel. I miss you guys terribly and I hope to pop up more often!

Book Review: More Than Words Can Say

Title: More Than Words Can Say
Author: Robert Barclay
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Book: Paperback, 400 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis: 

          From the author of If Wishes Were Horses comes a novel of long-buried secrets and self-discovery, showing us that sometimes what goes unsaid is more powerful than words. . . .

        Chelsea Enright never expected to inherit her grandmother's lakeside cottage deep in the Adirondacks—a serene getaway that had been mysteriously closed up decades ago. This is no simple bequest, however, because when Chelsea finds her grandmother's WWII diaries, she's stunned to discover that they hold secrets she never suspected . . . and they have the power to turn her own life upside down.

        Even more surprising is the compelling presence of local doctor Brandon "Yale, and Chelsea soon finds her "short stay" has stretched into the entire summer. She cannot put this cottage and her family's past behind her easily—and the more she learns about the woman her grandmother truly was, the more Chelsea's own life begins to change . . . and nothing will ever be the same again.

Review:

          I love a good "find my past through treasures" type of book. There's nothing more satisfying than reading a book where a character finds out just who their relatives are from past journals, photographs, and keepsakes. In this particular novel, Chelsea bequeaths her grandmother's lake cottage, which not only contains a diary and photographs from her time there in the 1940's, but also has a handsome neighbor who helps her along the journey of self-discovery. 

         

          I was immediately drawn into this book.... who wouldn't love to receive a beautiful lake cottage and have a change to learn more about their grandmother, even if what they learn could change their whole life. The plot in the story flowed really well between Chelsea's story and what she was reading in her grandmother's diary. Food also played a large part in the novel, as her grandmother was an excellent cook and had fun ways of titling her recipes. Chelsea also had her recipe book, so recreating her grandmother's dishes was another way to connect herself to her past. 

          I wasn't sure what the twist would be in the novel but it was somewhat surprising and thought-provoking. What was even better was that as Chelsea learned more about her grandmother's past, she was also getting closer to Brandon at the same time, what adds to the romanticism of the book. I really enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in the past and beauty of a cottage and a burgeoning love on the lake. I give this book 5 stars. 

isclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours.  

Where Discontinued Cosmetics Go To Disappear

I was doing some Christmas shopping yesterday at Big Lots and wandered on over to their cosmetics aisle. I was browsing through the messy bins when I came across some Neutrogena Moistureshine Soothing Lip Sheers.

I grabbed one in Ruby Kiss as it looked like a great sheer red to wear during the holiday season. When I got home and did some research, I realized that these sheer lipsticks had actually been discontinued and sent to Big Lots to finish off leftover supply. I remember seeing other colors there as well but didn't think anything of it. The reviews on this product are great... people say they liked them better than MAC's Slimshines (rest in peace) and other popular sheer lipsticks. It's a shame such good products get discontinued but places like Big Lots definitely benefit from selling them before they disappear.

I've also bought discontinued products at Old Time Pottery and Amazon.com. You'd be amazed at the stuff you find. And, if you like it, stock up on it because once they are gone, they're gone!

Are there any places in particular you search for discontinued products?

Book Review: The Secret of Lies

Title: The Secret of Lies
Author: Barbara Forte Abate
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Book: Paperback, 304 pages
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis: 
           Propelled by an insurmountable sense of desperation, Stevie Burke is recklessly abandoning home, husband, and outwardly contented life under cover of night; at last resigned to defeat in her long battle against the tortured memories of her past.
         Days later, lost and floundering in a dreary motel room without plan or destination, it is a long ago song playing on the radio that gently tugs Stevie back through the dust of remembrance. 1957 - The last summer spent at the ancient house overlooking the North Atlantic. A season which had unfolded with abundant promise, but then spiraled horribly out of control - torn apart by a shattering tragedy that remains splintered in fragments upon her soul. And it is only now, when Stevie at last lifts her eyes to stare deep into the heart of her long sequestered memories, that the long held secrets of past and future are at last unveiled.

Review: 

           This is one of those coming-of-age books that brings you back to your teenage years and fills you with hope and sorrow at the same time. The setting of the story sounds perfect; 1950's summers spent in Long Island away from their family at their Pennsylvania farm. Stevie meets and falls for a boy at the beach and it seems her teenage days are to be spent like any other girl's; until a shocking discovery leads to tragedy and the beginning of her changed life. 

          You never expect the twist when it comes, and especially the downward spiral of events following. Not only does it affect Stevie on so many levels, but the repercussions of this event are felt for years by everybody it involves. Stevie's once planned-out life becomes uprooted and she has to sacrifice so much of herself to do the right thing. In the process, she falls in love with someone that works at the farm and tries to cope with her inner tragedies while holding on to the one she loves. I could feel the emotions that echoed in Stevie during the whole novel; happiness, betrayal, shock, guilt, sadness, love... it was a roller coaster of events and feelings and you were with her every step of the way. 

           The book itself is beautifully written and flows nicely from chapter to chapter. I wished I could have seen more of the boy she fell for at the beach but when you abruptly leave some place and never come back, how easy is it to stay in touch with someone you leave behind? I think it says a lot about the characters and their chemistry to wish to see more of them, as well as the consequences of teenage summers. 

           All in all, given Stevie's circumstances, I imagine most would find themselves floundering through life with their mind stuck in the past and no vision for what the future might bring. I think she did well by the choices she made, some insanely stupid but human, and the ending leaves on a hopeful note, which is always nice. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Barbara! 

My First Sewing Project

A year ago, my mother-in-law was kind enough to give me a really nice Brother sewing machine that she didn't need anymore. I had never used a sewing machine so she took the time to show me the basics while we were visiting.

I knew my first project was going to be to replace the ugly pillows that came with our couch so I tore them up, kept the stuffing, and went shopping for a new fabric. I wrote earlier about what kind of pillows I wanted to make. I found a great green-patterned fabric on sale and bought plenty in case I made any mistakes (which I'm sure I will).

Fast forward a year; the fabric, stuffing, and sewing machine had all collected dust upstairs as I did not have the motivation to start my project. Thankfully, my wonderful friend Carmen happens to be a sewing queen and  recommended that I bring all of my sewing supplies and a bottle of wine over one night so we could have a sewing party.

 She did a great job of setting up her dining room to be a make-shift sewing workroom and we drank some delicious red wine and snacked on some finger foods while we proceeded with our projects.

This is the almost finished project on my first pillow. All it needs now is stuffing and closure and it will be done.

I think I'm going to take the remainder of my project to Panama City when we go up to visit for Christmas. I'm sure my mother-in-law would love a little sewing mother/daughter time.

Any sewing projects on your list?

Shiny New Kitchen

I've been so busy lately, I haven't even shown you my new appliances! We got them on a Pre-Black Friday deal from Home Depot and had them installed last week. Our kitchen wasn't looking too hot with cream-colored appliances, so I am ecstatic to have something that goes well with the counters. Now the kitchen is sleek and shiny!

I hope everyone is having a great Tuesday!